Create a Map in the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor

About this task

Create maps for document-to-document mapping.

Each map has two sides. Each side represents a data format; the input side is what you are translating from and the output side is what you are translating to. Each data format has specific map components.

For information about creating a map using the customize option for the EDI, variable-length-delimited, CII, XML, CHIPS, Fedwire, SWIFT, or SQL data format, or using the additional positional format options, see those respective sections or documentation.

When you create a map, for both the input and output sides, you choose whether you want to use a preloaded standard, an existing file format, or want to create a new file format for that side of the map (including selecting from standards that you have previously downloaded to the standards database). The preloaded standards are downloaded when you download the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor to your machine or any optional standards (such as those included with the Financial Services XML Standards bundle).

Note: If the map you are creating contains greater than 20,000 objects, you will receive a message noting that this map contains a very large number of objects. For best performance, it is recommended that you consider whether any unnecessary objects in the map can be removed, do not expand the entire object tree—expand only the section of the tree you are currently mapping, consider using the “Show links to or from the currently selected element” option instead of the “Show links to or from all visible elements” option, and save the map using the .MAP file format (using the Save As function).

To create a map:

Procedure

From the File menu, select New.
In the New Map wizard, answer the following questions and then click Next.
- What kind of map are you creating?
  Accept the default, Sterling B2B Integrator.
  
  Note: Always accept the Sterling B2B Integrator default when you are using the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor.
  
  Note: The other map options enable you to import maps from other IBM® products in order to convert them to Sterling B2B Integrator-type maps.
- What is the name of the map?
  Type the unique name of the map. The Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor adds the default .mxl extension.
- What is your name?
  Type your name if it differs from the user name prompted by the New Map wizard. The default prompted is your login ID. The New Map wizard displays Input Format fields. You must complete the format of the input side of the map. This is the format of the data that is translated by the translator.
In the Input Format window, specify how you want to define the data format by selecting one of the following:
- Create a new data format using this standard
  Note: This selection allows you to use a preloaded standard (that is, you do not have to load the data format for the standard to the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor).
  - Select the standard and click Messages
  - Complete the Map Wizard
- Load the data format from a saved definition
  Note: This selection allows you to use an existing file format.
  - Type the path and file name of the saved definition (.ddf or .ifd extension).
  - Click Browse to display the Open File Definition dialog box.
- Create a new data format using this syntax
  Select a format.
In the Output Format window, specify how you want to define the data format by selecting one of the following:
- Create a new data format using this standard
  Note: This selection allows you to use a preloaded standard (that is, you do not have to load the data format for the standard to the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor).
  - Select the standard and click Messages
  - Complete the Map Wizard
- Load the data format from a saved definition
  Note: This selection allows you to use an existing file format.
  - Type the path and file name of the saved definition (.ddf or .ifd extension).
  - Click Browse to display the Open File Definition dialog box.
- Create a new data format using this syntax
  Select a format.
Click Finish to create the map. The map opens in the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor window.
In the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor, select File > Save to save the map. Do not use spaces or apostrophes in the map name.
Note: A progress dialog box displays and updates during the compilation process. If the map contains a large number of objects, you may be prompted that you should save the map in .MAP format.
To save a map as a .map file, select File > Save As and then select Source Maps (*.map) from the Save as type list.
Note: Prior to opening an .mxl (XML-formatted) file, the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor verifies that you have the Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) installed on the same computer as Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor. If you do not have the Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) installed, the Sterling B2B Integrator Map Editor cannot save or load .mxl source files.