To use the EDI data handler, you must create or modify business object
definitions so that they contain the meta-data that the data handler requires
and so that they include the fields that correspond to those in the EDI
message. This section provides the information you need to create
business object definitions to work with the EDI data handler. In
particular, it provides the following information:
The EDI data handler uses business object definitions when it converts
business objects or EDI documents. It performs the conversion using the
structure of the business objects and their application-specific
information. Figure 28 shows the
structure of the business objects that represent an EDI message.
Figure 28. Business object structure for an EDI message

To ensure that business object definitions conform to the requirements of
the EDI data handler, use the guidelines provided for each of the following
business objects:
The EDI data handler expects a top-level business object to hold the
information for the EDI message. Table 30 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of a business object and describes how to set the properties when modifying a
business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 30. Properties for the EDI top-level business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
| Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that these business object definitions begin with a standard
prefix. The name of the top-level business object depends on the
message standard, as follows:
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
- Note:
- When the data handler converts an EDI document to a business object, it
identifies the top-level business object for the EDI document through the
name-handler lookup table. For more information, see Creating the name-handler lookup file.
As Figure 28 shows, the top-level
business object definition contains the following attributes:
- An attribute to represent the EDI document header
- As many attributes as needed to represent any segments
- As many attributes as needed to represent any segment loops or groups
- An attribute to represent the EDI document trailer
The header attribute of the top-level EDI business object represents a
single-cardinality array that contains the header information. The
application-specific information for this attribute must include the following
tag:
type=header
The Type property for this attribute contains the name of the header
business object. For information on the attributes of the header
business object, see Header business object.
Each segment attribute of the top-level EDI business object represents a
single-cardinality array that contains the segment information. Table 31 shows the attribute properties for a segment attribute in
the top-level business object definition.
Table 31. Attribute properties for a segment attribute in the EDI top-level business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
|
The name of a segment attribute takes the form:
Tag + Position
(if duplicated)
|
Type
|
The type of a segment attribute takes a name of the form:
TopLevelBusObj + Tag
This attribute property contains the name of the appropriate segment
business object.
|
ContainedObjectVersion
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Relationship
| Set to "containment".
|
Cardinality
| If Max Use or Repetition is set to "1" in the EDI
documentation specification, set the value of this attribute property to
"1". Otherwise, set this attribute property to
"N".
|
MaxLength
| Always set to "1".
|
Key
| Always set to "false".
|
Foreign key
| Always set to "false".
|
Required
| If Status or Option is set to "M" in the
EDI documentation specification, set this attribute property to
"true". Otherwise, set this attribute property to
"false".
|
Default value
| Not used by the EDI data handler.
|
Application-specific information
|
Set to:
name=name of segment
|
- Note:
- The Max Use, Repetition, Status, and
Option fields are part of the EDI document specification.
For more information, refer to your EDI documentation.
For information on the attributes of the segment business object, see Segment business object.
Each segment-loop attribute represents a multiple cardinality array that
contains the segment information. Table 32 shows the attribute properties for a segment-loop attribute
in the top-level business object definition.
Table 32. Attribute properties for a segment-loop attribute in the EDI top-level business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
|
The name of a segment-loop attribute takes the form:
Tag + Position
(if duplicated)
|
Type
|
The type of a segment loop attribute takes a name of the form:
TopLevelBusObj + Loop/Group keyword + Tag
This attribute property contains the name of the appropriate segment-loop
business object. This name can include a keyword (such as
Loop) to indicate the purpose of the segment.
|
ContainedObjectVersion
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Relationship
| Set to "containment".
|
Cardinality
| Always set to "N".
|
MaxLength
| Always set to "1".
|
Key
| Always set to "false".
|
Foreign key
| Always set to "false".
|
Required
| If Status or Option is set to "M" in the
EDI documentation specification, set this attribute property to
"true". Otherwise, set this attribute property to
"false".
Only set this attribute property to "true" on the first segment
in the Loop/Group.
|
Default value
| Not used by the EDI data handler.
|
Application-specific information
| Includes:
- name=name of first segment in loop
- type=loop
For example, the following application-specific information identifies a
segment loop whose first segment name is AMT:
AppSpecificInfo=name=AMT;type=loop
|
- Note:
- The Status and Option fields are part of the EDI
document specification. For more information, refer to your EDI
documentation.
For information on the attributes of the segment-loop business object, see Segment-loop business object.
The trailer attribute of the top-level EDI business object represents a
single-cardinality array that contains the trailer information. The
application-specific information for this attribute must include the following
tag:
type=trailer
The Type property of this attribute contains the name of the trailer
business object. For information on the attributes of the trailer
business object, see Trailer business object.
To hold header information for the EDI message, the EDI data handler
expects a header business object as the first attribute of the top-level
business object. Table 33 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of this business object definition and describes how to set these properties
when modifying the business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 33. Properties for the EDI header business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
| Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that the name of the header business object include the business
object prefix. It can also include identifying information such as the
keyword "header".
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
This business object definition contains an attribute to represent each
header segment of the header. The application-specific information for
each attribute identifies the name of the header segment. Each header
segments can contain attributes that are simple, single-cardinality, or
multiple cardinality.
To hold segment information for the EDI message, the EDI data handler
expects a segment business object. Table 34 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of this business object definition and describes how to set these properties
when modifying the business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 34. Properties for the EDI segment business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
|
Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that the name of the segment business object definition have the
form:
BusObj Prefix + Tag
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
As Figure 28 shows, the segment business object can contain the following
attributes:
- A simple (String) attribute to represent an EDI element
- An array attribute to represent a composite
Each simple attribute of a segment business object must have the attribute
properties shown in Table 35.
Table 35. Attribute properties for simple attributes
Property name
| Description
|
Name
| Each business object attribute must have a unique name.
|
Type
| Each simple business object attribute must have a String
type.
|
Cardinality
| Always set to "1".
|
Key
| Used for simple attributes only: must be set for the
first string attribute of the business object.
|
MaxLength
| Set to the maximum size of this String attribute.
Within an EDI document, when you embed a separator character as part of actual
data
|
Foreign key
| Always set to "false".
|
Required
| If Status or Option is set to "M" in the
EDI documentation specification, set this attribute property to
"true". Otherwise, set this attribute property to
"false".
|
Default value
| Not used by the EDI data handler.
|
- Note:
- The Repetition, Status, and Option fields
are part of the EDI document specification. For more information, refer
to your EDI documentation.
Each composite business object is an array that contains the elements of an
EDI composite. Table 36 shows the attribute properties for a composite
attribute.
Table 36. Attribute properties for a composite attribute in an EDI segment business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
| The name of a composite attribute takes the form:Tag +
Position (if duplicated)
|
Type
|
The type of a segment attribute takes a name of the form:
BusObj Prefix + Tag
This attribute property contains the name of the appropriate composite
business object.
|
ContainedObjectVersion
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Relationship
| Set to "containment".
|
Cardinality
| If Repetition is set to 1, set the value of this attribute
property to "1". Otherwise, set this attribute property to
"N".
|
MaxLength
| Always set to "1".
|
Key
| Always set to "false".
|
Foreign key
| Always set to "false".
|
Required
| If Status or Option is set to "M", set
this attribute property to "true". Otherwise, set this
attribute property to "false".
|
Default value
| Not used by the EDI data handler.
|
Application-specific information
| None
|
Required Server Bound
| Always set to "false".
|
- Note:
- The Repetition, Status, and Option fields
are part of the EDI document specification. For more information, refer
to your EDI documentation.
For more information, see Composite business object.
To hold composite information for an element in the EDI message, the EDI
data handler expects a composite business object.
- Note:
- Composites are usually found in EDI documents that follow the EDIFACT
standard. However, they can exist in documents that follow the
X.12 standard as well.
Table 37 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of this business object definition and describes how to set these properties
when modifying the business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 37. Properties for the EDI composite business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
|
Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that the name of the composite business object definition have the
form:
BusObj Prefix + Tag
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
The composite business object can contain simple (String)
attributes or arrays.
To hold information for a segment loop or group in the EDI message, the EDI
data handler expects a segment-loop business object. Table 38 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of this business object definition and describes how to set these properties
when modifying the business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 38. Properties for the EDI segment-loop business object definition
Property name
| Description
|
Name
|
Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that the name of the segment-loop business object definition have
the form:
BusObj Prefix + Tag
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
To hold trailer information for the EDI message, the EDI data handler
expects a trailer business object. Table 39 describes how the EDI data handler interprets the properties
of this business object definition and describes how to set these properties
when modifying the business object for use with the EDI data handler.
Table 39. Properties for the EDI trailer business object definition
Property Name
| Description
|
Name
| Each business object definition must have a unique name. It is
recommended that the name of the trailer business object include the business
object prefix. It can also include identifying information such as the
keyword "trailer".
|
Version
| A constant representing the current version of the business object
definition. Current value is 1.0.0.
|
Application-specific information
| No meta-data that includes a type tag. Might have
meta-data with cw_mo tags to indicate attributes that are to be
ignored during the conversion process.
|
This business object definition contains an attribute to represent each
trailer segment of the trailer. The application-specific information
for each attribute identifies the name of the trailer segment. The
trailer segments can contain simple, single-cardinality, or multiple
cardinality attributes.
There are two ways to create business object definitions for an EDI
document:
- You can use Edifec SpecBuilder to export the definition EDI document as a
business object definition.
- You can manually create a business object definition for the
document.
SpecBuilder can function as an object discovery utility, creating business
object definitions based on an
EDI document. It writes them to a business object definition file that
can then be loaded into the business integration system. SpecBuilder is
a third-party application released and supported by Edifecs Inc. Please
consult the SpecBuilder documentation or the Edifecs web site for
assistance.
- Note:
- IBM does not include the SpecBuilder tool as part of its release. The
tool is, however, available on an Edifecs CD. To obtain a copy of the
Edifecs CD, please contact your IBM account executive or technical
support.
This section describes how to manually create business object definitions
to represent EDI documents. Use Business Object Designer to add or
delete attributes from the business object definition as well as edit
attribute properties, as needed.
- Note:
- The structure of an EDI document can be quite complex. It is
recommended that you use SpecBuilder to build as much of a business object
definition as possible.
To define a business object based on an EDI document:
- Create the top-level business object definition.
For information on the structure of this top-level business object, see Top-level EDI business object.
- Create the child business objects for the top-level business
object. In the top-level business object, create a child object
attribute for the business objects shown in Table 40.
Table 40. Business objects for the EDI data handler
Keep the following in mind:
- The business object attribute name need not be the same as the EDI element
name. The application-specific information is used to specify the
element name.
- Type determination: String is a cardinality 1 contained
element with no element content or associated attribute-list
declaration. BusinessObject is a cardinality n
contained element, or contained element with element content or associated
attribute specification(s).
- Application-specific information is required for many of the
attributes. See the information in Top-level EDI business object for more information.
- Create a business object attribute for each simple element. For
more information, see Simple attribute.
- Create child business objects for any nested business objects, such as
header segments, trailer segments, and composites. Follow the rules
listed above.
