The Message Definition editor is
the default editor provided by the Integration Development
perspective for
editing message definition (.mxsd) files.
The editor is launched in the editor area when you open
an existing message definition file using the Application Development view, or when you create a new
message definition file by using the New
Message Definition File wizard.
You use the Message Definition
editor to:
- Edit message definitions created by importing data structures
using the XML Schema, DTD, C or COBOL importers. The message definition
file that the import process creates is automatically populated with
the imported content, which you can then edit as required.
- Populate empty message definition files with message model objects
by creating the elements, attributes, groups, types and messages needed
to represent your message formats. The message model that you create
can consist of both logical and physical information, if appropriate
physical formats exist in the message set.
Message Definition editor views
The
Message Definition editor has the following views:
- Application Development view
- The Application Development view shows a hierarchical
view of all the resources that are currently in your workspace. By
expanding the folder for a message set project, you can see the resources,
including message definition file or files, that this message set
project contains.
- Outline view
- You use the Outline view to select message set objects to display
in the editor area. When you open a message definition file, the Outline
view shows a hierarchical view of the messages, types, groups and
elements and attributes that the selected message definition contains.
- Editor view
- You edit the properties of message set objects in the editor area,
which displays the message definition information for the object that
you have currently selected in the Outline view. There are tabs across
the top of the editor area for each file that you have open, so that
you can quickly switch between them.
In the editor area, you can
make any of the following types of change:
- Edit the logical structure of a message.
- Create and edit the physical structure and properties of a message.
- Create message definitions.
- Create common constructs within a message set for use with other
message definition files.
The Message Definition editor comprises an Overview editor
and a Properties editor. You switch between them by clicking the two
tabs in the lower left of the editor area. You can change the order
in which the tabs are displayed by changing the message set preferences.
- Problems view
- Each time you save a change within a message set project, the
content is validated to ensure that the message model follows certain
rules. All informational, warning or error messages relating to the
validation appear in this view. Double-click a message to display
the properties of the relevant object in the editor area. The location
of this object is highlighted at the appropriate levels in the Application Development view and the Outline view.
Message Definition editor functions
For
information on the functions that the Message Definition editor provides,
see the subtopics: