1. Introduction to XML, SOAP and Biztalk
               
Arie Leeuwesteijn M

2. Content XML use cases What is XML ? XML syntax
Document definitions and validation
XML parsers
XSL translations
SOAP, a.k.a. Web Services
Biztalk overview

3. Objectives Reading XML documents
Understanding XML terminology and acronyms
Examples of XML applications

4. XML Use Cases Application integration
Generic format for data transfer for E-commerce and other web applications
Storing and accessing structured data

5. Application Integration
High costs and effort because application data is
Proprietary
Incompatible
Undocumented legacy data
Different data formats
XML is a simple but flexible data format. Because implementations of XML parsers and other tools are available for all major operating systems and programming languages, it seems like an ideal tool for system integration.
XML is standard
Application logic is decoupled from actual XML data file through XML DOM. XML has a standardized programming API.

6. Same data, different format
“15” 

0x0F
fifteen
15.00 XV
1111

7. The Internet The ultimate integration environment
Many different systems and platforms
Time to market measured in internet time
Today XML is already integrated in
Operating systems
Applications
Databases
Development tools
Browsers …
Internet usage requires the exchange of data between many different applications running in different environments.
XML must be easy to combine with other technologies currently used on the internet.
XML is kept simple in order to:
Make implementation of XML tools easier
Not depend on too many requirements regarding the platform it is used on
Not require too many communication and processing resources

8. XML design goals
Flexible, extensible and support for wide variety of applications
Must be simple and light weight
Straightforwardly usable over the internet

9. What is XML? Meta language for self describing structured data
Consists of data and tags
Extensible language, users can define their own specific tags
Version 1.0 specification approved by W3C as recommendation

10. XML History Subset of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)
Far less complex
20% of SGML features
80% of SGML functionality
(XML spec is 26 pages, SGML 500+)

11. XML vs. HTML XML HTML Subset of SGML Extensible Focus on data
SGML application
Fixed
Focus on presentation

12. XML Document Structure
XML declaration
(processing instructions)
<?xml version=“1.0” ?>
<!DOCTYPE name [ …
]>
Document definition
(optional)
<doc_root_element>
<data_element> …
</data_element>
</doc_root_element>
Document data

13. Basic XML syntax Human “readable” text
Support for Unicode character set
Syntax is stricter than for example HTML

14. <Book>Essential XML</Book>
Tags And Data
Document consists of data marked up by tags
Tags describe meaning and structure of data
An element is a group of start-tag/end-tag with the data in between
<Book>Essential XML</Book>
Start-tag
Data
End-tag

15. Start- and End-Tags
Element must have a matching start- and end-tag <one>hello</one><two>world</two>  <one>hello <two>world</two> 
Empty elements can be written as
<tag></tag> 
<tag/> 
Tags are case sensitive

16. XML Basic Syntax
XML elements can have nested child elements to structure to structure document in levels
<outer>  <inner>text</inner> </outer> <outer> 
<inner></outer> </inner>

17. Root element A XML document must have one root element:
<library>  <book>XML in action</book> <book>Essential XML</book> </ library >
< book > XML in action </ book >  < book > Essential XML </ book >
What is the document root ?

18. Comments Syntax for comments is: <! -- This is a comment -->
Comments be placed everywhere in the document except inside element tags <tag <!-- comment --> > 

19. Attributes Attributes associate named values to an element
Attributes are part of the start-tag
<publication type=“book”>
<title>XML in action</title>
<price currency=“USD”>49.99</price>
</ publication >
Values must be double or single quoted

20. Currency attribute for price element Processing instruction
XML Example
Root
Book element
Currency attribute for price element
Processing instruction
Child elements of Book
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=”UTF-8” ?>
<library>
<book>
<title>XML in action</title>
<price currency=“USD”>49.99</price> <isbn> </isbn>
<rating scale=“5”>3</rating>
</book>
<title>Essentail XML</title>
<price currency=“USD”>34.95</price> <isbn> </isbn>
<rating scale=“5”>4</rating>
</ library >

21. Valid vs. Well Formed XML
Well formed: Valid XML syntax
Valid document: Content of document valid conform specification of document
A valid document is automatically a well formed document
A well formed document is not always a valid document

22. Document specifications
Describes structure and contents of XML document
Parsers can use schema’s to validate a document
Validation is optional
Think if/where validation should take place
Document Type Definitions (DTD), part of XML 1.0 standard

23. DTD example <?xml version=“1.0”?> <!DOCTYPE CATALOG [
<!ELEMENT BOOK (TITLE, PRICE)>
<!ELEMENT TITLE(#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT PRICE(#PCDATA)
]>
< CATALOG >
<BOOK>
<TITLE>XML in action</TITLE>
<PRICE>49.95</PRICE>
</BOOK>
</ CATALOG >

24. DTD Issues
Good DTD’s are difficult to write (Extended Backus Naur Form notation)
DTD’s are not extensible and many limitations
Most important limitation is lack of data types

25. XML Schemas Alternative for DTD’s
XML is used to describe the structure of the document, no need to learn new language or use other tools
Lifts most limitations of DTD’s (data types )
XSD,
XML schema specification
W3C recommendation
XDR
Early MS version of XSD

26. XML-Data Schemas simple example
<Schema > <ElementType name=“title" content="textOnly“>
<ElementType name=“isbn" content="textOnly”/>
<ElementType name=“book" content="eltOnly">
<element type=“title"/> <element type=“isbn"/> </ElementType>
</Schema>

27. XML Parsers Parse XML document Validate XML syntax (always)
Validate content (optional)
Access data
Update data
Translate data (XSL)

28. XML Parser types Two different parser models
Document Object Model (DOM)
Complete document in memory
Easy access for applications
Queries on data
Translations
Simple API for XML (SAX)
Generates event per parsed element
Large documents
Batch processing
More difficult to use than DOM

29. Document Object Model
DOM defines logical structure of a parsed XML document
DOM defines how data can be accessed and manipulated
Provides standardized API (level 1, 2 and 3)
DOM can also be used to create or modify XML documents

30. Document Object Model document A node can contain child nodes or text
root node
Node lists
node
node
node
node
node
node
node

31. Querying the DOM through XPath
XPath declarative language for locating nodes and fragments in XML trees
Allow you to locate nodes by:
Absolute or relative position
Element or attribute types
Element or attribute values
Combinations using boolean operators
Also used in XSL, XPointer and XLink specifications

32. XPath examples All books in the current context book (equal to ./book)
All books anywhere in the document //book
All books with specified element value book[title=“Essential XML”]
or a specified attribute value
or just having the attribute
The first 3 books book[index()<4]

33. Extended Stylesheet Language XSL
Similarities with CSS, but more powerful
Applies translations to data that matches a pattern
Close to becoming a standard (draft status W3C)

34. XSL translations XSLT is based on pattern matching and templates
A template rule consist of a pattern and a template
Processor finds best matching pattern and applies related template for translation

35. XSL stylesheet example
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl“ href=“books.xsl"?>
<books>
<book><title>Essential XML</title></book>
<book><title>XML in action</title></book> </books>
XML Data +
<xsl:stylesheet….> … <xsl-template match=“title”> <tr><td><b><xsl-value-of select=“text()”/></td></tr> … </xsl:stylesheet>
XSL style sheet
(partial) =
HTML
output
<tr><td><b>Essential XML</td></tr> <tr><td><b>XML in action</td></tr>

36. XSL usage Formatting and displaying XML data as HTML, PDF, etc.
Converting XML document:
Other XML document structures (XML->XML)
Other data formats (CSV, Edifact)
MS Biztalk mapping editor generate XLS to convert XML, Flat file and Edifact documents to XML and back.

37. XML Applications XML in real applications
Simple Object Access Protocol
Microsoft Biztalk 2000
Note this is not a training on SOAP and Biztalk

38. Software integration Today’s middleware Vendor and language depended
COM+ v.s. EJB
Interoperability problems
Was not designed to use over the internet
Reliable communications
Firewalls
Complex

39. SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol
Invoking object methods using XML and HTTP
Specification written by Microsoft, IBM, Software and Developmentor
Vendor and middleware independency (the end of middleware battles ?)
Supported and available today from most major vendors (MS,IBM,IONA etc.)
Core technology in Microsoft .NET web services

40. SOAP This whole process is transparent for client and component
Vendor A
Vendor B
Soap
listener 3
3. Soap listener receives, parses and validates request
XML/HTTP 2
2. Soap proxy intercepts call and constructs and transmits XML request message
Soap
proxy 1
1. Client application makes call 4
4. Listener calls component message 5 6
5. Listener takes result of call and constructs and transmits XML response
6. Proxy receives and parses response and returns result to client
Client
application
Component
This whole process is transparent for client and component

41. GetLastTradePrice(“MSFT”)
Simple SOAP Request
POST /StockQuote HTTP/1.1 Host: Content-Type: text/xml; charset="utf-8“ Content-Length: 323 SOAPAction: Some-Namespace-URI#GetLastTradePrice
<SQ:Envelope xmlns: SOAP =" SQ :encodingStyle="
< SQ :Body>
<m:GetLastTradePrice xmlns:m="Some-Namespace-URI"> <symbol>MSFT</symbol> </m:GetLastTradePrice>
</ SQ :Body>
</ SQ :Envelope>
HTTP headers
Body
GetLastTradePrice(“MSFT”)
Envelope

42. Simple SOAP Response
HTTP headers
HTTP/ OK Content-Type: text/xml; charset="utf-8“ Content-Length: nnnn
<SP:Envelope xmlns:SP=" SP:encodingStyle="
<SP:Body>
<m:GetLastTradePriceResponse xmlns:m="Some-Namespace-URI"> <Price>160.95</Price> </m:GetLastTradePriceResponse>
</SP:Body>
</SP:Envelope>
Body
Result
Envelope

43. What Is Biztalk ? Biztalk Community (Biztalk.org) Biztalk Framework
Library for business document specification
Stimulate reuse
Submit and retrieve document specifications
400+ third-party XML business documents
150+ registered organizations
Biztalk Framework
XML Specification for document routing and exchange (SOAP 1.1 compliant)
Biztalk Server
Microsoft server product for processing, transforming, signing, routing of documents

44. B2B challenges
Customers
Suppliers
My company

45. Business to Business Different data format (EDI, CSV, XML…)
Different document structures
Different protocols
Different encryption technologies
Different operating systems
Legacy ERP and other back office systems

46. Biztalk Server Design time tools Schema, transformation definition
Document processing server
Messaging
Communication
Transformation
Routing
Encryption
Workflow
Orchestration

47. XML in Biztalk Biztalk Mapper Biztalk Server Biztalk editor
XSL
map
Map
Biztalk
Mapper
XML in Biztalk
Internal XML
doc
Biztalk Server
XSL Engine
Parser
Internal
XML
doc
Serializer
Doc spec
Biztalk editor
EDI
doc
CSV
file
XML
Outbound document
EDI
doc
CSV
file
XML
Inbound document

48. XML in Biztalk Compile Applications Scheduler Biztalk Messaging Visio
Diagram
Compile
XLANG
schedule
Scheduler
Applications
XLANG
Runtime
Biztalk
Messaging

49. XML in Biztalk Server
XML for describing all in- and outbound business documents as an extended Data-Schema
XSL for document translations
XML as internal format for all processed documents
XLANG workflow schedules

50. Biztalk demos
Biztalk Editor
Biztalk Mapper
Biztalk Orchestration

51. Things to read… XML in Action MS-Press ISBN 0735605629
Professional XML WROX ISBN
Essential XML Addison Wesley ISBN
Understanding SOAP SAMS ISBN

52. Places to go… http://www.w3c.org (all mentioned standards)
(tutorials and reference on xml)
(tutorials and reference on xml)
(Biztalk organization)

53. <QUESTIONS/>

54. Biztalk Orchestration

55. Biztalk Editor

56. Biztalk Mapper