Implementing EDI Solutions

84 Implementing EDI Solutions

2.4.1 Creating business objects

The first step would be the creation of a business object matching the DTD that we used

before in WebSphere Data Interchange. You can use the Business Object Designer and

define the fields manually. However, for a more realistic DTD representing a purchase order,

there will be a lot more fields than what we used here. Defining the business object manually

would then become an error-prone operation.

The Interchange Server provides some tools to make the definition of a business object

easier. An optional installation component of the ICS is the XMLODA, XML Object Discovery

Agent. Launch the agent, from the ODA\XML directory. When it is started, you should see a

command windows as shown in Figure 2-13.

Figure 2-13 XML Object Discovery Agent is running

Launch now the Business Object Designer and select File -> New Using ODA from the

menu, as shown in Figure 2-14 on page 85.

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Figure 2-14 Using the Business Object Designer

A new window will appear that will guide you through the definition process. Click the button

Find Agents to populate the right pane with available agents and select the XML ODA agent

out of the list. Select Next to continue (Figure 2-15 on page 86).

Note: The Visibroker component should be running to get this list of available agents.

86 Implementing EDI Solutions

Figure 2-15 Business Object wizard - Step 1

Most of the fields in step 2 are populated by default. Provide the following information:

򐂰 Name of the file that contains the DTD

򐂰 Root element

򐂰 Top Level element

򐂰 BOPrefix

and select Next to continue (Figure 2-16).

Figure 2-16 Business Object wizard - Step 2

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The next step allows you to select other levels (or nodes) in the XML document for which you

would like to create a business object definition. You might for example require an object to

represent a single Detail element. For our purposes, this is not required. So, we select the top

one and click Next to continue (Figure 2-17).

Figure 2-17 Business Object wizard - Step 3

Step 4 summarizes your selections so far. At step 5, you need to select a verb with the

business objects. Figure 2-18 shows the selection of the Create verb. Select OK to continue.

Figure 2-18 Business Object wizard - Step 5