How XSL Transformations use system types

The replication system uses system types to provide XSL transformations, if required, for data being replicated between sites that use XML documents for replication.

When defining a site on the Sites form, you can specify the site's system type. System types are themselves defined using the System Types form.

Note: In some Mongoose-based applications, the Sites form is designated as the Sites/Entities form.

During outbound non-transactional replication, the replication system looks in the source site's application server for a file named sourceSiteSystemType objectName targetSiteSystemType.xsl, where:

  • sourceSiteSystemType is the system type for the site of origin for the data, as specified in the Sites form for the source site.
  • objectName is usually the name of an object in a replication category.

    For example, chart_all is a table object in the G/L replication category.

    XSL files used with objects in the EXTFIN replication category do not follow this naming convention exactly; the objectName part of their XSL filenames must match the hard-coded name in the XML's UpdateCollection request.

  • targetSiteSystemType is the system type for the site of the destination for the data, as specified in the Sites form for the target site.

This XSLT file resides on the application server in an XSL subfolder under the replication folder. The replication folder is designated on the Service Configuration Manager's Replication tab.

For example, the replication system creates an XML document that replicates Chart of Accounts (chart_all) data from a source site whose system type is set to "SL9" to a target site whose system type is "BrandX". If an XSL file exists with a name matching the current source-object-target replication process (that is, a file named SL800chart_allBrandX.xsl), the XML data is transformed using that XSL file before being sent to the target site. If there is no XSL file with that name, the data is not transformed.

Note:  If the system types for the source site and for the target site are the same, the system does not look for a transformation file to apply.