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Creation of XML schemas from multiple language structures

This topic introduces multiple-language structure enterprise applications and how the Enterprise Service Tools component can be used to enable them as Web services.

The Enterprise Service Tools batch processor and single-service project Web service wizards allow for generation of XML Schemas from collections of language structures. When enabling an enterprise application as a Web service, it may be that the interface of the application consists of more than one language structure. In order to expose such an application as a service, in a way that is easily consumable by a Web client, the tool supports aggregation of multiple language structures into single, composite XML Schemas for both the request and response message. The process by which this is accomplished depends on whether the batch processor or the Web service wizard is being used. In general, multiple language structures are specified in the order their equivalent XML Schema representations should appear in the composite XML Schema.

An example of a typical application whose interface consists of multiple language structures is an IMS™ Message Processing Program or MPP. MPP's typically send and receive messages that consist of multiple segments. Each segment is an instance of a language structure. For example, an MPP could expect to receive three segments each being a distinct 01 level language structure: 01 HEADER, 01 BODY, and 01 SUMMARY.

It is also common for multiple instances of a particular 01 level language structure to be present in a message processed or generated by an MPP. For example, multiple instances of the language structure 01 CUSTOMER-RECORD would be placed one after the other in a response to a query that retrieves information about more than one customer.

When enabling an IMS MPP as a Web service, the Enterprise Service Tools batch processor and single-service project Web service wizards generate composite XML Schemas and XML conversion artifacts for the request and response message of an MPP. The combination of the composite XML Schema and XML conversion artifacts provides a highly-consumable Web service interface which relieves the client from having to understand the MPP's complex multisegment runtime message structure.

The ability of the Enterprise Service Tools batch processor to generate composite XML Schemas can be used independently of generating runtime-specific Web service artifacts. These XML Schemas can then be used as input to the meet-in-middle or top-down scenarios.
Note: The Enterprise Service Tools mapping editor does not support mapping of multiple language structures to an XML Schema at this time.
The ability to create XML Schemas from multiple language structures enables Enterprise Service Tools to support multisegment IMS MPP's in IMS Enterprise Suite SOAP Gateway single-service projects.
Note: Currently, generation of XML Conversion artifacts for multiple language structures is only supported for IMS Enterprise Suite SOAP Gateway single-service, bottom-up projects.
The following topics give further detail on the specifics of creating XML Schemas and Web service artifacts for applications whose interface consists of multiple language structures:

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