Re: [ubl-dev] Re: Perl UBL validator - example

[David RR Webber <david@drrw.info>]

David,

OK.  I'll have limited access to email this weekend - but will at least poll a
couple of times.  You are a day ahead of me anyway!

Looking at your Perl - actually just by putting an XML structure into a CAM
template I think it will validate most of those XPaths you have without any
in-line rules needed - as the default is 'required' - so you'd have to make
things explicitly optional that you wanted thus, or repeatable if they have
occurence. 

That brings us to the second part of your question.  The <BusinessContext>
section is where you put the rules pertaining to the use of the structure. So
you can have context specific rules there.

What I generally like to do is use the in-line predicate approach directly into
the structure for rules that are widely applicable, and then use the
<BusinessContext> section for those that will have some conditional assoicated
with them.

Also - note that the "structure" can have permutations in it too - you can
assign choiceID() predicates to those - and then pick the layout components
conditionally in the <BusinessContext> section.

Looking at the kind of business rules you noted below - Yes - we can do all
those in the <BusinessContext> section.

Anyway - will be glad to work-up an example with you and then iterate on it till
your happy with the result.

Thanks, DW
===========================================================================
Quoting david.lyon@computergrid.net:

> David,
> 
> That's a good idea.
> 
> I have to run some more tests on my UBL order output module
> over the weekend and when that is done I'll generate some,
> check them, and send them over.
> 
> Personally, I'm not sure how I can see self-validation of
> a document working in a production business environment.
> 
> Normally, wouldn't a transaction document be validated on
> a set of absolute business criteria set by the receipient?
>  
> ie for a PO, must have at least one line item, must have a
> sender account identifier etc. Must have correct prices
> or no prices at all etc etc..
> 
> All these things are business rules and are absolute
> for the specific businesses involved. I wasn't able to
> see where CAM was able to provide this level of
> functionality.
> 
> David
> 
> Quoting David RR Webber <david@drrw.info>:
> 
> > David,
> > 
> > Ok - I read fluent Perl ; -)
> > 
> > If you send me a sample XML order instance I'll send you the equivalent
> CAM
> > template - you'll be amazed how close this is to your Perl code - but
> > instead
> > of hard wiring it - you can write XML to do it with - exact same way you
> are
> > doing - with the XPath statements.
> > 
> > 
> > That way at least you'll have a point of reference.
> > 
> > Cheers, DW.
> > =============================================================
> > Quoting david.lyon@computergrid.net:
> > 
> > > David,
> > > 
> > > I probably understand what you are saying now.
> > > 
> > > For now though, I don't have the time. I just need some quick
> > > and dirty tests for a production system.
> > > 
> > > Here's a basic example of a validator perl script to cust and 
> > > paste at home. It's intended to do a very basic check of a UBL 
> > > purchase order. This was the first cut and serves as an example. 
> > > 
> > > (how to use: install perl or use linux
> > >              cut and paste into checkPO.pl
> > >              check XPath and XMLParser libraries are installed) 
> > >  to run: perl checkPO.pl <UBL-purchase-order-file>
> > > 
> > > Usual disclaimers apply.
> > > 
> > > ---- start
> > > #/usr/bin/perl
> > > #
> > > # -- Computergrid UBL Purchase Order Validator
> > > #    (c) Global Tradedesk Technology (Australia) Pty Limited 2004
> > > # -- Free for educational use
> > > #
> > > use XML::XPath;
> > > use XML::XPath::XMLParser;
> > > 
> > > print "Computergrid.net - UBL PO Document Test Script\n";
> > > 
> > > # -- create an object to parse the file and field XPath queries
> > > my $xpath = XML::XPath->new( filename => shift @ARGV );
> > > 
> > > # --
> > > print ".Checking Header for mandatory fields\n";
> > > 
> > > my @checkElems; 
> > > my $FailCount = 0;
> > >  
> > > # -- apply the path from the command line and get back a list matches
> > > #my $nodeset = $xpath->find( shift @ARGV );
> > > 
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:IssueDate");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:BuyersID");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:SellersID");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:LineExtensionTotalAmount");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:LineItemCountQuantity");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:BuyerParty/cat:SellerAssignedAccountID");
> > > push (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]");
> > > push
> (@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]/cat:LineItem/cat:Quantity");
> > > push
> > >
> >
>
(@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]/cat:LineItem/cat:LineExtensionAmount");
> > > push
> > >
> >
>
(@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]/cat:LineItem/cat:Item/cat:Description");
> > > push
> > >
> >
>
(@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]/cat:LineItem/cat:Item/cat:SellersItemIdentification/cat:ID");
> > > #push
> > >
> >
>
(@checkElems,"/Order/cat:OrderLine\[1\]/cat:LineItem/cat:Item/cat:BasePrice");
> > > 
> > > # -- Now loop through each of the elements to validate and check their
> > > existance
> > > foreach my $elem (@checkElems) {
> > > 
> > >     if ($xpath->exists($elem)){
> > > 
> > >         my $nodeset = $xpath->find($elem);
> > >         print "  ..\[Exists\] $elem\n";
> > >     } else {
> > >         print "  ..\[Not Exists\] $elem \n";
> > > 	$FailCount = $FailCount + 1;
> > >     }
> > > }
> > > 
> > > if ($FailCount eq 0){
> > >     print "[Pass] Document passed Validatation test\n";
> > > } else {
> > >     print "[Fail] Document failed Validatation test with $FailCount
> > > Errors\n";
> > > }
> > > 
> > > ---- end
> > > 
> > > Quoting David RR Webber <david@drrw.info>:
> > > 
> > > > David,
> > > > 
> > > > The only thing I'd add to Jon's comments is - why re-invent the wheel?
> > > > 
> > > > OASIS already has the CAM specification in place - you are most
> welcome
> > to
> > > > integrate the concepts and techniques from that work - and there's
> even
> > > the
> > > > open source implementaton to help you.
> > > > 
> > > > There is certainly a perfect opportunity from the business stance to
> > > create
> > > > a
> > > > shareware product that provides cool end-user tools to manipulate
> rules
> > > and
> > > > UBL
> > > > structures and express those in CAM templates as XML...
> > > > 
> > > > If you look at the CAM Wizard HTML and Javascript that's in the
> tutorial
> > > > available from the OASIS CAM site - you may get even more ideas of how
> > you
> > > > could embed UBL structures into an online Wizard - and then allows you
> > to
> > > > click
> > > > and choose - and build your rules sets.  Just some ideas.
> > > > 
> > > > This would make a very nice shareware product that would be easy to
> > > > implement
> > > > IMHO.  Oh - yep - you can write it in Perl too if you want too - no
> > > > objections
> > > > there!
> > > > 
> > > > Cheers, DW.
> > > > ============================================================
> > > > 
> > > > Quoting jon.bosak@sun.com:
> > > > 
> > > > > [david.lyon@computergrid.net:]
> > > > > 
> > > > > | We are in the middle of producing a UBL validator/testpad so we
> > > > > | haven't made it publicly available yet.
> > > > > | 
> > > > > | It's written in Perl and does a wide variety of tests on
> > > > > | documents. The basic idea is that it would be able to scrutinise a
> > > > > | trading partners documents for compliance to the specifications.
> > > > > | 
> > > > > | Our plan is to release the tool as shareware in the next month or
> > > > > | so.
> > > > > 
> > > > > David,
> > > > > 
> > > > > This is exactly the kind of tool we need to make UBL practical,
> > > > > and I'm glad to see the ubl-dev list beginning to function as a
> > > > > place for sharing this sort of information.  As your examples
> > > > > show, real-life applications need to do a lot of "business
> > > > > validation" beyond the "schema validation" provided by the UBL
> > > > > schemas.  It will be interesting to see the various approaches
> > > > > that emerge to accomplish this.
> > > > > 
> > > > > | If anything, UBL needs way more tools from way more people than
> > > > > | it has.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I completely agree.  The more, the better.
> > > > > 
> > > > > | and I sometimes get the impression that there is a lot of
> > > > > | negative encouragement given to anybody outside of the
> > > > > | oasis banner, as if to say, leave it to the big boys, we'll
> > > > > | take care of it. Whatever....
> > > > > 
> > > > > Please don't take the comments of any particular OASIS participant
> > > > > as reflecting the organization as a whole.  OASIS has one of the
> > > > > least hierarchical organizational structures of any major
> > > > > standards body, and no chair of an OASIS TC speaks for any other
> > > > > TC.  I can assure you as the chair of the UBL TC that we are
> > > > > wholeheartedly supportive of efforts such as yours, and I applaud
> > > > > the shareware approach you're planning to adopt for distribution
> > > > > of your product.
> > > > > 
> > > > > | UBL and ebxml is struggling... can't see why....
> > > > > 
> > > > > UBL and ebXML are both continuing to steadily gain traction in the
> > > > > face of heavy opposition from certain Very Large American Software
> > > > > Companies.  Those of us who were privileged to watch the early
> > > > > "grass roots" stages of Web adoption can see some basic
> > > > > similarities here.  Just as in the case of the web, homegrown
> > > > > products such as yours will play an essential role in deploying
> > > > > these user-oriented technologies.  Keep up the good work!
> > > > > 
> > > > > Jon
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > http://drrw.net
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -------------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > http://drrw.net
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 


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