XML Components

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The following table lists the components that make up the XML layout in the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor, the icons that represent the components, and descriptions of the components. .

Component	Icon	Description
XML root element		The XML root element represents the XML document that is being mapped. The XML root element is a looping structure that contains elements and content particles that repeat in sequence until either the group data ends or the maximum number of times that the loop is permitted to repeat is exhausted. The root element cannot be referenced by standard rules or links.
Element		An element contains related elements and content particles. In addition, an element can contain one pcdata and one attribute container. These objects repeat in sequence until either the element data ends or the maximum number of times that the loop is permitted to repeat is exhausted. A repeating element that contains another repeating element corresponds to a nested looping structure. The XML Element object cannot be referenced by standard rules or links.
Abstract element		An abstract element is an inconcrete element from an XML schema (for example, the term “appliance” may be considered an abstract element while “dishwasher” is a concrete one). An abstract element must be substituted with a non-abstract element for a map to be successfully compiled.
Content particle		A content particle contains related subordinate objects that define either a choice, a sequence, or an all. A content particle can contain only one pcdata. If specified, these objects can repeat in sequence until either the content particle data ends or the maximum number of times that the loop is permitted to repeat is exhausted. If you create a content particle that is subordinate to another content particle, the content particle corresponds to a nested looping structure (a loop within a loop). A content particle cannot be referenced by standard rules or links.
Pcdata		A pcdata contains character data in an XML document. Only one pcdata can be defined per element or content particle. Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor automatically names the pcdata with the name of the parent element or content particle. When a pcdata has a link performed against it, a red check mark appears over the pcdata icon. When a pcdata contains an extended rule or a standard rule, an asterisk appears to the right of the pcdata icon.
Attribute container		An attribute container does not correspond to an XML function. Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor uses attribute containers to contain the attributes of an XML element. The attribute container has no properties. When you create the first attribute of an XML element, the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor automatically creates an attribute container object. An element can have only one attribute container, but the attribute container object can enclose many attribute objects.
Attribute		An attribute specifies information associated with an element that further defines the element. The attribute is located within an attribute container. Attributes do not have to occur in sequence in the input data. When an attribute has a link performed against it, a red check mark appears over the attribute icon. When an attribute contains an extended rule or a standard rule, an asterisk appears to the right of the attribute icon.