Convert between XML and JSON documents and schema

XML and JSON Conversion Tools

Liquid Studio 2017 allows you to convert between XML Schema, XML Documents, JSON Schema and JSON Documents using a number of inbuilt tools.

Graphical XML Schema (XSD) View

The image shows the Graphical XML Schema (XSD)Designer displaying the 'Bookstore.xsd' sample, which is provided as part of the default project in Liquid Studio 2017.

As you can see, it has a convenient split view screen showing both the logical (Design) and physical (Source) views of the document.

Create Sample XML Document Tool

The right click menu has the option to 'Create Sample XML from Item. You can also use the main Tools menu.

Selecting this menu option runs a Wizard which allows you to configure how the tool should create the sample. E.g. You can choose how optional items are handle, choose to ignore errors, and select which namespaces are used.

Graphical XML Document View

When the tool has completed, the new XML document is displayed.

Again a split view is shown and you can choose to display just the Graphical Design view, just the Source text view, or a split view showing both.

Convert XML to JSON Tool

When you have an XML document open, you can select the File->Export As JSON File option.

This will display an export JSON dialog allowing you to select how the JSON file should be saved.

JSON Editor

You can then open the new JSON file in Liquid Studio 2017.

The JSON file is displayed in Source form and the editor provides formatting functionality, collapsible regions.

Infer JSON Schema Tool

When you have a JSON document open, you can select the Tools->Infer JSON Schema menu option. This will display a dialog allowing you to set option regarding how the JSON schema should be created.

Graphical JSON Schema Editor

The new JSON Schema is displayed in the graphical JSON Schema Editor. This has the options to view a split screen showing both the logical and source views.

Summary

We have provided a brief overview of the tools available in Liquid Studio 2017, but several other conversion utilities are also included.

• Create Sample XML Document Tool
• Infer XML Schema Tools
• Create Sample JSON Document Tool
• Infer JSON Schema
• Export XML as Fast Infoset
• Export XML as JSON
• Export JSON as XML
• Import Fast Infoset as XML
• Import JSON as XML
• Import XML as JSON
• Convert DTD to XSD

Download a free trial of Liquid XML Studio to experience the full functionality of these tools and much more.

Mapping EDI Data in Liquid Studio 2017

Liquid Studio 2017 Data Mapper provides new EDI Data Source and EDI Data Target components. Scenarios where this is useful include:

• Transform EDI data between different EDI versions.
• Extract data from an EDI document.
• Creating a new EDI document.

Running the Data Mapper Creation Wizard allows you to select the EDI Data Source.

Select the EDI Data Source option

The following page then allows you to select the version and EDIFACT or X12 schema you wish to use.

Select the EDIFACT Version and Schema

The final page allows you to select the options used to parse the EDI documents.

EDI Data Source Options

The Data Mapper Creation Wizard also allows you to select the EDI Data Target.

Select the EDI Data Target option

You can again select the EDIFACT or X12 schema you require along with the options used to write the EDI documents.

EDI Data Target options

You will then see EDI Reader and EDI Writer components are added to your Liquid Data Mapper canvas. You can now start to map the fields, adding transformation components as required.

E.g. The following shows a simple Upper component which will convert the incoming data to upper case:


EDI Data Transformation

Many other components are available to transform your data. These can be seen in the Component Palette, and are grouped into various categories.

Liquid Studio 2017 - Data Mapper Component Palette

Data Sources and Targets:

• Database, EDI, JSON, Text File, XML, Web Service

Transformation Components:

•  Values
• Constant Value
• Input Parameter
• Aggregate
• Average
• Count
• Max
• Min
• Sum
• Comparator
• Equal
• Greater Than
• Greater Than or Equal
• Less Than
• Less Than or Equal
• Not Equal
• Date Time
• Create Date
• Create Date Time
• Create Time
• Day
• Hour
• Millisecond
• Minute
• Month
• Now
• Second
• Today
• Year
• File
• Combine Path
• Get Directory Name
• Get Extension
• Get Filename
• List Files
• Resolve Path
• Logic
• And
• False
• Not
• Or
• True
• Maths
• Abs
• Add
• Divide
• Is Even
• Is Odd
• Modulus
• Multiply
• Subtract
• Misc
• Annotation
• Lookup
• Set
• Combine
• Distinct
• Filter
• First
• Get At
• Last
• Position
• Sort
• Top
• String
• Char To Code
• Code To Char
• Concat
• Empty To Null
• Index Of
• Join String
• Left
• Length
• Lower
• Replace
• Right
• Split String
• Sub String
• Trim
• Trim End
• Trim Start
• Upper
• Type
• Cast
• Default If Null
• Is Null
• Node Name
• Node Type

 You can download a free trial of the Liquid Studio 2017 - Data Mapper and test out the EDI data transformation functionality for yourself:
https://www.liquid-technologies.com/trial-download

Testing RESTful Web Services with Liquid Studio 2017

With the release of Liquid Studio 2017 we will see new functionality allowing you to test RESTful Web Service.

Previously, the Web Service Test Client was limited to calling SOAP Web Services which could provide a WSDL (Web Service Definition Language) to describe the Web Service. This was fine for ASP.NET or WCF Web Services hosted on an IIS Web Server, but what about HTTP RESTful Web Services, maybe using Apache Web Server?

Liquid Studio 2017 now supports using a WADL (Web Application Description Language) to describe the Web Service. If you don't have a WADL, you can easily create one using the new User Defined Web Service option.

The User Defined Web Service option provides the ability to describe a Web Service Call by entering a Service Name, Base URI, Resource Path, Method (GET or POST) and Method Parameters. This is then saved as a WADL file for future use.

This is just one of the many new features in Liquid Studio 2017. Please feel free to try out the BETA Test version.

How to post support questions on StackOverflow

We are pleased to announce that we have embraced StackOverflow as our community support platform.

StackOverflow is a great platform for sharing knowledge and by posting your questions you are helping us build a rich community resource that is both comprehensive and easily accessible.

If you have a support query that fits within the Q&A style then please post it on StackOverflow using the tag 'liquid-xml'. Our support team will actively monitor this tag and will respond ASAP.

Please ensure you use the 'liquid-xml' tag as shown below:

 

If your query involves proprietary information or license keys, then you can still raise a private support ticket, but where possible we would like questions to be visible to the community so everyone can benefit from the answers.

Links

Create new question
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask

View all tagged questions
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/liquid-xml

Search tagged questions (search term “test query”)
https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=%5Bliquid-xml%5D+test+query

Liquid Studio 2017 BETA

We are pleased to announce the Liquid Studio 2017 BETA is now available for download from the BETA Download page:
https://www.liquid-technologies.com/beta-download

New features for 2017 include:

• NEW 64 bit Support
• NEW RESTful Web Service Testing
• NEW Data Mapper EDI Source and Target Components
• NEW Data Mapper JSON Source and Target Components
• NEW Data Mapper Database Target Component
• NEW Data Mapper RESTful Web Service Component
• NEW XML Data Binder .Net Portable Class Library Support
• NEW XML Data Binder .Net Core Support
• Plus many improved features and fixes.

64 bit Support

All Liquid Studio tools, Liquid XML Diff, Large File Editor, Liquid Data Mapper, and Liquid XML Data Binder now run natively under 64 bit processor environments providing improved performance and memory management.

Liquid Studio

Liquid Studio Web Service Test Client now supports calling RESTful Web Services using WADL or User Defined Web Service calls, along with the existing WSDL/SOAP based functionality.

Liquid Data Mapper

The Liquid Data Mapper has been significantly improved with performance and usability enhancements and now provides support for XML, JSON, EDI, Database, Web Service, CSV and Fixed length text data sources and data targets.

Liquid XML Data Binder

Liquid XML Data Binder now support generating C# source code for Xamarin iOS and Android and C# and VB.Net source code for Silverlight 5 as a Portable Class Library. We have also added support for generating C# source code for .Net Core. A Nuget package is available containing the Liquid .Net Runtime library for .Net Core environment.