File menu - The File menu provides the basic functionality to define New messages, Open, Save, Save As and Close existing message files.
Other Features on this menu:
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.<back>
Maintenance Menu -
There are 4 main activities associated: Library Maintenance, Options
Selection, Data type Maintenance,
and HL7 Table Maintenance.
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 Data Type maintenance option allows you to Create version specific data type files, and to add, edit or delete data types.
The Table Maintenance feature allows you to create new tables and to add/edit or delete table elements.
The Options activity allows the user to set certain defaults for the application such as highlight color, library paths etc.. An important feature of this option is the ability to define constants for automatic inclusion on the Data Sources Data Tree. Another feature allows you to define default style sheets for use with the various XML report types provided by the application. Tabs have also been added for filtering the list of reports available and for selecting attributes to be used in comparisons.<back>
This is the message definition tree view window. The segments and a segment group comprising the Killdara ADT AO4 example message profile are depicted above. Expand the icons to reveal segment, field, component and subcomponent elements in the hierarchical structure of each element. <back>
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. <back>
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. Select the level
of conformance desired for the specification as well; choose from HL7 (standard
HL7 optionality specifiers), Conformance with Optionality, and Strict
Conformance (no optional elements allowed). <back>
The Tools menu lists the following activities:
Compile - Assembles a new message specification based on the message structure entered 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. <back>
Conformance File Selection - 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. <back>
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. This feature gives immediate feedback regarding the differences between specifications. It complements one of the report options that displays all of the difference in a single report.
This submenu also allows selection of the specification reconciliation procedure. Reconciliation (described more fully elsewhere) allow you to transfer attribute values from the comparison specification to the object specification that you are currently working on.<back>
Add Field, Add Seg, Add SegGroup - Each of these options operates similarly: after clicking one of these icons, a floating dialog is shown that allows the user to enter attributes for the respective element and to select a position within the message definition tree for insertion of the new element. In the example above, zzField will be added to the Message tree after the existing field Expected Discharge date. Note that the insertion point field displayed on the Add Field form corresponds to the Message Tree field selected.<back>
Delete an element - Permits deletion of segments, segment groups or fields from the message tree.<back>
Tree Operations - These tools allow manipulation of node in the message tree: Move nodes up or down; Expand or collapse tree; Refresh tree view.<back>
File Manipulation - Click the appropriate icon to create a new specification, to open one, or save a one.<back>
ODBC Database selection - In this area you may select ODBC databases as sources for data linkage to the individual message elements i the message tree. Data sets may be derived from ODBC tables, stored procedures and/or queries. Once a dataset is selected, it is added to the data definition tree to the right, and its fields made available to be linked to message elements in the message definition tree.<back>
Constants - Constants of various types may be defined here for linkage to message elements. As with ODBC data elements, constants are added to the data tree at the right and may be selected for linkage. Any constant that is added to the data tree will persist from one session to the next, provided that it is linked to a message element. If it is not linked to a message element before the session is concluded, it will be discarded. To maintain a list of constants that are persistent from session to session without the need for a sponsoring message tree element link, use the Maint/Options/Constants tab. This will allow you to define constants that may be used from session to session and in a number of different specifications.<back>
Data Tree - The data tree view provides a way to see which data elements are available for linking to message tree elements. This same view is re-iterated on a separate floating form that conveniently facilitates the linkage between data and message elements. The two data tree views are automatically kept in sync.<back>
Data Grid - The data grid allows you to peruse the values of the fields in the currently selected ODBC data source. A feature of data linkage that is apparent on the main specification window, is that an example value is automatically entered in the message element object at the time of linkage. This example value in turn can be used later on the reports tab to generate an example message. The button above the data grid on this page allow you to be more selective in the value chosen for the example.<back>
Report Window - This is the main report window. For plain text and RTF style reports the window also provides basic edit capabilities as indicated by the tool bar. For those reports rendered in HTML or that use an XSL stylesheet, the editing feature is not available. Reports may be printed and or saved to disk. Note that the top level menu is different on this page. In particular, the File menu allows for the selection of style sheets (xsl) to be applied to XML based reports as well as the application of Document Type Definition (dtd) files to example message reports. The application of style sheets however requires MS Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher. The application of dtd files requires a validating parser like the one in IE 5.0.
The print setup option allows selection of verbose or compact element names for the XML example message reports and DTD generation. The verbose form references all message elements by their respective names, whereas the compact form references element by their HL7 short hand identifiers (e.g. PID.5.1, MSH.1 etc.).
The file menu also provides the usual file handling options but specifically for report files as opposed to message specification files.<back>
Message Text Window - This is the window where an example ER7 message is captured by the application. Most often it will just be cut from another document or text file and pasted in, however you can click on the button above it to search for a particular file containing the message text and have it inserted into the window.<back>
Parse Message - Click on this button to parse the message in the message text window. The result of this operation is an instance of the message parse tree visible in the window to the right, and the insertion of the abstract message structure string in the Derived Message Structure box below.<back>
Consolidate Segments - Check this box if you prefer to have the abstract message structure show repeating segment in the message within braces {}. Leave it unchecked to have each instance of the segment re-iterated within the abstract message structure. The box is checked by default, bu there may be some instances where the repeat segments should be shown. This consideration is important for deriving the full specification from the abstract message structure.<back>
Derive Specification - Click this button to produce a specification derived from the example message and the abstract message structure shown in the Derived Message Structure box. The result of this operation is a message specification in the main window, which will automatically be displayed when the operation is completed. Note that the field values from the captured message are automatically entered as example values in the derived message specification. Note also that when you return to the message capture window and move the mouse over the items in the parse tree, that the corresponding message element names will be displayed automatically just outside the right margin of the parse tree.<back>
View Message Characteristics - Click this button to view information about the message gleaned from its field values. This is information derived chiefly from the MSH segment of the message.<back>
Derived Message Structure - This window displays the message structure derived from the captured message. It will be used in the process of specification derivation. It may be altered manually, but such alterations will be reflected in the derived specification.<back>
Parse Tree - This window displays a graphic representation of the parsed message. The Segment elements are labeled with the segment mnemonic in the message, and each lower element is labeled with numeric path identifier indicating its hierarchical position within the message. Element values if present are displayed at the lowest level (repeated values are displayed as well).<back>
Use Case Parameters - This as its title suggests allows the user to enter Use Case information for the profile. It also displays the static derived from information entered on the main page. After selecting the Application and Accept Acknowledgement protocols, the static profile designator is also updated. The acknowledgement mode automatically defaults to Original Mode if left unselected by the user. <back>
Data Link Page - This page facilitates linking the data elements from ODBC databases and constants defined on the Data Sources Tab of the application. As mentioned elsewhere, the Data Tree displayed on this page is a replica of the one on the Data tab. Click the Link button to understand how linkage between Message element and Data element is achieved.<back>
Link Button - To produce a link, the user highlights a message element in the Message tree (Encoding characters in this depiction), selects the data node in the data tree (also named Encoding Characters in the Data Tree), and clicks the Link button (alternatively, the user may drag a value from the data tree and drop it on the Data Link box in the message window).
Once the link is established, the data element in the data tree is marked with a check, and in the message tree, the Data Link box is valued with the name of the data element, end the example value box is filled with the data value. The Data Link Page may remain open as long as the user desires, so that linkages may be performed interactively as need without having to bring up the linkage window for each individual link.<back>
Un-Link Button - Use this button to disassociate a previously linked Message Element and Data element. Select the element to be unlinked in the Data window, then click the Un-link button to process the disassociation. Keep in mind that a single data element may be linked to more than one message element, so be sure to check the association before performing the unlink.
Alternatively, select the element in the Message Tree window (which is probably the better option where multiple links to the same data element are present) and click the Un-link button.<back>
Table Window - This window can be accessed in two different ways, and used to accomplish different tasks. The mode of access depicted above is achieved by double clicking on the table number value displayed in the Table field of the element parameters area (0104 in the example above). The window displays a list of table elements for the selected table. Click on the Select button to understand how a selected table element is processed by the application.
The second mode of use is much simpler. By clicking the Table icon on the tool bar in the Main menu, the Table window is presented simply for looking up tables and table values. There is no element selection or linking possible in this mode.<back>
Table Index - Click to replace the element display for a single table with an alphabetized display of available tables. Double clicking on one of the table entries will again replace the display with a listing of table elements and values for the selected table.<back>
Table Window Select Button - By selecting a table element and clicking the Select button (or by double clicking the element) a process is initiated which 1.) causes the selected element to be added to the Data Sources Data Tree view as a constant; 2.) causes the constant value to be automatically linked the the selected Message tree element ( note the entry: Release 2.2 Decemb... in the example screen above); 3.) displays the table value in the Example Value field of the selected message element (2.2 in the example screen above).
The Select button is not present if the Table window is accessed via the Main menu tool bar Table button.<back>
MWB Directory Structure - The MWB application executable is stored in the application root directory that you selected at installation. Typically this is c:\program files\messaging Workbench. Aside from the application exacutable (MsgWB.exe) the application parameters file MWBProps.mwb is stored. Under this directory or folder are:
\LIB | |
Also in this folder are subfolders for XSL style sheets to be applied to the various report types: XSL Spec - Holds style sheets for Specification type reports XSL Msg - Holds style sheets for Example Message style reports XSL Comp - Holds style sheets for Specification Comparison style reports |
|
\Projects | This directory is intended to serve as a
repository for messaging projects. It is recommended that a subfolder be
created for each interface project, and that specifications, dtds and
reports be stored in such a project specific folder.
As shipped, the project directory has one subfolder named Examples, which contains example message specifications. You are encouraged to open those examples in the Messaging Work Bench, and to save them to another folder in the Projects folder. Use these 'cloned' examples to try out the application features. |
\Standards | This folder contains subfolders for
each of the supported HL7 standards. As of this writing, the product is
shipped with a folder for versions 2.2 and 2.3.1.
Within these subfolders are message specification files for standard HL7 messages. Ultimately the goal is to provide an example standard message for each unique HL7 message structure type. You are encouraged to use these standard messages as starting points, or templates upon which to build your own messages. It would be wise, not to change these messages, but to make copies (by using the save as option) and saving the copies into particular Project files (as described above). |
\HELP | This folder contains the web files for this application help. |
<back> |
New Message - To create a new message, simply select New from the File menu, then enter a message structure into the Structure field on the specification definition area of the Message Definition tab and press return (or click on the compile button on the tools menu). When compilation is completed, the message tree will reflect the structure that you entered. You may then proceed to examine/change the parameters of each of the message elements and to link data element to the message elements and/or to provide example values for the elements. For example, you may enter MSH,EVN,PID,PV1 into the structure field then press return to invoke the compiler (in fact though the application starts you off with the MSH already in the structure field for each new message).
Be sure that before you press return or hit the compile button, that you have selected the appropriate library (also called conformance) file for the message you want to create. When shipped, a default conformance file is specified, so the first time you compile, the resulting message should reflect the HL7 version entered as the default (usually 2.2). You may change this conformance file through the Maint/Libraries/Select Conformance File option (described elsewhere). You may also define a default conformance file through the Maint/Options menu. The default conformance file is automatically used when you elect to create a new specification, unless you have previously selected a particular conformance file. When you open an existing specification, the conformance file that it was defined with is automatically restored as the active conformance file.
In the event that no conformance file is selected, or in the case that a segment specified in the structure is not found in one or more of the selected conformance files (as described elsewhere you may apply more than one conformance file to a specification), any affected segments will be represented in the message tree as a segment with a single Set ID field. You may if you wish add other fields to this stub segment and/or change the definition of the initial Set ID field. This in fact is the way that newly created segments (particularly Z segments) are instantiated. If however you intended to use standard segments and expected to see version specific segment definitions in the tree, but only have segment stubs, then you must select the appropriate conformance file(s), and recompile.<back>
This is the example value field. Right click on this field to bring up a menu that lets you select a data source for the Example value field. Choose from the ODBC/Constants Datat Tree, HL7 Tables, or the Code System values. If a value is too large to be displayed here, it will be flagged in red. Double click on the fields to bring up a window that displays the entire value.<back>
The table field documents the HL7 table to be used for a particular field. Double click on the field to bring up a window that allows selection of an example value from a particular table. If a table number is displayed in the field when you double click, that tables elements will be brought up for selection. If no table number is displayed in the fields. a window will appear that allows you to select a table and then an element from the table.<back>
Click on the Structure button to bring up an edit window to enter multi-line message structures. This is especially useful for getting message structures from the HL7 standard or from spreadsheets. Simply highlight the column(s) in the text document or spreadsheet that containing the message segments, then paste it into the window. The MWB will translate the vertical structure into a horizontal one. Be sure not to copy columns that contain descriptive data. In the 2.2 and 2.3 specification it may be necessary to use Word's create table utility specifying breaks on Tab in order to get the segments isolated from the descriptive text.<back>
Displays currently active Conformance library and Datatype library.<back>
Brings up a window that allows browsing of HL7 tables and their values.<back>
This button invokes a utility that removes all implementation notes and predicates from a specification. Its primary value is in preparing specifications for inclusion in conformance libraries.<back>
Three different kinds of specification are recognized and vary primarily in their degree of optionality. The traditional HL7 specification as documented in the standard is the default. The list of optionalities that may be applied to message elements are consistent with those documented in the standard. The other 2 kinds of specification are more stringent in regard to optionality, and each offers a fewer choices for optionality than allowed by the standard. The main difference between these last 2 kinds, is that one allows for elements to be classified as optional, while the other does not. BE AWARE that by selecting either of the conformance specification types will cause optionalities to changed automatically in you active specification. Selecting one of these specification types will also enable the Conformance Profile button, which opens up a form to enter use case information for the profile.<back>
The predicate window only becomes active when an element is given an optionality of C (conditional) or CE (conditional but empty) these optionalities are not available with the HL7 Specification Type. The predicate describes the conditions under which this element must be valued which is based on a relationship of this element with another in the segment.<back>
Implementation notes may be added for any element to help clarify usage or intent.<back>
A value may be marked as a fixed value, meaning that it will always take on a particular value for the element in this profile. Fixed values are displayed as such in the Profile report. Constants that are linked from the data tree to a message element are automatically marked as fixed values.<back>