Elie, You've come to the right place (though I speak strictly for myself, I do happen to be chair of the ANSI ASC X12 subcommittee that is responsible for the basic X12 EDI syntax).
A metamodel of the X12 EDI syntax is an interesting proposition, but to my knowledge it has never been done and personally, I don't think it would be appropriate. X12 EDI is a grammar, and grammars are usually expressed in different notations such as BNF. The syntax for X12 EDI is expressed in BNF in two documents, X12.5 and X12.6. You can find a tutorial for the X12 EDI syntax on my web site (URL below). As to the structure of specific X12 transaction sets, they could perhaps be expressed with a UML model. However, I doubt if it would be very useful since they were developed long before OO analysis gained much traction. While reusability of segment groups (loops) is encouraged, it is only implied and there are no formal classes or inheritance relationships in the customary OO sense. Given that models would be difficult, a metamodel doesn't make much sense. There is a standard, X12.59, that talks in general terms about semantic concepts in X12 transaction sets, but to me it still doesn't quite fit the definition of a metamodel. The best explanations of the structure of individual X12 transaction sets are in the published standards and in specific industry implementation guides. These are usually depicted as tables with accompanying narrative text. On a side note, X12's new architecture, CICA (Context Inspired Component Architecture) does have a UML metamodel. It hasn't been formally published yet, but I expect that to happen sometime in the next year or so. CICA is the basis for X12's work on XML. Regards, Mike At 03:49 PM 11/18/2004 +0000, Eliezer (Lev) Israel wrote: >Perhaps one of the people reading this group can help me. > >I'm looking to educate myself on the structure of X12 messages - how >transaction sets, segments, loops, elements, etc. are inter-related. > >Has anyone seen a diagram (a la UML) of the X12 metamodel? Failing >that, are there any good explanations of the structure of X12 >documents? > >Thanks for any help, >Elie Israel >Unicorn Solutions > --------------------------------------------------------------- Michael C. Rawlins, Rawlins EC Consulting www.rawlinsecconsulting.com Using XML with Legacy Business Applications (Addison-Wesley, 2003) www.awprofessional.com/titles/0321154940 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/OIFolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
