Creating Input Message Definitions

TL1 Message Builder helps you to create or edit TL1 Message Definitions based on the GR-831 format. This topic describes the process of creating each aspect of a complete TL1 Definition.

To create any TL1 Message Definition, you must create a Command Set file (.tcs). The file will be loaded to the TL1 Message Tree in the left panel. To create TL1 Message Definitions, you must first create a new module. A new module can be created by selecting Add New Module by right-clicking on the Command Set file. An input dialog is displayed where you must specify the module name. Click the OK button and the new module is added to the Message Tree as shown in the figure. The new module will have the following child nodes by default: Request, Response, Notification, Templates, Bundles, and Glossary.

Follow the steps given here to add a new Input Message Definition to the Command Set:

1. Right-click on the Request node element and select the Add New menu. A Create New Input Message dialog is displayed where you must specify the command name and verb (The modifiers can be specified in the Command Code block). Alternatively, you can also create input commands by simply specifying the BNF of that command. Click the OK button to commit the changes. The Input Message name is displayed as a node in the Request. This node will have the command as a child.

2. Now select the Input Message node. The right panel will display fields pertaining to each block in the Input Message, such as Command Code, Target Identifier, Access Identifier, General Block, Message Payload Block, etc.

3. Specify the category, description, prefix, suffix, and response name for each message.

4. Select each block (For example, Access Identifier, Message Payload Block etc.) and define the parameters for each of the input blocks.

5. Click the Update button to commit the changes made in each block.

6. Click the Save button to save the changes to the file.

7. Click the View File option from the File menu to view the changes made to the Command Set file.

Creation of a complete TL1 Input Message Definition is dealt with in detail in the next topic with an example.