MWB Message Definition

This page is where most of the work of message definition is conducted. It allows for the entry and editing of message specification and message components. It provides two hierarchically oriented view windows to display message elements and database fileds for mapping and linkage to the message elements.

 

This is the message definition tree view window. The segments and a segment group comprising the MFN M05 message are depicted above. Expand the icons to reveal segment, field, component and subcomponent elements in the hierarchical structure of each element.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Element Parameters area of the screen shows the parameters that define each of the elements in the message definition tree. In this shot, note that the MSH segment definition is displayed. As you click on elements within the tree, the Element Parameters area will change to show the definition of the selected tree element.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Data Source Tree lists the data fields available from data sources that you select on the Data Sources page and from the Constants node. The field elements in this tree may be linked to the elements in th message tree by selecting a Message Tree primitive element and either dragging the Data Tree element to the Data Link edit box in the Element Parameters area, or by double clicking on the Data Tree element.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specification definition area of the screen is for adding/editing and viewing higher level specification definition. When entering a new specification from scratch (i.e not derived from an existing specification) the message structure field determines which segment definitions will be pulled from the defined conformance file libraries to create the new message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The File menu provides the basic functionality to define New meessages, Open, Save,Save As and Close existing message files.

Each time a message specification is opened, a backup copy is automatically created. The Restore Backup action allows the user to go back to resort to the backup copy.

Save Compact allows the specification to be saved in a special compacted format. This compacted format is used for example in the standard application package to distribute the HL7 standard specifications for each message. Unlike the standard format documents which are stand alone, compact format documents rely on the availability of uniquely identified library files for reconstitution. This format is typically used only for distributing a large corpus of specification documents.

Capture External Message activates the Message Capture page directly. Message Capture is discussed elsewhere.

Clear MRU list clears the list of recently opened message specifications at the end of the File menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tools menu lists the following activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compile - Assembles a new message specification based on the message structure enterred into the Message Structure edit box. The compile button is only active if the message structure is entered manually. Compilation will also occur automatically if the user presses the enter key after entering a new message structure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conformance File Slection - Click the conformance file selection button to view, select and prioritize the library files associated with the specification. Typically a specification will have an associated HL7 library file of a particular version and perhaps a locally defined library file that contains local applications of standard segments, and any locally defined Z segments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select Comparison specification - Allows selection of  a specification to compare the current specification definition against. Select auto-compare (recommended mode) to see difference between the specifications highlighted automatically in the specification definition area and the element parameters area. If auto-compare is not turned on, differences will only be shown as you enter a particular parameter field on the screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maintenance Menu - There are 2 main activities associated: Library Maintenance and Options selection.

The libraries activities allow the ability to create New Libraries from existing specifications, Edit existing libraries, Search libraries for particular segments and Select Conformance Files for the specification being defined.

The Options activity allows the user to set certain defaults for the application ssuch as highlight color, library paths etc.