EDI in linux

[Ben Duncan]

Yeah, there is an interest. Th biggest thing is there are over 1000 
(yes, one thousand) different types
of transaction sets. And within these, can be various permutations of 
the transaction set's themselves.

I thought about doing a "EDI" mapping system in AppGen, since AppGen 
lends itself so well to
a 3 dimension style record (or row, for you db'er types out there). 
But I always came full circle. Appgen,
being a commercial product, would have a cost associated with it.
Another reason is, I wrote a Point of Sale system in AppGen and LGPL'd 
the AppGen Source. Unfortunately,
Several VAR's made money off it, and gave nothing in return, even when 
they added to it.
So, I have written off such projects being done in AppGen due to the 
VAR situation.

Believe it or not, I am looking into the GNU/COBOL stuff and AUBIT, 
when the both
reach maturity, as platform development for things of this type.

The main thing about EDI, is NOT that it is that difficult of a thing 
to do. Just a WHOLE lot
of detail upon detail and mineute things that have to be looked at.

A start in the direction is look at it as a rule master file to be 
built for each of the transaction set.
The rule file would contain each and every little bit of information 
and record type's that the
transaction set would contain. The headers, sub-headers, trailer 
records, detail records, and
field information would have to be set up. Then the rules on what is 
required, what is optional,
how many characters the fields are, the format of the fields. This 
would allow the rules to be
built for all of the transaction sets, and not let you be limited to 
hard-coding them.

Next would be some sort "Trading Partner" master file that described 
the what the trading partner
requirements would be, which fields they needed, what would be the 
constant data to be ALWAYS
filled in. There would have to be a file for each and ever transaction 
set that your trading partner
required. You would generate the basic information by pulling in the 
"rule master file" and then
generating a "Trading Partner" rule file based upon which items you 
select that is required from the
selected rule file.

Next would come the data entry screen allowing you to fill in the 
information that changes each time
a transaction is generated, for that trading partner. Then the 
deilvery mechanism to the VAN's.

To add insult to injury here, YOU would have to do that for all 
INCOMING transaction from your
trading partners and then GENERATE reports as well. Then throw in the 
mix that some people may
want to send a file from their MRP system, be it in comma delimited, 
fixed length, Dbase, SpreadSheet,
and have the EDI system suck it in and create the transaction's from 
these.

Yeah sure, I would be willing to help. But it would take a lot more 
programmers to contribute to it,
to get it off the ground.

mpdickens wrote:
> Hello Brad, Kurt and Ben!
> 
> Right now, I'm reading up on the standard(s) as well as looking
> at the products that are currently offered for UNIX and winSLUT.
<SNIP>

-- 
Ben Duncan   Phone (601)-355-2574     Fax (601)-355-2573   Cell 
(601)-946-1220
                         Business Network Solutions
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    "Software is like Sex, it is better when it's free" - Linus Torvalds