BizTalk 2009 - Naming Guidelines
- by StuartBrierley
The following is effectively a repost of the BizTalk 2004 naming guidlines that I have previously detailed. I have posted these again for completeness under BizTalk 2009 and to allow an element of separation in case I find some reason to amend these for BizTalk 2009.
These guidlines should be universal across any version of BizTalk you may wish to apply them to.
General Rules
All names should be named with a Pascal convention.
Project Namespaces
For message schemas:
[CompanyName].XML.Schemas.[FunctionalName]*
Examples:
ABC.XML.Schemas.Underwriting
DEF.XML.Schemas.MarshmellowTradingExchange
* Donates potential for multiple levels of functional name, such as Underwriting.Dictionary.Valuation
For web services:
[CompanyName].Web.Services.[FunctionalName]
Examples:
ABC.Web.Services.OrderJellyBeans
For the main BizTalk Projects:
[CompanyName].BizTalk.[AssemblyType].[FunctionalName]*
Examples:
ABC.BizTalk.Mappings.Underwriting
ABC.BizTalk.Orchestrations.Underwriting
* Donates potential for multiple levels of functional name, such as Mappings.Underwriting.Valuations
Assemblies
BizTalk Assembly names should match the associated Project Namespace, such as ABC.BizTalk.Mappings.Underwriting.
This pertains to the formal assembly name and the DLL name.
The Solution name should take the name of the main project within the solution, and also therefore the namespace for that project.
Although long names such as this can be unwieldy to work with, the benefits of having the full scope available when the assemblies are installed on the target server are generally judged to outweigh this inconvenience.
Messaging Artifacts
Artifact
Standard
Notes
Example
Schema
<DescriptiveName>.xsd
.NET Type name should match, without file extension.
.NET Namespace will likely match assembly name.
PurchaseOrderAcknowledge_FF.xsd or
FNMA100330_FF.xsd
Property Schema
<DescriptiveName>.xsd
Should be named to reflect possible common usage across multiple schemas
IspecMessagePropertySchema.xsd
UnderwritingOrchestrationKeys.xsd
Map
<SourceSchema>2<DestinationSchema>.btm
Exceptions to this may be made where the source and destination schemas share the majority of the name, such as in mainframe web service maps
InstructionResponse2CustomEmailRequest.btm
(exception example)
AccountCustomerAddressSummaryRequest2MainframeRequest.btm
Orchestration
<DescriptiveName>.odx
GetValuationReports.odx
SendMTEDecisionResponse.odx
Send/Receive Pipeline
<DescriptiveName>.btp
ValidatingXMLReceivePipeline.btp
FlatFileAssembler.btp
Receive Port
A plainly worded phrase that will clearly explain the function.
FraudPreventionServices
LetterProcessing
Receive Location
A plainly worded phrase that will clearly explain the function.
? Do we want to include the transport type here ?
Arrears Web Service
Send Port Group
A plainly worded phrase that will clearly explain the function.
Customer Updates
Send Port
A plainly worded phrase that will clearly explain the function.
ABCProductUpdater
LogLendingPolicyOutput
Parties
A meaningful name for a Trading Partner.
If dealing with multiple entities within a Trading Partner organization, the Organization name could be used as a prefix.
Roles
A meaningful name for the role that a Trading Partner plays.
Orchestration Workflow Shapes
Shape
Standard
Notes
Example
Scopes
<DescriptionOfContainedWork> or
<DescOfcontainedWork><TxType>
Including info about transaction type may be appropriate in some situations where it adds significant documentation value to the diagram.
HandleReportResponse
Receive
Receive<MessageName>
Typically, MessageName will be the same as the name of the message variable that is being received “into”.
ReceiveReportResponse
Send
Send<MessageName>
Typically, MessageName will be the same as the name of the message variable that is being sent.
SendValuationDetailsRequest
Expression
<DescriptionOfEffect>
Expression shapes should be named to describe the net effect of the expression, similar to naming a method.
The exception to this is the case where the expression is interacting with an external .NET component to perform a function that overlaps with existing BizTalk functionality – use closest BizTalk shape for this case.
CreatePrintXML
Decide
<DescriptionOfDecision>
A description of what will be decided in the “if” branch
Report Type?
Perform MF Save?
If-Branch
<DescriptionOfDecision>
A (potentially abbreviated) description of what is being decided
Mortgage Valuation
Yes
Else-Branch
Else
Else-branch shapes should always be named “Else”
Else
Construct Message (Assign)
Create<Message>
(for Construct)
<ExpressionDescription>
(for expression)
If a Construct shape contains a message assignment, it should be prefixed with “Create” followed by an abbreviated name of the message being assigned.
The actual message assignment shape contained should be named to describe the expression that is contained.
CreateReportDataMV
which contains expression:
ExtractReportData
Construct Message (Transform)
Create<Message>
(for Construct)
<SourceSchema>2<DestSchema>
(for transform)
If a Construct shape contains a message transform, it should be prefixed with “Create” followed by an abbreviated name of the message being assigned.
The actual message transform shape contained should generally be named the same as the called map.
CreateReportDataMV
which contains transform:
ReportDataMV2ReportDataMV
Construct Message (containing multiple shapes)
If a Construct Message shape uses multiple assignments or transforms, the overall shape should be named to communicate the net effect, using no prefix.
Call/Start Orchestration
Call<OrchestrationName>
Start<OrchestrationName>
Throw
Throw<ExceptionType>
The corresponding variable name for the exception type should (often) be the same name as the exception type, only camel-cased.
ThrowRuleException, which references the “ruleException” variable.
Parallel
<DescriptionOfParallelWork>
Parallel shapes should be named by a description of what work will be done in parallel
Delay
<DescriptionOfWhatWaitingFor>
Delay shapes should be named by a description of what is being waited for.
POAcknowledgeTimeout
Listen
<DescriptionOfOutcomes>
Listen shapes should be named by a description that captures (to the degree possible) all the branches of the Listen shape
POAckOrTimeout FirstShippingBid
Loop
<DescriptionOfLoop>
A (potentially abbreviated) description of what the loop is.
ForEachValuationReport
WhileErrorFlagTrue
Role Link
See “Roles” in messaging naming conventions above.
Suspend
<ReasonDescription>
Describe what action an administrator must take to resume the orchestration. More detail can be passed to error property – and should include what should be done by the administrator before resuming the orchestration.
ReEstablishCreditLink
Terminate
<ReasonDescription>
Describe why the orchestration terminated. More detail can be passed to error property.
TimeoutsExpired
Call Rules
Call<PolicyName>
The policy name may need to be abbreviated.
CallLendingPolicy
Compensate
Compensate
or
Compensate<TxName>
If the shape compensates nested transactions, names should be suffixed with the name of the nested transaction – otherwise it should simple be Compensate.
CompensateTransferFunds
Orchestration Types
Type
Standard
Notes
Example
Multi-Part Message Types
<LogicalDocumentType>
Multi-part types encapsulate multiple parts. The WSDL spec indicates “parts are a flexible mechanism for describing the logical abstract content of a message.” The name of the multi-part type should correspond to the “logical” document type, i.e. what the sum of the parts describes.
InvoiceReceipt
(which might encapsulate an invoice acknowledgement and a payment voucher.)
Multi-Part Messsage Part
<SchemaNameOfPart>
Should be named (most often) simply for the schema (or simple type) associated with the part.
InvoiceHeader
Messages
<SchemaName>
or
<MuliPartMessageTypeName>
Should be named based on the corresponding schema type or multi-part message type. If there is more than one variable of a type, name for its use within the orchestration.
ReportDataMV
UpdatedReportDataMV
Variables
<DescriptiveName>
TargetFilePath
StringProcessor
Port Types
<FunctionDescription>PortType
Should be named to suggest the nature of an endpoint, with pascal casing and suffixed with “PortType”. If there will be more than one Port for a Port Type, the Port Type should be named according to the abstract service supplied.
The WSDL spec indicates port types are “a named set of abstract operations and the abstract messages involved” that also encapsulates the message pattern (i.e. one-way, request-response, solicit-response) that all operations on the port type adhere to.
ReceiveReportResponsePortType
or
CallEAEPortType
(This is a two way port, so Receove or Send alone would not be appropriate. Could have been ProcessEAERequestPortType etc....)
Ports
<FunctionDescription>Port
Should be named to suggest a grouping of functionality, with pascal casing and suffixed with “Port.”
ReceiveReportResponsePort
CallEAEPort
Correlation types
<DescriptiveName>
Should be named based on the logical name of what is being used to correlate.
PurchaseOrderNumber
Correlation sets
<DescriptiveName>
Should be named based on the corresponding correlation type. If there is more than one, it should be named to reflect its specific purpose within the orchestration.
PurchaseOrderNumber
Orchestration parameters
<DescriptiveName>
Should be named to match the caller’s names for the corresponding variables where appropriate.
