1. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMX Overview SEMA Infodata Nov 1997

2. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Introduction DMX Modular EDI System A series of self-standing programs which can be used individually or combined seamlessly to make the EDI system which suits your needs

3. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Important Modules 4 DMXCONST - construction 4 DMXTRANS - translation 4 DMXERRAN - session report 4 DMXSCHED - scheduler 4 DMXGWAY - traffic analyser 4 WINTASKS - batch file processor 4 DMXPRINT - flat file re-formatter 4 DMXREFRM - relational file re-formatter

4. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 EDIFACT Interchange Structure

5. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Segments & Groups 4 A segment has structure: TAG+element+element:element+ ….. ’ 4 Within a message sequences of segments can be marked as repeatable. They are then said to form a GROUP.

6. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Data Element 4 Has properties such as: 4 Fixed/Variable length 4 Maximum Length 4 Alphanumeric/Alphabetic/Numeric content 4 Mandatory/Conditional e.g. A6 AN..35 N..14

7. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Separators (Syntax Characters) 4 Components : 4 Data Elements + 4 Segments ’ 4 Escape Character ? 4 BUT - can be re-specified by a UNA segment before the UNB

8. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Compression - remove 4 Trailing blanks 4 Leading zeroes 4 Trailing decimal zeroes 4 +element::+ becomes +element+ 4 +element++’ becomes +element’ 4 NOTE +element::element+ unchanged 4 Sigh! These rules are often broken

9. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Mandatory / Conditional 4 A Group, Segment, Composite or Data Element may be Mandatory or Conditional 4 The status of a composite structure is independent of the individual statuses of its components 4 Violations of these statuses are probably the most common fault in EDIFACT messages 4 SO - you need to understand them!

10. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 A Simple EDI System

11. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 An Even Simpler System

12. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Management Information Flow C onverters Session Log Error Analyser Gateway Network I/F Database Renames

13. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Outgoing DATA Flow Application Re-formatter DmxConst

14. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Incoming DATA Flow DMXTRANS DMXPRINT A P P Interchange Files Inhouse Files

15. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMXGWAY 4 Most of the operational functionality of a conventional EDI Gateway lies in the DMX converters themselves. The DMX Gateway is therefore primarily a Traffic Analyser whose function is to show you what has been happening in your system, and to tie together the various information sources available to you.

16. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMXGWAY 4 View EDI traffic using a query generator 4 Update the traffic database 4 Create and view archives 4 Edit and maintain the database 4 Easy links to all EDI system information

17. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Information Sources Session Log Gateway Log Net I/F Log Control Log Gateway Reports Data Files Net Reports Gateway View

18. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Profiles 4 Switch the operational environment of the converter according to contents of the incoming data stream. 4 Based on Trading Partner 4 Based on Message Type 4 Based on Test status 4 (?based on User?)

19. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Profiles You only need two profiles to cover all your EDI processing; one for construction (DMXOUT.PRO) and one for translation (DMXIN.PRO). Once operating under a profile the converter becomes data-driven, and switches its environment automatically to respond to the changing requirements made of it

20. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Profile Logic ? Use DEFAULT

21. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Table Generation Table Source DMXTCOMPDMXTDUMP DMXTEDIT DMXSCOMP DMXMKTRN

22. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMXTEDIT 4 Interactive 4 Direct 4 Quick 4 Automation 4 Edits, not creates 4 Full sets of UNSM’s 4 Intuitive ? 4 EDI knowledge helps

23. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Control of Conversion Converter Profile Includes Codes CharConv Control File Command Line Parms

24. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Control File Contents 4 Table 4 Input File(s) 4 Output File(s) 4 Flags 4 Moves 4 Profile 4 Semaphores 4 Data 4 Errorlevels 4 Codes 4 Links 4 Logging 4 Seeds 4 Includes 4 Local Variables 4 ….. More!

25. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Flags 4 Format... 4 Error behaviour... 4 Residence... 4 Fast/Thorough 4 Debug 4 Imp/Exp Nesting 4 Decimal Separator 4 Buffering 4 Cache 4 Sizes 4 Profile Triggers 4 Convert Characters 4 Timeslicing 4 Empty File Removal

26. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Network Interfaces 4 Export - identify files to be sent 4 Connect - call and monitor the network program 4 Import - register incoming files and net reports 4 Update traffic database

27. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Network Interface 4 Desirable, but not essential! 4 Needed for status recording in traffic database 4 All DMX network interfaces are modifications of a single generic model 4 The requirements of the network may need to be considered at converter control file level

28. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Network Communications 4 Program to dial a network, establish a session, and perform file transfers as dictated by the Network Interface program 4 Network specific. 4 DMXCOMMS often used, with a script for the particular network being accessed 4 Network determines facilities available

29. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Compiled Tables 4 Several programs in the DMX range operate using compiled tables; the information for them is prepared as a text file which is then compiled to a binary form more suitable for active processing by the program involved. 4 This is done to separate activities which can be performed off-line from those which are part of the ‘real’ processing.

30. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMX Compilers

31. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Application Interface 4 Intermediary file(s) - Inhouse files 4 DMX can create and accept most formats, providing they are not too crazy! 4 Convenience for Application decides form 4 Semaphores used to prevent conflicts 4 Hierarchical tagged (flat) file often used 4 Relational filesets also popular

32. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Hierarchical Tagged Files 4 The most common interface file for applications consists of a hierarchy of different records, each identified by a unique tag. 4 The hierarchical structure tends to be very similar to that of the EDIFACT interchange 4 BUT - where the number of iterations of an entity is limited it can often be folded into the level above it.

33. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 Relational Files 4 Essentially equivalent to database tables 4 Each repeating entity has its own file with a discrete record structure 4 Records in different files are linked by Keys 4 Once again, if an entity has a limited number of repetitions it is often folded into an existing file

34. EDIMatrix Ltd 1997 DMX Converter Inhouse Files 4 Are hierarchical tagged files 4 Re-formatting to and from relational files can be achieved by the DMXPRINT and DMXREFRM programs 4 These programs have many other uses! 4 The hierarchical tagged file is, in theory, inferior to a relational fileset but is, in practice, normally better!