Translation Object Details Dialog Box
The Translation Object Details dialog box enables you to edit the details of the translation object, including the description and version information.
This dialog box enables you to instruct the translator to use the pad character and alignment settings of each string field when reading a positional or CII positional file, to determine how to trim pad characters from the string data.
| Part | Function |
|---|---|
| Author | Identifies the person or department that created the map. Mandatory. |
| Description | Contains a unique description of the map. Mandatory. This description is used by the system to identify the map. We strongly recommend that you use the following identifying characteristics of the map: the partner that this map is used for, the standard, the version, the type of transaction this map uses, and the direction of the map (for example, Import, Export). For example, MWT X 3030 850 Export is the description of a map used with partner MWT, for an ANSI X.12 version 003030 Purchase Order (850), that is sent Inbound (Export). |
| Translation Object Function | Verify the type of map from the list. Mandatory. |
| System | Designates this map as a system translation object
(one that will be used internally by the system). You should only select this check box if you are certain that you want to define this translation object as a system translation object. Once a system translation object is registered with Sterling Gentran:Server®, it cannot be deleted. |
| Use Configurable Trimming | Instructs the translator to use the pad character
and alignment settings of each string field when reading a positional
or CII positional file, to determine how to trim pad characters from
the string data. For example, if the alignment setting indicates that the data is aligned in the left of the field, then pad characters are trimmed from the right of the field. If the alignment setting indicates that the data is aligned at the right of the field, then pad characters are trimmed from the left of the field. Finally, if the alignment setting indicates that the field data is aligned in the center of the field, then pad characters are trimmed from both the left and right of the field. If this option is cleared (which is the default) pad characters are always trimmed from both the left and right of each positional string field, which is the current system behavior. Use configurable trimming to preserve either trailing or leading spaces in your application data. |
| Gentran:Server for Windows 2.x Compatible Rule Execution | Enables you to specify how the translator executes standard and extended rules on the output side of a map. |
| Major version/Minor version | Enables you to designate different versions of
a translation object. The valid values for each box is 0 - 255. These two boxes are available for your use only. They are not used by the system. For example, if you enter 5 in the Major box and 45 in the Minor box, the Translation Object Version Number is 5.45. |
| Compiled on | Displays the date when the translation object was compiled. This will be blank if the translation object has not been compiled yet. |
| EDI Associations section | If you selected Delimited EDI for the input and/or
output sides of the map, this section contains the EDI information. You should change these boxes only if you want to change the EDI agency, version, transaction, release, or functional group of an existing map. This enables you to copy and alter an existing map. |
Rule execution prior to version 3.0
The Translation Object Details dialog box also enables you to specify whether you want the translator to execute standard and extended rules as it did for Sterling Gentran:Server prior to version 3.0. The standard behavior for Sterling Gentran:Server prior to version 3.0 is as follows: if an output record/segment is linked to an input field in a record/segment that does not contain data but is at the same hierarchical level as an input record/segment that does contain data, the standard and extended rules on the output field will be executed even though there is no data present.
In the example diagram below, the extended rule on the DEMO5 field on the output side of the map is executed even though there is no data for the field to which it is linked (DEMO1:2 on the input side of the map). The rule is executed because there is data present for a field in the DEMO1 record on the input side of the map, and that record is at the same level as DEMO2.
For any map that was compiled with Sterling Gentran:Server prior to version 3.0, the system emulates the previous behavior by automatically selecting Gentran:Server for Windows 2.x Compatible Rule Execution on the Translation Object Details dialog box. You can modify this default if you wish, but you would then need to re-map any instances where you want standard or extended rules to run on an output record/segment that does not contain fields that will be populated with data.
Rule execution in version 3.0 and later
In version 3.0, the standard rule execution behavior is as follows: standard and extended rules for a record/segment on the output side of the map are only executed if any of its links populate the output map component with data.
For any map created with Sterling Gentran:Server version 3.x or later, the system default is to clear the Gentran:Server for Windows 2.x Compatible Rule Execution option on the Translation Object Details dialog box. We recommend that you do not select this check box for version 3.x and later, as this differs from the prescribed behavior.
In the example diagram below, the extended rule on the DEMO5 field on the output side of the map is not executed because there is no data for the field to which it is linked (DEMO1:2 on the input side of the map). The rule is not executed even though there is data present for a field in the DEMO1 record on the input side of the map, and that record is at the same level as DEMO2.