Altova MapForce is the first implementation instrument of Web services and data integration. The product maps any combination of XML, database, files, EDI and/or Web services, then converts the data or generates code for utilization in personalized applications.
It is integrated with Visual Studio .NET and has support for the use of Web services as source, target or processing function of data on any mapping.
Web services are software components that allow dispersed applications to change data between them using an XML-based messaging system. Since it is based on XML protocols and Web open standards, Web services are independent of hardware, operating system and programming language. This means that applications written in different programming languages and running on different platforms can easily exchange data using Web services.
Despite the advantages offered by Web services for exchange of information between dispersed systems, writing the code for manual implementation can be complicated, time consuming and can generate errors. Altova MapForce eliminates these problems allowing the visually building of Web services, and after that the auto-generated Java or C# code required for implementing the Web services on the server.
To create a Web service, you simply load an existent WSDL (Web Services Description Language) file in the MapForce main window and it creates a mapping for every transaction. All the standard WSDL documents are supported, including those created in WSDL design view in Altova XMLSpy.
Once a WSDL file is loaded, you simply define the operation for each transaction included in the Web service as mapping design. MapForce shows in a graphic way the input and output schemes, and the user can easily map data and make different operations by dragging the connection lines to link elements. Supported data source are XML, databases, simple files and EDI and these can be mapped in any combination.
An extensible library of functions for data processing is available for filtering and processing data before the return to the output schema, and MapForce visual function builder creates and saves complex functions to be used in other mappings.
Once the mapping for transactions was created in the WSDL file, the user can generate code for a single transaction (or for the entire WSDL) in Java or C#.
Now, instead of writing hundreds or thousands lines of code required for implementing every Web service transaction, the user can visually define mappings and let MapForce generate the entire code immediately. This way the code is generate in a few seconds. The visual design in MapForce eliminates the complexity of developing Web services, allowing you to build Web services applications more quickly.
In addition to all this, MapForce allows the user to connect to / use existing Web services created in previous mappings.
Altova MapForce is available in 3 editions depending on the needs of the user:
- Altova MapForce Standard Edition – supports XML-to-XML mapping.
- Altova MapForce Professional Edition – supports XML and database mapping.
- Altova MapForce Enterprise Edition – contains all the MapForce Professional Edition facilities and includes mapping and implementation of Web services and EDI mapping.
