Hello experts,

this might be interessenting for those of you who want to allow a more tolerant processing of EDIFACT data from supplier . This extension is based on EDIParser 1.2.1. It`s free for any discussion.

Lets assume

<medi:delimiters segment="&#39;" field="+" component=":" sub-component="~" />

Problem

(1) A field X is defined as non - mandatory

(2) Field X contains a component, that is mandatory

Point (1) means that you can leave the field completely. Still many EDIFACT supplier don`t leave the field, but set it empty

Example

TEST++VAL1:VAL2'

with snipped from EDI mapping model (its not EDIFACT, but only a simple example):

     ... 
     <medi:segment segcode="TEST" xmltag="TEST" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" truncatable="true">
       
         <medi:field xmltag="FIELD" truncatable="true">
            <medi:component xmltag="AAAA" required="true"/> 
         </medi:field>
        
         <medi:field ...>
            ...
         </medi:field>
      </medi:segment>
...

Solution

Patch org.milyn.edisax.EDIParser.java (EDIParser 1.2.1). Only map a required field, if its field compontens contain any value

    /**
      * Map an individual segment field.
      * @param fieldMessageVal The field message value.
      * @param expectedField The mapping config to which the field value is expected to map.
      * @param fieldIndex The field index within its segment (base 0).
      * @param segmentCode The segment code within which the field exists.
     * @throws SAXException EDI processing exception.
      */
     private void mapField(String fieldMessageVal, Field expectedField, int fieldIndex, String segmentCode) throws SAXException {
          List<Component> expectedComponents = expectedField.getComponent();

        startElement(expectedField.getXmltag(), true);

          // If there are components defined on this field...
          if(expectedComponents.size() != 0) {
            String[] currentFieldComponents = EDIUtils.split(fieldMessageVal, edifactModel.getDelimiters().getComponent(), edifactModel.getDelimiters().getEscape());
            if(expectedField.isRequired() || (currentFieldComponents.length > 0)) {
                 assertComponentsOK(expectedField, fieldIndex, segmentCode, expectedComponents, currentFieldComponents);
     
                 // Iterate over the field components and map them...
                    for(int i = 0; i < currentFieldComponents.length; i++) {
                         String componentMessageVal = currentFieldComponents[i];
                         Component expectedComponent = expectedComponents.get(i);
     
                         mapComponent(componentMessageVal, expectedComponent, fieldIndex, i, segmentCode, expectedField.getXmltag());
                    }
            }
             endElement(expectedField.getXmltag(), true);
          } else {
            if(expectedField.isRequired() && fieldMessageVal.length() == 0) {
                throw new EDIParseException(edifactModel.getEdimap(), "Segment [" + segmentCode + "], field " + (fieldIndex + 1) + " (" + expectedField.getXmltag() + ") expected to contain a value.  Currently at segment number " + segmentReader.getCurrentSegmentNumber() + ".");
            }

            contentHandler.characters(fieldMessageVal.toCharArray(), 0, fieldMessageVal.length());
             endElement(expectedField.getXmltag(), false);
          }
     }

Best regards,

Dennis