TRANSLATION OF ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE MESSAGES TO EXTENSIBLE MARKUP LANGUAGE REPRESENTATION(S)

• US 20080126386A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gaurav, Suraj, Machiraju, Surendra
• Application Number:
  US11/533,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126386A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion

Abstract

Configurable options are provided for translating EDI interchange files to a single XML representation covering all transaction sets in the interchange or multiple XML representations with one XML representation per transaction set in the interchange. Optionally, translation combines EDI transaction sets of an interchange into a single XML representation while preserving the EDI structure. Optionally, where a single XML document is generated, the single XML document includes as part of translation only transaction sets that are error-free. Optionally, if any of the transaction sets includes an error, all transaction sets of an interchange are rejected.

Claims

1. A method for translating electronic data interchange (EDI) messages to one or more extensible markup language (XML) representations, including:

receiving at least one interchange including a plurality of EDI transaction sets; and

translating at least two of the plurality of EDI transaction sets to a single XML representation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said translating includes translating all of the plurality of EDI transaction sets to the single XML representation such that the ordering of the plurality of EDI transaction sets is preserved.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether at least one transaction set of the plurality of transaction sets includes invalid EDI data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said translating includes rejecting any EDI transaction sets of the plurality of EDI transaction sets that include invalid EDI data when performing said translating if at least one transaction set includes invalid EDI data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said translating includes rejecting the plurality of transaction sets comprising the at least one interchange when performing said translating if at least one transaction set includes invalid EDI data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a translator component that performs said translating to perform said translating according to a plurality of translation configuration options.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said configuring includes configuring the translator component to generate a single XML file combining each valid transaction set of the plurality of transaction sets.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said configuring includes configuring the translator component to generate a single XML file only if all of the plurality of transaction sets are valid.

9. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

10. A computing device comprising means for performing the method of claim 1.

11. A server object that interfaces to one or more electronic data interchange (EDI) trading partners for transmitting and receiving EDI messages, including:

a translation component that translates an interchange including at least two valid transaction sets to at least one extensible markup language (XML) representation; and

a configuration component that receives configuration input that configures the translation component according to an option that causes the translation component to generate a single interchange XML file from the interchange.

12. The server object of claim 11, wherein the configuration component further receives second configuration input that configures the translation component according to an option that causes the translation component to generate multiple XML files.

13. The server object of claim 12, wherein the second configuration input configures the translation component according to an option that causes the translation component to generate multiple XML files, one XML file for each of the at least two valid transaction sets.

14. The server object of claim 11, wherein the interchange further comprises at least one invalid transaction set and said configuration component receives second configuration input that configures the translation component according to an option that causes the translation component to reject the at least two valid transaction sets when combined with said at least one invalid transaction set in said interchange.

15. The server object of claim 11, wherein the configuration component further comprises a user interface component for displaying a user interface for receiving said configuration input.

16. The server object of claim 11, further comprising:

a storage interface for interfacing to relational storage for at least one of storing the single interchange XML file or retrieving the interchange.

17. An electronic data interchange (EDI) messaging system, including:

a translator for translating a group of electronic data interchange (EDI) transaction sets to at least one extensible markup language (XML) file; and

a configuration user interface (UI) for configuring translating by the translator, wherein the configuration UI includes a UI portion that sets an option for rejecting an entire interchange received by a translator if any of said group of EDI transaction sets includes invalid EDI data.

18. The EDI messaging system of claim 17, wherein said configuration UI includes a second UI portion that sets an option whereby the translator generates a single XML file for the group of EDI transaction sets.

19. The EDI messaging system of claim 17, wherein said configuration UI includes a second UI portion that sets an option whereby the translator generates multiple XML files, one XML file for each of the valid transaction sets of the group.

20. The EDI messaging system of claim 17, further including:

an interface component for interfacing to relational storage for at least one of storing the at least one XML file or retrieving the group of EDI transaction sets.