BizTalk Mapper Extensions UtilityPack: XPath Functoids for BizTalk Server 2020

This post was originally published here

Today we will focus on another set of libraries available for BizTalk Server 2020: XPath Functoids. This library was created a few years ago by Martijn Schiedon and is part of the BizTalk Mapper Extensions UtilityPack project that now is being migrate to BizTalk Server 2020.

XPath Functoids

This library includes a suite of functoids that provides XPath methods that you can use this inside BizTalk mapper.

This project includes the following Custom Functoids:

XPath Functoid: This functoid natively integrates custom XPath queries in the BizTalk mapper. This unique functoid which is a powerful competitor to the Scripting Functoid or a custom XSLT stylesheet and mixes exceptionally well with other functoids.
- The functoid takes one mandatory input parameter and one optional parameter:
  - The first parameter specifies an absolute or relative XPath expression, which becomes a native part of the generated XSLT.
  - The (optional) second parameter is a link to the source tree node that becomes the (looping) context for the XPath expression.
- This defines the current context node for the XPath expression and allows the use of relative XPath expressions.
- Additionally, the mapper will generate a looping construct for that linked node where appropriate.
- The functoid output can be linked to a destination schema node or serve as input to other functoids.

BizTalk Mapper Extensions UtilityPack

BizTalk Mapper Extensions UtilityPack is a set of libraries with several useful functoids to include and use it in a map, which will provide an extension of BizTalk Mapper capabilities.