Readme File - Form HUD-50058 Conversion/Validation Tool

Tool Description

The Conversion/Validation Tool is a standalone tool. This is meant for users to test 50058 transmissions at their end before submitting to HUD. The tool can accept 50058 in both fixed format ASCII and XML (conforming to HUD50058 DTD) format.

The Conversion module takes the fixed format ASCII file and converts it to XML format based on the HUD 50058 DTD. This step is skipped for XML files. The Validation module is executed for both the user submitted XML files and the XML files generated from fixed format ASCII files.

The module performs two kinds of validations viz. validations against the HUD 50058 DTD and validations against the MTCS Tech Reference Guide. The end result of the validation process is a series of reports (in HTML, XML, CSV and TXT formats) providing information about the errors within a transmission.

This version of the tool is compliant to the latest HUD50058 Form and the MTCS Tech Reference Guide. It takes care of all special action types for 50058 submissions.

Package Contents

This release contains the following files within hud50058.exe:

• HUD50058.jar
• 50058Tool.bat
• hud_50058.dtd
• fss.dtd
• special.dtd
• report.xsl
• error_report_text.xsl

Installation Notes

Before You Run Setup
Before you install MTCS Conversion and Validation Tools, make sure that your computers meet the following requirements.

• Minimum 15 MB disk space.
• Any of the following platforms: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000
• Any one of the following: JDK 1.2.2 or later for Windows 95/98/NT/2000 ONLY. (JDK 1.2.2 is available for download from http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/) OR JAVA Runtime Environment v1.2.2 or higher for Windows 95/98/NT/2000. This is a smaller download if you do not have JAVA already and do not intend to do any development work. (JRE 1.2.2 or higher is available for download from http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/jre/download-windows.html). This download is Approx. 5MB compared to 30MB for JDK.

Perform the following steps to install the MTCS Conversion / Validation tools

• Create form50058 folder under the C:\ drive
• Save the hud50058.exe file under the C:\form50058 folder
• Double click on hud50058.exe file to extract all the files under the C:\form50058 folder

Running the Tool

• At the command prompt change the working directory to C:\hud50058 by typing the command:
  
  cd C:\hud50058
  
  
• Run the Conversion/Validation Tool by typing the command:
  
  50058Tool.bat [C:\temp\FILENAME.asc] C:\hud50058
  
  where [C:\temp\FILENAME.asc] is the path and name of the ASCII/XML file that will be validated. For example, if the file name is ‘form50058.asc’ and this file is located under the 'myForms' folder under the C:\ drive, the command should be: 50058Tool.bat C:\myForms\hud50058.asc C:\hud50058
  
  
• Check the error report (of the same name as the ascii/xml file) in the following formats at the respective locations:
  
  - HTML - <>/errors/html
  - XML - <>/errors/xml
  - CSV - <>/errors/csv
  - TXT - <>/errors/txt
  
  
• The forms will be converted into XML and stored in different directories based on there validation results. XMLs of Forms having errors will be stored in <>/50058xml/erroneous/ XMLs of Forms without errors will be stored in <>/50058xml/valid/

Understanding the Error Report

The error report specifies the following information for each error.

1. Form Number - The number of the form within the transmission.
2. Section - The form section containing the error. e.g B for Basic Record Section
3. Record Number - The record number of the record that contains the error
4. Error Message - A description of the error
5. Field Name - The name of the erroneous field
6. Field Contents - The contents of the field

The above information helps locate the error within the ascii file. Correct the errors and run the tool with the corrected file.

Troubleshooting and Contact Information

In case of problems running the tool, and/or generating the error report, contact the REAC TAC.