Creating a record layout

You can create a record layout to define a file schema to process and validate messages that use a customized schema or format.

About this task

You can create a record layout in Rational® Integration Tester by selecting the appropriate layout type. As part of Unicode compliance improvements, Rational® Integration Tester version 8.5 and later supports enhanced record layouts with support for field data types.

Procedure

  1. In the Schema Library view of the Architecture School perspective, click the arrow next to the Add button, then click Other > Record Layout.

    The New Record Layout window is displayed.

  2. In the Name field, provide a meaningful name for the new layout.
  3. In the Namespace field, provide a namespace for the record layout. Namespace can be used for grouping the layout in the Schema Library view of the Architecture School perspective. It also enables you to set up rules in the Rule Cache that can be applied only to specific record layouts.
  4. From the Type list, select a layout type. Select the type based on whether you want to create a layout that contains fixed width fields (see Specifying a file grouping by using fixed width layouts), a custom schema (see Specifying a file division by using custom layouts) for messages that do not adhere to a fixed width format, or a delimited layout (see Specifying a file division by using delimited layouts).
    Note: If the record layout Type is Fixed Width or Delimited, you can click the Import button in the New Record Layout window to import an existing record layout that is defined in a Microsoft™ Excel. For more information, see Importing record layouts.
  5. From the Data Type list, select the data type.
    • String: This is the default data type. The string type can be used to define character-based elements. The positions and length of record is defined in terms of the number of characters. This enables Unicode characters (which are of varying byte lengths) to be used consistently within a record layout.
    • Bytes: In the byte type, the positions and lengths are defined in terms of byte positions. This field type does not allow character-based elements to be defined. As characters and strings are not allowed, Unicode characters has no meaning for this type.
    • ASCII: All record layouts created in releases prior to Rational® Integration Tester, version 8.5 are assumed to be of data type ASCII. With ASCII, a character is assumed to be always as one byte.
      Remember: Do not use ASCII data type to create a new record layout unless you are certain that the messages to which the record layout will be applied will always be in ASCII.
  6. Specify the encoding that you require in the Encoding list and click OK.
    UTF-8 and UTF-16 are available by default. The encoding that you specified is added to the list, and it will be available for selection when you create a record layout again.
    The record layout is created.

What to do next

See Specifying a file grouping by using fixed width layouts and Specifying a file division by using delimited layouts for details on how you can import schema, add fields, and define grouping.