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The two Messaging interfaces for business applications

The sedex Client provides two types of interfaces with which business applications can send and receive messages.

  • File-based, described below
  • REST API, described here

Note: Regardless of the interface that will be used, the installation and most of the configuration is identical and is described in this documentation. The examples in this documentation use the file interface.

File-based messaging interface

An easy to understand file-based messaging interface is used to exchange messages between a business application and the sedex Client.

sedex Client's messaging interface

The interface consists of the following file system folders ( is the root folder where the sedex Client is installed.)

  • <sedex_home>/interface/outbox

    Messages ready to be sent have to be placed in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/inbox

    Messages that have been received for this participant are found in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/receipts

    Technical receipts for messages submitted for sending are found in this folder.

  • <sedex_home>/interface/processed

    Processed (i.e., sent or rejected) messages are found in this folder.

Message format

A sedex message consists of two files:

  1. An envelope file (contains the metadata of the message)

    • Format: XML
    • Must conform to the envelope schema definition (XSD, eCH-0090 standard; see below)
    • Format of the file name: envl_XXX.xml

  2. A data file (containing the payload of the message)

    • Format: Arbitrary content format (text or binary) as required by the consuming business application
    • Format of the file name: data_XXX.YYY

For a given message, the variable part of both the envelope and data file names (XXX in the example) must be identical (e.g., a unique identifier generated by a business application). The sedex Client will reject a message if the envelope does not conform to the XML schema eCH-0090 (an error receipt will be generated).

See Send a test message for an example of an envelope and a data file.

Sending messages

Sending a sedex message is easy. A business application must:

  1. Place the data file into the sedex Client’s outbox folder
  2. Place the envelope file into the sedex Client’s outbox folder

Note: The order in which the files are written or copied into the outbox is important: The data file must be put into the outbox before the envelope.

Receiving messages

Receiving a sedex message is easy. A business application must:

  1. Check the sedex Client’s inbox folder for a new envelope file
  2. Retrieve the new data file from the sedex Client’s inbox folder

Note: The order in which the files are polled from the inbox is important: First the envelope file and then the data file.