Simple Message Based Routing BizTalk

When a message is passed throught the BT server without being processed or transformed within it falls under the category of message based routing. I am trying to cover a very basic example to understand message based routing here.

1> Create a new BizTalk project and add a new schema complying to the incoming xml.  Set the property ElementFormDefault to qualified.

2>Create a strong name key using following command in VS command prompt window sn -k DemoSNKey.snk  (in place of DemoSNKey you can use your own name) and in the project properties sign the assembly

Deploy the project : The purpose of deploying the schema here is to insure BizTalk recognizes the messagetype.

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if you have not deployed the schema and you are using XMLRcv and XMLTranmit pipeline component in your ports you will get an error which may appear like this:

There was a failure executing the receive pipeline: “Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines.XMLReceive, Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines, Version=3.0.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35” Source: “XML disassembler” Receive Port: “ReceiveOrder” URI: “D:\**********************” Reason: Finding the document specification by message type “http://*******************************” failed. Verify the schema deployed properly.

However if you have used PassThruReceive and PassThruTransmit  pipeline component you need not deploy the schema

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3>Go to BizTalk Admin Console into the application container where you have deployed your project. Create a ReceivePort of type file. After this create a send port of type file. The reason we are using a file type port is for testing convenience.

You can set either of these two filter properties on the send port to achieve message based routing here:

1. BTS.ReceivePortName
2. BTS.MessageType.

If you use BTS.ReceivePortName all the messages coming into BT server on this port will be subscribed by the Send port.

If you use  BTS.MessageType then only the messages with a matching message type (namespace # root node)will be subscribed by the send port.

4>Enable the receive location and start the send port now followed by restarting the Handler under Host instances.

Drop your file to receive  location and you shall be able to see a new one created on the send location. This solution should work now to achieve message based routing.

This is a very basic example  and doesn’t have much scope for questions. However if you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment, I will get back as and when possible.

Simple Content Based Routing Using Send Receive Ports in BizTalk

When the routing decision within the BT server are made based on the content of the message it falls under the category of the message based routing

Example:

In this example I am taking a sample incoming order message and based on the “State” node value we may need to route to respective locations, for example SendLocationStateTN and SendLocationStateME. Below is the picture of how our invoice schema will look.

Create a schema for incoming order in you BizTalk project.

2>We need to route the message based on the value of ‘State’ node hence we need to ensure this property is written to the context of message. This can be achieved by promoting the ‘State’ node. It can be achieved by right clicking on the desired node to be promoted and pick promote>>quick promotion, you will see following alert from VS

“Visual Studio will create a property schema that contains all your quick promotions. Do you want to add the property schema to your project?”
Go ahead and say yes to it.

3>Now the state value will be available in the filter properties for us to use. Lets create a receive port of file type and define a receive localion in you machine.

4>Create 2 send location to cater to TN and ME state values per the inital requirement.

Apply following filters there in both ports respectively.

BTS.ReceivePortName == ReceiveOrder  And
SimpleRoutingDemo.PropertySchema.State == TN   Note:SimpleRoutingDemo is the name of my BizTalk project in visual studio.

and

BTS.ReceivePortName == ReceiveOrder  And
SimpleRoutingDemo.PropertySchema.State == ME  

 

5>It is ready for content based routing . Any xml with state as ME shall go to SendLocationStateME and with  state as TN will go SendLocationStateTN.

This is a very simple example of content based routing using ports only. Please note we can achieve it in multiple ways for example by using orchestrations or ESB. Please let me know if you have any questions