XML Validation Speeds Reach New Levels


Let’s take a look at a few of the features recently added to the Altova MissionKit desktop developer tools and complete line of server software products, including screaming-fast XML validation speeds using RaptorXML Server inside XMLSpy,  frequently requested functionality for EDGAR filing validation, support for SQLite databases and the TRADACOMS EDI format, and much more. You can always learn about the latest and greatest new features on the Altova What’s New page.

 

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New Support for XPath/XQuery 3.1, WS-Security, and More Debut in R3


Release 3 of the Version 2015 Altova MissionKit desktop developer tools and Altova server software products is now available with updated standards support, customer requested features, and innovative new functionality that will save you time on everything from XPath and XQuery development, to advanced data mapping, to XBRL report rendering and beyond. You can skip right to the good stuff and upgrade now, or click Read More below for all the details.
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Altova Software Version 2015 Now Available


We are pleased to announce availability of Version 2015 of Altova’s MissionKit desktop developer tools and server software products! In this latest version, you’ll find updated standards support across the product line, powerful new support for XQuery Update Facility and previewing the layout of XBRL Tables in real-time in XMLSpy, data mapping support for JSON and XBRL Table Linkbases in MapForce, support for HTML fragments in StyleVision, and much more.

Read on for more details below, and visit the What’s New page for more information.

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Installing Altova Server Software in the Cloud


Cloud-first is becoming the new normal. At recent events we have frequently been asked about using Altova Server tools in the cloud. The answer is definitely, go for it. The installation is easy. In fact, we use Altova Server Software products ourselves for an internal reporting application, installed on local virtualized servers and on an AWS cloud instance. The charts below were generated by StyleVision Server running in the cloud to quickly communicate information about changes in dynamic data.

StyleVision Server is based on the built-in report and document generation engine developed for StyleVision and renders .SPS stylesheets originally designed in StyleVision, including features like a rich variety of charts to visually represent data.

In this post we will walk through the installation of FlowForce Server, MapForce Server, StyleVision Server, and RaptorXML Server for a complete data integration solution in the cloud.

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FlowForce Server Job Cache Enhancements


FlowForce Server has new enhancements that add functionality to job caching. Job caching allows administrators to schedule execution of time consuming jobs, store the results, and deliver output instantaneously in response to HTTP requests from end users. Our earlier post titled Result Caching Accelerates Application Response Time described how to configure a job to take advantage of caching.

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Altova Software Version 2014 is Available


It’s time for Altova’s annual major release, and this year, we’ve added support for the latest version of major W3C standards: XML Schema 1.1 and XPath, XSLT, and XQuery 3.0. Validation and processing of these standards in Altova MissionKit products is Powered by RaptorXML, bringing the benefits of Altova’s third-generation XML and XBRL engine to your favorite developer tools.

Integration for relational databases has been extended, as well, with compatibility provided for new database versions and database vendors. Support now includes:

  • SQL Server® 2012
  • PostgreSQL 9.0.10, 9.1.6, 9.2.1
  • IBM DB2® 9.5, 9.7, 10.1
  • Informix® 11.70
  • MySQL® 5.5.28
  • Sybase® ASE 15, 15.7
  • Access™ 2010, 2013

We’ve also added numerous features based on customer requests, such as reporting multiple validation errors at once in XMLSpy, support for XML wildcards in MapForce data mapping projects, and new options for rendering section breaks in StyleVision. An overview of the new features follows, but for all the details, head over to the Altova What’s New page.
RaptorXML XML and XBRL EngineNew in XMLSpy® 2014

  • XML Schema 1.1 support
  • Powered by RaptorXML for lightning-fast validation and processing
  • Smart Fix validation with auto-correction now extended to Schema View
  • XPath 3.0 support
  • XSLT 3.0 (subset) support
  • XQuery 3.0 (subset) support
  • Support for XBRL Formula and XBRL Concept Types
  • Ability to display multiple validation errors at once
  • Support for new databases
  • Integration with Eclipse 4.3
  • Ability to generate sample XML instances with all schema choices

XML Schema 1.1 Editor



New in MapForce® 2014

  • Support for XML wildcards (xs:any and xs:anyAttribute)
  • Support for comments and processing instructions in output XML
  • Integration of RaptorXML
  • New function to calculate age based on a birthdate
  • Support for new databases
  • Integration with Eclipse 4.3

Wildcard support for XML mapping



New in StyleVision® 2014

  • Support for new databases
  • Integration with Eclipse 4.3
  • New option for rendering section breaks – ability to avoid a blank first page


New in Authentic® 2014

  • Support for new databases
  • Integration with Eclipse 4.3


New in UModel® 2014

  • Support for project-related SPL templates
  • Support for new databases
  • Integration with Eclipse 4.3

Get complete details and upgrade to Version 2014 now! If you have active Support and Maintenance, this is a free software update.

Version 2014 of Altova Server Software is also available for download, with new features including support for caching results in FlowForce Server.

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Versiones en español de XMLSpy, MapForce y StyleVision


Nos complace anunciar que, a partir de la versión 2012 Release 2 SP1, las aplicaciones XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision y el conjunto de aplicaciones MissionKit for XML Developers están disponibles en español. También en español está ya el sitio web de Altova.

Estas versiones en español amplían nuestra oferta de versiones traducidas, que ya incluye productos en inglés, alemán, japonés y chino.

Para descargar la versión en español de XMLSpy, MapForce y StyleVision o el conjunto de aplicaciones MissionKit for XML Developers, sólo tiene que seleccionar la opción “Spanish/Español” del menú desplegable de selección de idiomas. Con su actual código clave de licencia puede desbloquear cualquier versión traducida del producto que adquirió. Si lo prefiere, también puede descargar una versión de prueba gratis de 30 días de duración.

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Spanish Language Versions of XMLSpy, MapForce, and StyleVision

We’re excited to announce that, starting with Version 2012 Release 2 SP1, Altova XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, and the MissionKit for XML Developers are now available in fully localized Spanish language versions! Much of the Altova Web site is now available in Spanish, as well.

Spanish is latest addition to our growing list of localized options including English, German, Japanese, and Chinese.

To download the Spanish version of XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, or the MissionKit for XML Developers, simply select Spanish from the language selector. Your existing license key code will unlock any language version of your purchased product(s). You can also download a free 30-day trial at any time.

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The PXF File as the Software Equivalent of Plug and Play – A Database Editing Use Case


A few weeks ago we introduced you to the Portable XML Form (PXF), a file format in which all design elements supporting a StyleVision design including XML Schema and instance documents, SPS design files, XSLT, images, and other external files are embedded. End users simply open the PXF file in Authentic and can immediately start editing XML and database data. clip_image014In this post we’ll create an electronic form for business users to record donations and enter new donors for a fictitious charity called the Green Planet Fund.

Altova’s new PXF file format is a boon to developers and end users alike –the PXF file can be transported, downloaded, copied, and saved like any other office document, increasing both efficiency and error-free deployments. Developers no longer have to send or install multiple files or create a server application to support a design and business users can distribute critical business information quickly and reliably. This is especially true in distributed organizations where business data needs to be sent around via e-mail between different locations or between field employees and their counterparts in the home office. A PXF that supports electronic forms designed in StyleVision and edited by business users in Authentic makes editing business data a snap. In most cases that business data will be contained directly within the PXF file as an embedded XML document, but it is also possible to connect a PXF file to a database server and store the data directly in the database, as the following use case shows.

For this example we’ll be using StyleVision to create an electronic form on which business users will record donations and enter new donors for the fictitious Green Planet Fund. End users interact with these forms in the Authentic WYSIWYG editor, a sophisticated word processor-style interface that allows end users to capture, view, and update XML and database content. Once you click File, New from DB in StyleVision, the Connection Wizard is invoked. Simply select the database type – you will be prompted to browse for the source. clip_image001 Here we’ve identified the DonorsDatabase from the MARKETING006SQLEXPRESS server. The connection string is automatically saved with the design file and re-established each time a business user accesses the form in Authentic. The database is updated with the information that the business user enters in the Authentic form. clip_image002 Once you establish a connection, you can select tables, data views and even SQL SELECT statements in the Insert Database Objects dialog box. clip_image003 For this example we’ve added a SQL SELECT statement (below) that concatenates donor title, first name, and last name and calculates the total amount contributed by each donor. Once you click Add SELECT Statement the SQL SELECT statement becomes available to the StyleVision design, as seen above. clip_image004 Please note that we used Altova DatabaseSpy, a multi-database query, design, and database comparison tool, to build our SQL statement. Although you can export data from the SQL Editor in DatabaseSpy into a range of formats, for this example we simply copied the SELECT statement from DatabaseSpy into the window in the SQL SELECT dialog box in StyleVision. StyleVision generates a temporary XML Schema based on the structure of the database and displays it in the Schema Window. Note that both the Contributions and Donors tables as well as our SQL SELECT statement appear in the Schema Tree. clip_image005 During this transformation StyleVision creates internal XML files – a non-editable one for previews and as the source of the generated XML data file as well as an editable XML file that will write modifications back to the database. Now that we’ve established and saved the database connection string we’re ready to design the electronic form that Green Planet Fund will use to add new donors and log contributions. For this example we’ve created two simple tables in StyleVision – one for recording contributions and another for looking up and adding donors. (Please note that our example is for illustrative purposes only and we’ve shown only a small sample of the fields that we would typically include in a real-world application. The functionality too is far less sophisticated than it would be in an actual project.) We’ve done the following to our design: · Created a design fragment with a table for entering new donors and a table of registered donors that is populated dynamically · Added a checkbox that when toggled will show the registered donors table and the data entry table from the design fragment · Edited the Authentic properties of the registered donors table to retrieve all records · Edited the Authentic properties of the data entry table to retrieve only one record to make it easier to enter data · Used XPath to concatenate each donor’s title, first, and last names for the table of registered donors, using the normalize-space function to remove all white spaces · Used Value Formatting (below) to format the contribution date – this also allows the end user to edit the date via a calendar interface in Authentic clip_image006 Note the design fragment ‘DonorList’ is enclosed within the DB tags and is represented as a single element. The design fragment itself appears at the bottom of the design. clip_image008 Clicking the tabs next to the Design tab will render the report in different formats. Here we’ve presented the Authentic view. clip_image010 Notice that the design is still in standard SPS format (greenplanetdonorsII.sps) – we are now ready to save it as a PXF so that it can be emailed to the client and deployed immediately upon receipt. Once you select File – Save As from the top menu, you can choose whether to save the design as a SPS or PXF. clip_image011 When you Save as PXF File you are prompted to select the files to embed in the PXF file. All files supporting the StyleVision design are automatically made available in the dialog box. clip_image012 Here we’ve checked each of the design elements as well as the XSLT files. This will allow end users to generate output from the StyleVision-designed form in each of these formats directly from Authentic. Please note that you also have the option to include additional files. Although this design does not require other files, this feature makes transporting and deploying projects that require multiple files significantly easier. Now you can send the PXF file that you have just created to the client. All project files as well as the database connection string are embedded in the PXF so that once the end user opens it in Authentic he can immediately start viewing, editing, and entering data. To create a new record in Authentic, place the cursor in one of the fields in the contributions table on the form and click the Append row button on the tool bar. (Alternatively you can select Authentic – Append Row from the top menu.) clip_image013 Now the business user can enter contributions (new data is in bold) … clip_image014 …and new donors. clip_image015 Note that in the SQL Server database the Donor ID is an auto-generated field. Once the end user clicks File – Save from the top menu, the new information is posted to the database, the database generates an ID number, and the new information populates the other tables in the form. (As reflected above, data is populated in real time.) Edits and additions are immediately written to the database. The SQL Server database view below shows that Edward and Julie Jay, whom we have just added to the Authentic form, have been assigned a donor id of 18. clip_image017 Although we did not include it here, the form can be designed to generate an error message when the user attempts to save a new donor without at least one first and last name. This can be accomplished using XPath in the additional validation property of the Authentic properties or by creating a constraint in the SQL Server database. This use case was designed to show how easy it is to create and deploy interactive forms. Electronic forms designed in StyleVision have always been a great way to update both XML and database content – the PXF file simply makes it easier to transport and deploy them.

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Have you used the PXF form yet? Or created a really cool database project using StyleVision or any of Altova’s other tools? Please share your story with other Altova users by commenting on this blog post. Think it would make a great case study? Email us at marketing@altova.com – if we use your story you’ll receive a $200 Amazon gift card. We’d love to hear from you!

Release 3 of Altova Software Version 2011


  New in Altova MissionKit 2011r3 PXF (Portable XML Form), XML digital signatures, and HIPAA data mapping are just a few of the many exciting new features we’ve introduced today with Release 3 of the Altova MissionKit 2011 and complete product line. Let’s take a look at some of those now. First…what on earth is a PXF?

What is PXF?

PXF is a new file format that – finally – makes editable XML forms truly portable. PXF files are configured in StyleVision 2011r3, where a developer creates a design that generates an interactive electronic form that can then be accessed and edited by non-technical business users in Altova Authentic (or in the Authentic View in XMLSpy). When the StyleVision design is saved as a PXF, the XML Schema(s), XML instance(s), electronic form, etc., are all embedded in the PXF file. The PXF can even optionally include the XSLT files autogenerated by StyleVision that allow the business user to publish his data in HTML, Word, RTF, and/or PDF – with a single click. After a PXF file has been created, it can be transported, downloaded, copied, and saved like any other data file. Portable XML Form Why PXF? The benefit of the PXF file format is that all the components required for editing XML content – and for the generation of output reports from Authentic – can be conveniently distributed in a single file. And, since Authentic Community Edition is a free product, PXF deployment couldn’t be more affordable. Authentic interface There are countless usage scenarios for the PXF file, but one example is to allow a business user to easily get important data into a valid XML document and send it back to the requester or to another department, such as HR or Accounting. The user receives a PXF file by email and opens it in Authentic. The XML file will be displayed in Authentic using the embedded StyleVision eForm design, and can be edited using the word processor-like Authentic interface with access to advanced interactive options, context sensitive entry-helpers, business logic validation, and more. The File | Save command saves changes to the PXF, i.e., the embedded XML is modified and saved. The File | Send by E-mail command makes it easy to send the updated PXF on to another user with a single click. In addition, when XSLT files associated with the SPS are included in the PXF, Authentic toolbar buttons let the user render his data in multiple formats for publishing or further communication. PXF takes the headache out of getting critical business data into XML – without sacrificing any of the benefits that XML brings to data integration and extensibility.

XML Digital Signatures

To address the growing need for security around XML transmissions, v2011r3 includes support for assigning and verifying XML digital signatures through the implementation of W3C XML Signature technology across multiple MissionKit tools. An XML Signature enables digital authentication for XML transactions by checking the integrity (whether the data has changed since it was signed) and the authenticity of origin (the identity of the signer). In contrast to other digital signature methods, XML Signature is uniquely suited to working with XML data because it includes measures for canonicalization, which involves signing the important data while ignoring inconsequential changes such as whitespace and line endings. In XMLSpy 2011r3, it’s easy to add an enveloped, enveloping, or detached signature to your XML-based files using either certificate e or password-based authentication. Create XML digital signature You can also verify signature(s) on files received. If the file changed at all since it was signed, verification will fail. Verify XML Signature Other MissionKit tools with XML digital signature support include:

  • MapForce 2011r3: When your data mapping project has XML or XBRL output, you can create an XML digital signature that will be added to output file produced when the mapping is executed.
  • StyleVision 2011r3: StyleVision designers can configure Authentic eForm output to allow XML instance files to support XML signatures.
  • Authentic 2011r3: When an Authentic eForm designed in StyleVision has XML signatures enabled, the Authentic user can sign XML data using an enveloped or detached signature as well as verify any XML signatures present when documents are loaded.

HIPAA Data Mapping

In addition to new features for Excel® data mapping and other enhancements, MapForce 2011r3 now includes native support for mapping HIPAA 5010 data. Health care enterprises that send or receive HIPAA information will be able to apply MapForce 2011 Release 3 to meet a number of requirements. Users of legacy healthcare IT systems that do not store data files internally in a format compliant with the latest HIPAA standard can use MapForce 2011r3 to map incoming HIPAA 5010 transactions to the enterprise internal format or database. Or, a MapForce mapping can be designed to generate HIPAA-compliant transactions for output from existing non-compliant data. If the enterprise wants to translate legacy healthcare data for internal storage in HIPAA 5010 format, MapForce 2011 Release 3 is the tool for that one-time transformation too! HIPAA EDI mapping Native HIPAA support adds to current support for HL7 (Health Level 7) and other EDI standards. Check out all the features added in the latest Altova release, and stay tuned for more details here on the blog.

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Solution to the Software Testing with State Machines Challenge


Last month in our blog on Software Testing for State Machines with Altova UModel we discovered unexpected behavior in our model of an air conditioning system and challenged readers to improve the design. This post describes one possible solution. When we ran the Tester application for our model, we saw that the Power switch did not turn the system off when it was in the Standby state. In the state machine diagram in our original model, the only route into Standby from Operating mode is via the Standby button, and the only way out of the Standby state is to press the Standby button again, as seen in the detail below. Detail of a state machine diagram in Altova UModel We can create an alternate exit to power off the system from the Standby state simply by drawing a new transition line from Standby to the Off state, and assigning powerButton() as the event that triggers the transition. UModel makes assigning the trigger easy by providing a pop-up window listing events that are already defined in the model. Pop-up list of triggers for transitions in a state machine diagram in Altova UModel Our completed revision to the model with the new transition from Standby to Off looks like this: State machine diagram in Altova UModel After regenerating the Java code and compiling the new version, we can run the Tester application again. The Debug output message window shows that the system entered Standby in Event 3. Event 4, activation of the Power button, now sets the state to Off. State machine test application generated by Altova UModel Find out for yourself how you can enhance the logic of your own state machine diagrams with Altova UModel – download a free 30-day trial today!

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Software Testing for State Machines


Many varieties of software testing have gained prominence as developers search for ways to improve quality and meet project deadlines – code review, unit testing, regression testing, beta testing, test-driven development, and more. Regardless of a project’s goals or the source code language employed, it’s well accepted that the earlier a defect is found, the easier, cheaper, and more rapidly it can be fixed. Code generation from UML state machine diagrams, a new feature introduced in Altova UModel 2011 Release 2, can be used to validate conceptual logic very early in project development. Real-world design in a state machine diagram An example included with UModel provides a simple and realistic state machine diagram with a small test application you can run to see for yourself how easily it can be to test the logic of a design. The state machine diagram in the AirCondition.ump project in the UModel 2011 examples folder describes the operation of a typical heating and air conditioning system. State machine diagram in Altova UModel The system includes a power button shown on the left side in the transition from the Off state, a modeSelect function that selects heating or cooling, a speedSelect function for the fan, and a standby button that puts the system in the standby mode shown on the right. The example project folder includes all the code generated for the diagram by UModel in Java, C#, and Visual Basic. To try out the Java version, all we have to do is use the command javac STMTester.java to compile the code and java STMTester to run it. The tester application displays a simulated control panel with information windows about the heating and air conditioning unit. The operating buttons appear along the top, the current state is described in the first window, and output messages generated by changes in the system appear in the second window. Test control panel for state machine code generated by Altova UModel As shown above, the system initializes in the Off state, the mode is set to heater, and the fan is off. Before you operate the system, you might want to resize the control panel and state machine diagram to follow the actions of the tester application in the diagram itself, as shown in the reduced size image below. UModel state machine diagram and test control panel for generated code Operating the state machine When we click the powerButton, the Current state window is updated and a detailed description of the operations that occurred are listed as Event 1 in the Debug output messages window. Test control panel for state machine code generated by Altova UModel If it’s a hot day, we might want to change the mode to Cooling and increase the fan speed, which we can do by clicking the modeSelect and speedSelect buttons. The Current state window updates with each click, and Event 2 and Event 3 are added to the output messages window. Test control panel for state machine code generated by Altova UModel Now we can see how the tester application lets us fully exercise the logic of our state machine diagram by clicking every possible sequence of button selections to see if they produce the expected results. For instance if we put the unit in Standby mode (Event 4 below), then press speedSelect, we see in the output messages for Event 5 that no state change occurs in the substate named RegionSpeed. Compare Event 5 to Event 3 in the output messages window as shown below. Test control panel for state machine code generated by Altova UModel Now that the system is in Standby mode and we don’t need any heating or cooling, let’s save energy by pressing the Power button to turn it off. Test control panel for state machine code generated by Altova UModel Wait a second – it looks like nothing happened. No transition took place in Event 6, and the Current state in the top window is still Standby! Looking back at the state machine diagram, we can see the only way out of Standby mode is to press the Standby button again. Is that really the behavior an average user would expect, that the Power button would not turn off the system from Standby mode? Portion of a state machine diagram created with Altova UModel Just imagine how expensive this issue could be to fix if it was first identified much later in product development when the prototype was being tested by a regulatory agency! Here’s a challenge we’ll throw out on the table for our readers: how would you design another more direct route from the Standby state to the Off state? Testing your own state machines You can use the UModel state machine code generation example projects as templates to create test applications for your own designs. You will want to take advantage of the UModel feature that automatically creates operations in a class as you add operation names to transitions in your state machine. Altova UModel toolbar button for automatic creation of operations in classes Also, the UModel Help system includes detailed information about code generation from state machine diagrams and also uses the AirCondition.ump project file as an example. Find out for yourself how you can improve project development by testing the logic of your own state machine diagrams with Altova UModel – download a free 30-day trial today!

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Release 2 of Altova Software Version 2011


clip_image001We’re pleased to announce the availability of Release 2 of Altova’s 2011 product line, which adds numerous new features to our entire MissionKit tool suite, as well as all standalone products. Even though it’s been just five short months since Version 2011 was announced, Release 2 packs a formidable punch, delivering innovative new features to meet customer requests and provide the unique, advanced functionality you’ve come to expect in the award winning MissionKit. Below are a few details on Release 2 of the Altova MissionKit 2011. For complete information and screenshots, click over to the Altova What’s New page. Subsequent posts over the next few weeks will cover each product and each feature in more detail. Advanced Chart and Report Creation The new functionality added in the MissionKit 2011 for creating charts and reports to analyze database, XML, XBRL, and other types of data received some important updates in Release 2, including new chart types, new formatting options, and more. New chart types add to the long list already available and include area charts, stacked area charts, candlestick charts, and more. You can add even more advanced formatting options to your charts now, using background images, color gradients, and variable axis label positions, as shown in the stacked area chart below. Area chart with background image R2 also adds support for chart overlays, which combine two disparate sets of data in one chart, as shown below. This example combines a candlestick chart of a stock’s daily prices with the daily sales volume indicted using a bar chart. XML candlestick chart with bar chart overlay These new charting and reporting tools add to those already available in XMLSpy, StyleVision, and DatabaseSpy, providing multiple opportunities to visualize, analyze, and report business data in innovative ways. Other v2011r2 Highlights R2 includes a lot more than just new chart and report creation features. We’ve got some great new tools for XML Schema editing in XMLSpy, as well as fully customizable documentation generation for XML Schema, WSDL, and XBRL via StyleVision integration. MapForce provides several enhancements for data mapping, such as enhanced ETL performance through data streaming, support for the IATA PADIS EDI format, and more. StyleVision now supports barcodes and other new tools for advanced report creation and publishing. BPMN support in UModel has been updated to the latest version, 2.0, and you can also now generate code from State Machine UML diagrams. And finally, just when you thought the DiffDog diff/merge tool couldn’t be any cooler, we’ve added full support for comparing and merging Microsoft® Word docs (yes, it’s actually easy to use). Diff/merge for Word documents   All these new features are expanded on here and will also be covered at length in upcoming blog posts. Make sure you are subscribed to the blog or our Facebook page, and do check back often for updates!

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New Software Feature: Charting in DatabaseSpy 2011


Multi-database query, design, and database comparison tool. A colorful, eye-catching chart is much more vivid and communicates meaning more quickly than a table of numeric data. As part of the v2011 launch of the Altova Missionkit on September 8, 2010, DatabaseSpy 2011 includes a new SQL charts tool that provides a wide variety of charting features to graphically represent SQL query results. DatabaseSpy 2011 supports the following chart types to provide the most appropriate representation of various data sets:

  • Line charts
  • 2-D and 3-D pie charts
  • 2-D and 3-D bar charts
  • Round gauge and bar gauge charts

A line chart generated from SQL query results by Altova DatabaseSpy DatabaseSpy SQL Charts Tool Supported Databases DatabaseSpy 2011 supports multiple database types and can generate charts from the results of SQL queries to the following databases:

  • Microsoft® SQL Server® 2000, 2005, 2008
  • IBM DB2® 8, 9
  • IBM DB2 for iSeries® v5.4, 6.1
  • Oracle® 9i, 10g, 11g
  • Sybase® 12
  • MySQL® 4, 5
  • PostgreSQL 8
  • Microsoft Access™ 2003, 2007

Charting SQL Query Results A link in the Altova DatabaseSpy 2011 SQL Editor Results window toolbar opens the Chart Selection dialog to initiate data charting. A SQL query and result table in Altova DatabaseSpy The chart tool icon opens the Select columns dialog, where users can specify which column of the Results table to use for the X-axis. Users can also change the order of value columns, or even leave one or more results column uncharted. This feature permits multiple charts to be generated for subsets of data from a single query that retrieves many table columns. DatabaseSpy SQL Chart Tool Select Columns dialog The data is initially plotted using the default chart type and settings in a new Charts window. Like other DatabaseSpy helper windows, the Charts window can be unpinned, moved, and resized, as a floating window. The Charts window has nine tabs that permit users to specify properties of nine different charts that can even be assigned to different query results. A bar chart generated from SQL query results by Altova DatabaseSpy The Change Type dialog gives users instant access to a wide variety of other chart styles. DatabaseSpy SQL Chart Tool Change Type dialog Within each chart type, sub-menus specify all the details of the chart appearance. Numerous customization options are available for each chart type, including chart titles, foreground and background colors, definition of axis ranges and labels, control of fonts, text colors and sizes, and more. A pull-down menu also lets users save and reload customized chart settings in files, for instance to store standardized chart styles and reuse them with multiple query results. The screenshot below shows a few of the settings for the line chart at the top of this page, which illustrates the same temperature and humidity data shown in the SQL query screenshot. DatabaseSpy SQL Chart Tool Chart Appearance dialog The screenshot below shows a bar chart reporting total sales for the year to date by sales territory. This is a typical example of a chart style that can be reused in a report that is frequently updated with the latest sales data. A 3-D bar chart generated from SQL query results by Altova DatabaseSpy Multiple Charts from a Single SQL Query Results Table Generating multiple charts from the same SQL query is simple and straightforward by selecting different columns of data in the Results table. The SQL query in the screenshot below returns the population and land area of the boroughs that make up New York City: A SQL query and result table in Altova DatabaseSpy Users can choose any tab in the Charts window, then assign data by clicking the Select Data menu option in the Charts window menu bar. DatabaseSpy SQL Chart Tool Select Data dialog Here are examples of an ordinary pie chart and a 3-D pie chart generated individually from the population and square miles data columns of the Results table: A 2-D pie chart generated from SQL query results by Altova DatabaseSpy A 3-D pie chart generated from SQL query results by Altova DatabaseSpy DatabaseSpy 2011 lets users change the chart colors by selecting an alternate palette or any custom colors. Customization of chart colors in Altova DatabaseSpy Gauge Charts from a Single Value or Calculated Results Gauge charts are used to illustrate a single value and show its relation to a minimum and a maximum value. For a round gauge chart, users can specify the beginning and ending values of the range, and the starting and ending locations on the gauge. DatabaseSpy 2011 enables complete gauge customization through selection of the background color, border color, needle color, text font, size, and color, and more. A round gauge chart generated by Altova DatabaseSpy DatabaseSpy 2011 can generate charts from results tables that contain relational data, or from results of calculations performed by SQL queries. Gauge charts are a good fit for illustrating a single calculated value. The screenshot below shows a percent of quota calculation in a DatabaseSpy 2011 SQL Editor window, based on a table of stored daily sales and sales quota data. SQL query that generates a single calculated result in Altova DatabaseSpy The calculated value can be more dramatic when represented in a bar gauge chart, where DatabaseSpy 2011 permits multiple background colors defined by ranges along the axis, as shown below. clip_image018 Export Charts for Reports DatabaseSpy 2011 exports charts to image files in .png, .bmp, .gif, or .jpg files in customized sizes, independent of the size of the chart window on the screen to create eye-catching visual elements in reports of all types. Export option in the DatabaseSpy Charts menu Whether you are a developer, business analyst, research professional, or other database user, DatabaseSpy 2011 can generate elegant charts from SQL query results to illustrate your data reports – download a free 30-day trial today!
If you’d like to find out for yourself how well DatabaseSpy works with other Altova tools, download a free trial of the Altova MissionKit.

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New Software Release : MapForce 2011


  clip_image002 On September 8, Altova released v2011 of the MissionKit with powerful new features across the entire product line. MapForce has benefitted from the addition of advanced data integration functionality like chained transformations, integration with StyleVision for rendering transformation output, new formatting functions, and extended support for the UN/EDIFACT and ANSI X12 EDI formats. Let’s take a closer look at the exciting new features in MapForce 2011 including:

  • Chained transformations
  • Integration with StyleVision for output components
  • Formatting of numbers, dates, and times
  • Extended support for EDIFACT
  • Extended support for X12

Chained transformations Support for chained transformations lets you create complex mappings where the output of one mapping becomes the input of another. This is a powerful feature that adds to MapForce’s ability to execute fully automated transformations. Each chained component becomes a modular entity in an interdependent transformation sequence, allowing for conversions to be made on-the-fly. You can create chained transformations using any number of mapping components connected to a final target component. Preview and code generation features can be displayed/generated for intermediate components, as well as for the final mapping result. Intermediate mapping components also now have a "pass-through" button in the title bar that lets you define the set of data that gets passed on to the following component.  

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For example, the mapping above shows a chained mapping where the pass-through button is active and sample data is assigned to component A. The output preview offers two separate sets of data: XML that conforms to the Contacts.xsd schema and incorporates a subset of data mapped from the Employees.xml sample file, and XML that conforms to PersonList.xsd using data from the Employees sample file. In both cases, the data has been amended with the relevant constants and functions that are shown in the MapForce design pane.   clip_image004 Integration with StyleVision for output components Support for Global Resources throughout the MissionKit has already offered you some integration between Altova software applications… But this feature takes that integration to a whole new level, allowing you to render XML and XBRL output from your data mappings into HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ using an associated StyleVision template design. This essentially combines MapForce’s any-to-any data mapping capabilities with a sophisticated rendering engine, meaning that you can now automate report generation from virtually any data format that can be mapped to an XML Schema or XBRL taxonomy. In the example below, a StyleVision design has been associated with the mapping by simply right-clicking the output file and browsing to select a suitable SPS file using the Component Settings dialog.   clip_image005   Once the SPS file is entered or selected, you will be able to simply click on the relevant format tab (i.e., HTML, RTF, PDF, or Word 2007+) to view rendered data.   mapforce-html Formatting of numbers, dates, and times Probably one of the most requested features, this lets you easily convert numbers, dates, and times to their string representations using several different formatting functions. For example, the simple format-number function below converts a numerical input (e.g., 12345) to a monetary one in with a USD prefix, comma separating the thousands digits, and two decimal places (e.g., $12,345.00).   format-number   This post really just scrapes the surface of what the new MapForce release has to offer -download a free 30-day trial of Mapforce today to experience all of these new features and more!

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New Software Release : StyleVision 2011


On September 8, Altova released v2011 of the MissionKit with the addition of powerful reporting functionality across many of the products. Specifically, StyleVision has been supercharged with a multitude of new features, securing its place as an advanced and versatile business intelligence application, priced for today’s market. Let’s take a closer look at the exciting new features in StyleVision 2011 including:

  • Charts as a new design element
  • Chart wizard for XBRL files
  • Explicit support for HTML/CALS tables
  • Ability to import existing XSLT files
  • Scripting & toolbar editor for Authentic®

Charts as a new design element StyleVision joins other MissionKit 2011 tools with support for charting, adding to its already advanced general purpose reporting capabilities to create a highly scalable decision support tool for XML, database, and XBRL content. As with all StyleVision designs, charts can be easily rendered for multi-channel output in HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, and electronic forms. The following types of charts are available:

  • 2D & 3D pie charts
  • 2D & 3D bar charts
  • Category line graphs
  • Value line graphs
  • Gauge charts

The chart configuration dialog lets you use XPath to select data for your charts. This can be as simple or as complex as you want, running the gamut from database data that is already laid out in a tabular format to XML files where the nodes you need to select are spread out over hundreds of lines of code. Pssst… if you’re thinking that this would be great for the unique demands of XBRL, read on because we created something special with that in mind ;). Here are a couple of examples of charts that you can build in StyleVision: clip_image001 clip_image003 Yup, you can even chart completely different sets of data on the same graph. How creative you want to get with your visual analysis reports is really up to you. You can even create interactive charts for use with Authentic – allowing end users to manipulate eForms to view the desired result. For example, the screenshot below shows the Authentic view of a pie chart where a drop-down menu (combo box) selection dictates the subset of data that is represented. clip_image005 Charts are easily integrated into your StyleVision report templates at any point by simply dragging the relevant node onto the design pane and choosing Insert Chart from the context menu. The Chart Configuration dialog can then be used for chart settings (choosing chart type and style) and data selection (populating your chart axes with the relevant data from the source). clip_image007 You can even use Dynamic XPath Settings to apply transactional data to your chart. Of course, if you sometimes have trouble telling your .s from your /s, you can always get some help with more complex expressions from StyleVision’s XPath Builder. Chart wizard for XBRL files If you are familiar with XBRL, you are intimately aware of the complexities associated with navigating XBRL taxonomies. And, if you’re impressed with what you’ve just read about StyleVision’s charting capabilities, you are probably trying to remember where you put that old XPath reference guide. Not to worry! StyleVision has added to its XBRL rendering support with an XBRL Chart Wizard that lets you easily select data and define presentation settings for your XBRL reports. clip_image009 Concept and Period Properties dialogs are included to let you specify which elements should be included and how periods (instants or intervals of time) should be handled in your chart. Explicit support for HTML/CALS tables StyleVision now provides direct support for HTML/CALS tables, meaning that it will automatically recognize values dictating table structure (column number, row height, etc.) and apply them to rendered output. (v2011 adds support for rendering HTML/CALS tables in HTML, RTF, PDF, AND Word 2007+ – previous releases have supported output to Authentic eForms.) clip_image011 You can also easily assign additional presentation styles to HTML/CALS tables using the Edit CALS/HTML dialog. clip_image013 Ability to import existing XSLT files Well, I’m sure a few of you were hoping that this one was coming soon… You can now base your StyleVision template designs on existing XSLT files that were designed for HTML output or XSLT files with XSL:FO commands that were designed for output to PDF. Simply choose the New from XSLT File option and presto change-o, your design will be fully manifested in the design pane. Now you can edit your template using StyleVision’s graphical interface and output to even more formats (HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, and Authentic eForms) with just the click of a button. Scripting & toolbar editor for Authentic This feature is just way too cool not to devote an entire post to it, so keep your eyes peeled for a full description coming up on this blog. In the meantime, check out the Authentic scripting page for a brief description and examples. Better yet, just download a free 30-day trial of StyleVision today to test drive all of these new features for yourself!

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Altova Software Version 2009 SP1 Available


Today we released Service Pack 1 of Altova Version 2009 product line (v2009 SP1), which includes helpful bug fixes and other enhancements, as well as a new feature in the MapForce data mapping tool (detailed below). v2009 SP1 is a free update for all v2009 customers, as well as any customer with a valid Support and Maintenance Package. Note that v2009 SP1 is a new product version, and not a patch – you can simply visit the Altova Download Page to download and install the latest version of your product(s) to update.

Recursive User Defined Functions

Added based on feedback from Altova partners, this new feature in MapForce 2009 SP1 provides support for non-inlined user-defined functions in data mapping projects. Now users can create recursive function calls, enabling them to map data dynamically by expressing operations in terms of themselves. In hierarchical data structures like XML, for instance, it is possible for an element to contain itself or be referenced, in some way or another, by a descendant. Creating a recursive user-defined function allows you to process this data, looping through the elements incrementally and returning data that has been evaluated dynamically.   Update to get this new functionality and all the v2009 SP1 enhancements across the Altova product line. If you’re not already a v2009 customer, you can download a free, fully functional trial using the same link. 

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Service Pack 1 of Altova Software Version 2008 Release 2 is Available


Today we released Service Pack 1 (SP1) of our complete Version 2008 Release 2 product line. SP1 contains helpful bug fixes and other useful enhancements and is a free update for all v2008r2 users. It’s also a free upgrade for any customers with an active Support and Maintenance Package.  Simply visit the Altova download page to get the latest version or learn more about all the functionality added in R2.

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Altova Announces Version 2008 Release 2 of its Software Product Line


(Altova today announced the availability of Version 2008 Release 2 (v2008r2) of its award-winning line of software tools. The release of v2008r2 adds a host of new features and enhancements to Altova’s product line, including support for working with very large files in XMLSpy, extended Office Open XML (OOXML) functionality across multiple products, support for creating Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) diagrams in UModel, and much more.
Visit https://www.altova.com/whatsnew.html to view a complete list of new v2008r2 features with screenshots.
Very Large XML File SupportXMLSpy v2008r2 contains a number of advanced optimizations that allow you to open and work with files that are about 4 to 5 times larger than those supported in the past*, providing a huge benefit for working with large amounts of data in the context of database applications, financial services, data gathering, and enterprise data integration. This new support results in a reduction of memory-consumption by up to 75-80 percent as compared to the previous version when opening and validating XML documents in Text View.
In this latest release, XMLSpy v2008r2 also provides multiple features for optimizing XSLT development, including new entry helper windows and support for Java, C#, JavaScript, and VBScript in the XSLT 1.0/2.0 and XQuery engines. This enhanced functionality makes XMLSpy and AltovaXML(TM) the first universal XSLT engines to support all of these programming dialects.
In addition, XMLSpy’s support for seamless integration with and code generation for Visual Studio(R) has been extended in v2008r2 to include support for Visual Studio 2008.
Extended Microsoft(R) Office 2007 / OOXML functionality – With OOXML functionality already available in XMLSpy, Altova now expands that support across its MapForce(R), StyleVision(R), and DiffDog(R) products. MapForce supports the OOXML data format in Microsoft Excel(R) 2007. Now you can map Excel 2007 data to and from XML, databases, text, EDI, and Web services, and then convert data instantly or autogenerate royalty-free program code for recurrent transformations. As Microsoft customers continue to upgrade to the newest version of the Office suite, support for Excel 2007 will become an indispensable feature for sophisticated data integration projects and applications.
In StyleVision v2008r2, new OOXML support allows designers and developers to create stylesheets to publish XML and database data in Word 2007. StyleVision’s drag-and-drop stylesheet design interface simultaneously generates output in HTML, PDF, RTF, Word 2007, and Authentic(R) e-Forms, plus the corresponding XSLT stylesheets. Support for Word 2007 / OOXML in StyleVision will now enable you to design stylesheets for an even larger network of users as adoption of Office 2007 / OOXML continues.
In addition, Altova has reduced the price of StyleVision considerably to further ease the transition for developers working with the new OOXML formats.
For DiffDog v2008r2 users, detailed differences in Office 2007 / OOXML file pairs and other ZIP archive pairs are now displayed. You can perform extensive comparisons of OOXML files and ZIP archives, identify differences, and merge changes with more accuracy and efficiency than ever before.
Expanded Modeling CapabilitiesUModel v2008r2 now supports the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), allowing you to create BPMN diagrams to illustrate a business process prior to development.
UModel v2008r2 also includes updated code generation and reverse engineering support for Java 6.0, C# 3.0, and Visual Basic 9.0, including accurate parsing of new language constructs introduced in C# 3.0 and VB 9.0 that directly support XML. This added functionality makes UModel the first UML tool to support C# 3.0 and VB 9.0. These are just a few of the many compelling new features being introduced in UModel v2008r2.
Access to Global Resources – Direct access to global resources is now available within XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, and DatabaseSpy(R), providing increased integration between these tools. This new functionality will be especially useful for customers with multiple Altova products, such as those using the Altova MissionKit(TM) product bundle.
Global resources support allows you to define, share, and access file, folder, and database resources across multiple projects and multiple software tools. This will allow MissionKit users to, for example, access and work with the output of a MapForce data mapping project — as it is produced on-the-fly — in XMLSpy and/or StyleVision. Countless other scenarios of tight integration between XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, and DatabaseSpy are possible.
You will also now be able to define a target deployment environment on-the-fly within XMLSpy, MapForce, StyleVision, and DatabaseSpy projects, specifying ancillary files, directories, data sources, databases, etc. This means that a project can be thoroughly tested in multiple environments without having to be redesigned before it goes live. Support for global resources only adds to the numerous other productivity-enhancing features of the Altova MissionKit, which bundles up to eight Altova XML, data integration, and data management tools for less than the price of two.**
v2008r2 is a free update for Altova customers with an active Support and Maintenance Package. Visit https://www.altova.com/download.html to update now.
To download a 30-day free trial of any of the Altova products visit: https://www.altova.com/download.html
*Reduced memory-consumption of up to 75-80% measured in internal tests at Altova with XML files ranging from 10MB to 200MB in size, comparing XMLSpy 2008r2 with XMLSpy 2008sp1. Your results may differ.

**Pricing comparison is edition-specific and based on Altova MissionKit vs. any two individual licenses of the following included products: XMLSpy and MapForce.

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Altova Releases Version 2008 of its Award-winning Software Product Line


Altova, creator of XMLSpy and other leading XML, data management, UML, and Web services tools, today announced the availability of Version 2008 (v2008) of its award-winning line of software development tools. With the release of its v2008 products, Altova introduces a host of powerful new capabilities, including support for the Widows Vista operating system across the product line, extended support for Office Open XML file formats in XMLSpy, more data mapping versatility in MapForce, and enhanced database functionality in StyleVision. Additionally, this new software version brings Visual Basic .NET code engineering and real-time integration with Visual Studio and Eclipse in UModel, support for editing database views and stored procedures in DatabaseSpy, one-click directory synchronization in DiffDog, and much more.

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