X12 834v5010 open source generators - possible project
In my job at A Very Large Health Plan, we work with the X12 834 to intake eligibility for companies.
It seems that a few companies try to 'roll their own' 834 files from scratch.
Often it means they do it incorrectly, and there becomes much iterative learning. Seems to be a huge waste of resources to keep 'reinventing the wheel' Therefore, I am going to start researching if there are any Debian open source packages, or _any_ open source software (specifically gpl'd open source) out in the Internet for generating X12 834v5010 files from a spreadsheet, or db schema, etc.
If I cannot find any preexisting projects I can leverage, I think I have my new 'self summer of code' project ;)
My X12 834v5010 generator goals: 1. Be able to take data, probably pipe separated text file (flat file) of enrollee data, and a header data file (ISA, GS, and sequence values to use) and then be able to have a program, probably c or c++, generate proper X12 834v5010 spew that my company could successfully process. 1a. Make Views that let someone enter/edit header data, and enrollee data interactively. 1b. Make Views that allow to load an existing 834v5010 file into the program to edit/create/save/make new files from. 2. KISS - Keep It Simple S[censored] ;) Not interested in making a super mega meta do-it-all project, just simply take a flat file, or flat file-ish schema and generate valid X12 834v5010 that my company would accept, as a solution against all the 'recreate the wheel' I see people doing. 3. Release my solution as GPL (Gnu Public License) software 4. Long term, if the program is Actually Good: perhaps create a Debian package for it, and have it become a supported long-term Debian pkg.
2012-08-14
Researching the Internet via google for preexisting open source X12 834 generators. Will create a list, and then review each program for suitability in approach, design ideas, etc.
2012-09-01
I will write it as a native C or C++ language application,. Will develop it on my Debian box, but will see if I can keep to the standard C or C++ libraries, so as to be OS agnostic. Failing that, I will write it using *nix libraries that Debian Stable supports.
I am guessing the Model and Controller wont be hard to keep in the std libraries. Likely going to make in the GoF MVC (Model View Controller) design. Views for Editing, Reading, and Writing the data. Controller of methods to manipulate. Model representing the data needed to sprew X12 834v5010 files.
I am going to have to find a GPL library for the View, if it is to be graphical. No ideas on this yet. I may actually enjoy just trying varied choices (ncurses, gtk, qt, whatever) until I find one I like. For the graphical view will go for eazy+GPL+Linux as 1st choice, then cross-platform+GPL+less eazy as a 2nd choice, or for later versions of the Views possible for the program.
2012-10-05
Okay, I have started the project! Decided to do it using C++, and will someday soon/eventually create a new page for it on my http://mrflash818.geophile.net site.
2012-10-23
_834v5010generator homepage created. http://mrflash818.geophile.net/php/clang/_834v5010generator.php
2015-04-25
Switched web host providers. Project now called "nc_834v5010generator" and lives at http://mrflash818.geophile.net/software/