AS3Sender Component

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The AS3Sender component implements an AS3 / EDI-INT client.

Syntax

nsoftware.IPWorksEDI.As3sender

Remarks

The AS3Sender component may be used to send EDI or other messages over FTP/S, using the AS3 protocol. It may also be used to verify Message Disposition Notifications (MDNs) returned by the server.

A typical AS3 transaction is as follows:

(1) The sender sends an EDI document to the receiver using FTP. The document may be signed, encrypted, and/or compressed, and a signed or unsigned receipt may be requested.

(2) The receiver decompresses and decrypts the message and verifies the signature.

(3) The receiver sends a signed receipt back to the client. The signature is over the hash of an MDN, which contains a hash of the received message.

When sending an EDI message, the client should specify, at a minimum, AS3From and AS3To, Data, and EDIType. You will also need to specify User, Password, and RemoteHost to Logon to the FTP server. After doing this you may send the data by calling Send.

To secure the EDI transmission, the message may be signed and/or encrypted by setting the appropriate certificates. By default, the component will apply message security if the appropriate certificates are specified. To sign the data set SigningCert. To encrypt, set RecipientCerts.

TLS/SSL may be enabled by setting the SSLStartMode property. In case your trading partner is using a self-signed certificate it will be necessary to set SSLAcceptServerCert or trap the SSLServerAuthentication event to accept the certificate.

The message may also be compressed by setting CompressionFormat.

To request a receipt, or Message Disposition Notification (MDN), simply set the MDNTo property. The MDN will be returned to the FTP URL specified. The MDNOptions property may be used to customize the request. By default, the component will request a signed MDN over an SHA1 hash.

Validating AS3 MDNs

AS3 MDNs will be returned asynchronously over a separate connection. You may verify MDNs by invoking ReadReceipt. This will read the receipt from the FTP server (or from the MDNReceipt property). It will determine the MessageId of the original message and determine the originator and recipient of the MDN.

You should then look up your trading partner's certificates as well as the OriginalContentMIC (which you must store externally to verify signed receipts), and invoke VerifyReceipt.