BizTalk: Tips: cumulative map and schema testing

This is a small tidbit for routine work. It don’t take much time but help to work with schemas and maps systematically.
First time:
1). For each map I create the <test-map> folder as:
TestCases\
Maps\
A12_311_to_Canonical\
A12_915_to_Canonical\
2). Get the first test source message and place it in the <test-map> folder. Create a copy of this messageandname it “Current”.
3). Change the “TestMap Input Instance” property of the mapto this name (for example as “<test-map>\Current.xml”)
Fortesting:
1) Copy the test source message to the “test-map” folder with meaningful name (for example as “TwoR4.MustGiveError”)
2) Copy the whole text from this file to the Current file. Save Current. (I constantly keep open the Current file in the text editor.)
3). Test the map.
repeat 1-3.
As result I have the full test set for my maps. I’ve never lost the test message.
I always know where are my test messages and the name of the current test message, it is always the Current 🙂 .
This is a test driven approach. The test data are accumulated and never lost.
The same technique I use for test schemas (using theValidate Instance command). As a result I create such folder structure:
TestCases\
Maps\
A12_311_to_Canonical\
A12_915_to_Canonical\
Schemas\
A12_311\
A12_915\
Canonical\

Let me know what you think about this.

WF Rules and MS BRE – Comparing Performance

I’ve been asked a few times how the performance of WF (Windows Workflow Foundation) Rules compares with that of the Microsoft Business Rules Engine (MS BRE). Having done no testing, I could only guess at the answer.
I’ve now undertaken some initial performance testing to compare WF and MS BRE, and decided to publish the results. You can read my write-up of the results here.
http://geekswithblogs.net/cyoung/archive/2007/08/12/114597.aspx

OFC409 – Workflow in Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies 2007: Deep Dive for Developers – Session Wrap up

Wow what a session!! Being a Level 400 session my expectation (from
those who make teched) was to go reasonably deep. I had a fantastic crowd with standing
room only in the theatre room – my last session of the day (being my 3rd) I was knackered
and ready to go out with a bang.

So I decided to jump into the Workflow Foundation and discuss *what is actually done
behind the scenes* with Sharepoint’s WF management. This was well received (and I’m
sure a few people in the audience were saying ‘So I just want to know how to approve
something’….we got onto that later) and opened up a few concepts explaining why
we do the things we do within our Sharepoint Workflows.
e.g. Task Correlation
Tokens and new Task IDs, why we need to generate new ones if we handle a task changed
event.

I then got onto some of the Sharepoint Workflow Implementations and wanted to highlight
the use of a State based workflow as opposed to the usual SequentialWorkflow.

*** DEMO CODE WILL BE POSTED SOON FOLKS *** (don’t have my vpc with
my to extract out my projects for you right now)
Slide Deck:OFC409_Mick_Badran_Workflow_Deep_Dive.v1.2.pdf
(977.98 KB)

BizTalk Pattern For Scheduled “Fan Out” Of Database Records

We recently implemented a BizTalk design pattern where on schedule (or demand), records are retrieved from a database, debatched, returned to the MessageBox, and subscribed to by various systems.

Normally, “datastore to datastore” synchronization is a job for an ETL tool, but in our case, using our ETL platform (Informatica) wasn’t a good fit for the […]

WF Down-under

WF Down-under

I’ve had alot of people ask when I am teaching WF next – if you are interested in
sitting through me talking about WF for four intense days – come to laid-back Australia.  Pluralsight is
teaming up with Readify to offer the course. 
I’m super excited since this will be my first trip to Australia.  I can’t wait. 
If you are in the area – or just want an excuse to come to Australia – sign up 😉

Applied
Windows Workflow Foundation in Australia Nov 13-17th
  



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R2 Training.