BizTalk Server and Transaction Service Config

The configuration settings file used to set up BizTalk server to 3e instance communication can be found here by default: <Program Files of BizTalk Server>\Microsoft BizTalk Server\EAI\EAI.Biztalk.Config (i.e. C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft BizTalk Server\EAI\EAI.Biztalk.Config).

A particularly useful value is contained in the <Cobra> node. This holds the transaction service URL that BizTalk uses to integrate with the 3e instance. Connection credentials are also stored here.

...
<Cobra>
 <WebServiceUri location="http://TE_3E_SERVER/TE_3E_INSTANCE/WebUI/TransactionService.asmx" />
 <DefaultUser userName="BizTalkUser" password="*encrypted password*" domain="NetworkDomain" />
</Cobra>
...

Transaction Service - GetArchetypeData

In a previous post, the GetData method of the Transaction Service was explained. An altogether more useful method is the GetArchetypeData method, taking any well-formed XOQL query and returning a dataset.

The input parameter must be encapsulated in a QUERY node (note the caps) in the namespace "http://elite.com/schemas/query".

Example:

<QUERY xmlns="http://elite.com/schemas/query">

[XOQL statement]

</QUERY>

An XOQL statement can be obtained from Utility3e's OQL Analyser by creating the query in OQL first, executing it and then copying the contents contained in the XOQL tab.

Transaction Service

One way to retrieve data from 3e is to use the GetData method of the Transaction Service.

http://shf01-3ede01/TE_3E_development/WebUI/transactionservice.asmx?op=GetData.

1. In the IDE, create a ReportObject containing the data that is needed.
2. In the IDE, create a Report based on the ReportObject. Add the columns of data that need to be exposed.
3. In the front end, load the Report and save a ReportLayout. Be sure to add any criteria and sorting needed to the associated ReportQuery.
4. To test, open the ReportQuery in the Utilities3E AppObject XML Editor. Use the XML of the ReportQuery as the parameter value of the Transaction Services GetData method.

Note that the Report and ReportQuery are just steps in the creation of the test XML. They can be deleted if they are not needed in the front end.