How to get to the packaged EDI schemas

I needed to validate a clients test message against the standard EDI schema for an X12 810 message but did an extensive search and was not able to find the schema for the message.

I found the EDI base DLL that contains the schemas (Microsft.BizTalk.EDI.BaseArtifacts.dll) but this didn't give me the ability to validate against the schema.

Turns out that all of the EDI XSD schemas are packaged in an exe located in: \Program Files\Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006\XSD_Schema\EDI. Just unpack the file named MicrosoftEdiXSDTemplates.exe and you will have extractions for all of the EDI schemas for EANCOM, EDIFACT, HIPPA and X12.

Be careful because this is a huge number of files. I opened the exe in win rar and just extracted the X12 files.

From there you can just add the schema to your project and validate your message

Microsoft acquires Covast's B2B technology

Microsoft has acquired Covast's advanced B2B technology to make it available as part of upcoming BizTalk Server 2006 R3 release.

The acquisition is expected to merge into R3 as superset of pieces to BizTalk Server 2006 R2's EDI component.

R3 will retain the current R2 functionality but will be more tightly integrated with Covast's reporting capabilities and adapters. Covast's B2B expertise will be expected to add value in specific verticals such as automotive, energy, manufacturing. Let all your Covast clients know.

http://www.covast.com/news/press.asp?id=91