Encoding Characters using Free Text
Starting with BizTalk Server 2013 R2, “FreeText” can be used in a field or segment. Data in the “FreeText” field/segment is not parsed.
What you need to know
| Separator | Behavior | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ~: Repetition separator | In a field, Repetition (~) is treated as a repeating delimiter. In a non-free segment, Repetition (~) is treated as a repeating delimiter. In a free segment, Repetition (~) is treated as part of Free Text, not a new repetition. | In the following example, FRE is free Segment. It can have any character as free text, including ~. Any additional repetitions (~) are not considered a repetition delimiter and are treated as the Free Text content. Validation succeeds even if the child of the Free Segment is non-repeatable and contains repetition (~). FRE example: FRE| Foo&^|Foo&^|Foo&^|Foo&^~Foo&^|Foo&^|Foo&^|Foo&^ In the following example, EVN4 is defined as free text because it contains &^. When the “|” delimiter is encountered, it is treated as the end of the current Free Text. EVN example: EVN||||Foo&^Foo&^Foo&^Foo&^Foo&^|| In the following example, the first child of EVN5 is defined as free text because it contains &. When the “^” delimiter is encountered, it is treated as the end of the current Free Text. EVN5 example: EVN|||| | Foo&Foo&Foo&Foo&Foo&^5.2| In the following example, 5.2.1 and 5.2.2 cannot have any delimiters as Free Text, even if it is defined as FreeText in the schema. 5.2.1 and 5.2.2 example: EVN|||| | Foo1^5.2.1&5.2.2| In the following example, assume EVN4 can be repeated and is of the Free Text type. Foo1&^ is treated as the first repetition and Foo2&^ is treated as the second repetition. If EVN4 is not repeatable (MaxOccurs = 1), then the validation fails if it contains ~, even if it is of Free Text type (like in the cases of non-Free Text fields). EVN4 example: EVN |||| Foo1&^~ Foo2&^ || |
| |: Field separator | If a field delimiter is missing after the segment tag of a free segment, Validation succeeds. | In the following examples, FRE is a Free Text type. Free Text content can be started immediately after the FRE segment Tag, with or without “|” field delimiter. Both examples succeed: FREabc FRE|abc In the following examples, validation succeeds: Input message to DASM: FRE|abcd Output from DASM: <SegmentData>|abcd</SegmentData> Output from ASM: FRE|abcd Input message to DASM: FREabcd Output from DASM: <SegmentData>abcd</SegmentData> Output from ASM: FREabcd |
| Parent-Child optional | The parent-child optional validation rules still apply. | Assume the parent is optional and one of its children is mandatory, then: - If none of the other children and the mandatory child are not populated, then message validation succeeds. - If at least one child is populated, then the mandatory child should also be populated. Otherwise, message validation fails. In the following example, Field 1 as optional. Its 1.a child is optional and is the Free Text type. Its 1.b child is mandatory: xyz|1.a^1.b|2 In the following sample message, dfssdf&sdf is considered as one single element - 1.a. The parser checks if 1.b exists. When the | is reached, it assumes 1.b is not populated and message validation fails: xyz|dfssdf&sdf|2 |
| MSH, FSH, and BSH segments | Free Text is ignored for all fields. These segments correspond to the header section. Validation occurs as it normally would, even if they are defined as Free Text. | |
| \: Escape character | If there are even number of “\” in the element, validation succeeds (even if they are not contiguous). If there are odd number, validation fails. The same behavior continues for non- Free Text fields. With Free Text fields, there is no validation on the number; it treated as Free Text content. |
Message Delimiters provides more information on the separators in these examples.
Using Free Text
In the project in Visual Studio, open the schema.
Right-click a record, select Insert Schema Node, select Child Field Element.
In Properties, select Data Type, and then select Free Text (SimpleType).