Find the following new or further developed functionalities in the latest GEFEG.FX quarterly release 2020-Q1
GEFEG.FX initial installation + updates possible without admin rights
Until now, the installation of GEFEG.FX and the execution of GEFEG.FX updates required that the user had administrator rights for his computer. From now on, the installation can be performed without administrator rights if GEFEG.FX is installed for the local user and not in the Applications folder as before. This means that the initial installation no longer needs to be performed by the system administrator, who supports with extended installation rights. If GEFEG.FX should be available for all users on the computer, administrator rights are still required during installation due to the access to user accounts.
Data Packages in GEFEG.FX
EDIFACT D.19B in GEFEG.FX
With the Q1-2020 releases the latest EDIFACT directories are available in GEFEG.FX: UN EDIFACT D.19B, UN Locode 2019-1.
- GS1 XML 3.4
- ISO 20022 Version 2019-12
- GS1 EANCOM® standards with new folder names in the GEFEG.FX distribution
Users certainly recognize it at first glance: The EANCOM® versions are now grouped by language. The German respectively English standard package is easier to find. Furthermore, the revised, more meaningful folder names for the respective EANCOM® versions and the chronological listing support faster finding of the desired EANCOM version.
Option files for selected interfaces enable faster exports
Exports of GEFEG.FX objects can be used in many ways, including
- to supply the IT system landscape with data,
- for conversion into another syntax,
- for the creation of human-readable documents,
For certain GEFEG.FX exports it is possible to save the export settings in option files if the result of the export is a file, e.g. XSD, Excel worksheet, text file.
The use of an option file is especially recommended if an export is needed regularly. Using option files saves time because they can be reused for each export and make the export dialog unnecessary. From the new version on, it is possible to edit this option file if changes to the settings are necessary.
Advanced output option for codes in schemas and data models
Codes supplement elements with semantic meanings. The permitted values for a coded element are summarized in code lists. These code lists are often very comprehensive, so that in a specification the code list is restricted and thus reduced. A selection of codes is allowed – instead of the entire list. In the component report of a data model or schema guide, users can now decide whether the restricted or the entire code list is documented. Even if a code list has been restricted for an element or attribute, the complete list can be output to show which values are permitted by the standard.
Improved arrangement of imported Notes via the CSV import interface
Notes in GEFEG.FX Guides describe or comment on data units in order to note the specific use. Adding new notes or revising existing notes is one of the standard tasks when creating a guide. If an external source is available, the import CSV interface of GEFEG.FX schemas and GEFEG.FX data models can be used to add or overwrite notes. GEFEG.FX 2020-Q1 optimizes the display of these imported notes.
An example for the use of the import interface is the translation of Notes into other languages. For this purpose, the schema or data model can be exported via the export CSV interface, then revised externally and finally imported into GEFEG.FX. GEFEG.FX recognizes these Notes during CSV import and arranges them according to the Note definitions list.
Detailed output of attribute paths in reports
Documentation is used for the human-readable output of specifications. An important piece of information in such documentation is the path of an object type in order to immediately recognize how the object fits into the overall structure. GEFEG.FX Reports now output not only elements but also attributes with short and long name paths and the IndexPath. This eliminates the need for tedious following of the tree structure to determine the position of the attribute.
Extended object selection for importing or including
Sometimes schemas and data models require external reference objects to represent the structures and contents correctly. For example, code lists or resource schemas are often imported or included as separate files. In GEFEG.FX it is now also possible to include guides. Thus, a – usually – more extensive base object or a specified guide can be embedded as reference if flat or restricted structures are required.
Creating variants with GEFEG.FX Schema Guides
In the EDI environment, XML files are increasingly used for message exchange in addition to the classic record type-based formats. XML schemas define the structure of the messages to which the XML file must correspond. Types and elements are important components of schemas, which can be created and edited in the GEFEG.FX Schema Editor.
GEFEG.FX now offers an important new feature: You can also use variants of elements and types in GEFEG.FX Schema Guides. This feature is similar to the use of segment qualifiers in classic EDI guides: Segments are reused and receive very specific semantic meanings resulting from the qualifiers used.
In schema guides, slightly different blocks of information are reused as variants. For example, a variant of the element group PARTY can be used for both the role of the buyer and the role of the seller. In addition, variants make it easier to use business rules because simpler and shorter rules have to be created. In addition, variants help to achieve a flat structure in the schema, since fewer types are needed to build the message.
