BizTalk - changing order of output flat file

Question

BizTalk newbie here...

I have a flat file output schema which consists of 4 child records, and for each input record, the map needs to write each of the child records. The issue that I am having is that the output is coming out in this order:

Rec 1 Rec 1 Rec 2 Rec 2 Rec 3 Rec 3 Rec 4 Rec 4

The specs call for the file in this order:

Rec 1 Rec 2 Rec 3 Rec 4 Rec 1 Rec 2 etc

I have tried creating the schema in several different ways, I have asked coworkers with more BizTalk experience, and I have googled 'til my eyes are crossed, but I have yet to find a solution.

I have considered, but not yet tried, using XSLT to sort the output, but the difficulty that I foresee in that method is that each of the child records is a different length and some of the child records have additional key fields.

Hoping someone has prior experience with this situation.

---

1/2/14 update:

Here's the current output schema:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<xs:schema xmlns="http://SonomaCounty.BizTalk.EFS.APImport.Schemas.PSSinglePayVoucherFF" xmlns:b="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" targetNamespace="http://SonomaCounty.BizTalk.EFS.APImport.Schemas.PSSinglePayVoucherFF" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <xs:element name="SinglePayVoucher">
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:appinfo>
        <b:recordInfo structure="delimited" child_delimiter_type="hex" child_delimiter="0xD 0xA" child_order="postfix" sequence_number="1" preserve_delimiter_for_empty_data="true" suppress_trailing_delimiters="false" />
      </xs:appinfo>
    </xs:annotation>
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="VoucherHeader">
          <xs:annotation>
            <xs:appinfo>
              <b:recordInfo structure="delimited" child_delimiter_type="char" child_delimiter="," child_order="infix" sequence_number="1" preserve_delimiter_for_empty_data="true" suppress_trailing_delimiters="false" />
            </xs:appinfo>
          </xs:annotation>
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element name="RowID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="1" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="BusinessUnit" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="2" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyC1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="3" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyN1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="4" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="5" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherStyle" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="6" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="InvoiceID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="7" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="InvoiceDt" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="8" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VendorSetID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="9" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VendorID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="10" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Origin" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="11" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="GrossAmt" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="12" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="MatchAction" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="13" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrApprvlFlg" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="14" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrSrc" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="15" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="VoucherLine">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element name="RowID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="1" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="BusinessUnit" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="2" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyC1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="3" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyN1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="4" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="5" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherLineNbr" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="6" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Descr" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="7" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="QtyVchr" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="8" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="UnitOfMeasure" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="9" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="ShipToID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="10" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="VoucherDist">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element name="RowID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="1" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="BusinessUnit" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="2" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyC1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="3" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyN1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="4" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="5" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherLineNum" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="6" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="DistribLineNum" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="7" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="GLBusUnit" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="8" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Account" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="9" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="DeptID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="10" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="FundCode" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="11" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="QtyVchr" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="12" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="MerchAmt" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="13" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="VoucherVendor">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element name="RowID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="1" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="BusinessUnit" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="2" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyC1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="3" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VchrBldKeyN1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="4" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="VoucherID" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="5" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Name1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="6" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Name2" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="7" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Address1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="8" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Address2" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="9" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="City" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="10" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="State" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="11" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Zip" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="12" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
      </xs:sequence>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
</xs:schema>

Here's is a sample input schema:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<xs:schema xmlns="http://SonomaCounty.BizTalk.EFS.APImport.Schemas.ProbationRestitutionFF" xmlns:b="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" targetNamespace="http://SonomaCounty.BizTalk.EFS.APImport.Schemas.ProbationRestitutionFF" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <xs:element name="RestitutionPayment">
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:appinfo>
        <b:recordInfo structure="delimited" child_delimiter_type="hex" child_delimiter="0xD 0xA" child_order="postfix" sequence_number="1" preserve_delimiter_for_empty_data="true" suppress_trailing_delimiters="false" />
      </xs:appinfo>
    </xs:annotation>
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:annotation>
          <xs:appinfo>
            <groupInfo sequence_number="0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" />
          </xs:appinfo>
        </xs:annotation>
        <xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="Detail">
          <xs:annotation>
            <xs:appinfo>
              <b:recordInfo structure="delimited" child_order="infix" sequence_number="2" preserve_delimiter_for_empty_data="true" suppress_trailing_delimiters="false" child_delimiter_type="hex" child_delimiter="0x09" />
            </xs:appinfo>
          </xs:annotation>
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:annotation>
                <xs:appinfo>
                  <groupInfo sequence_number="0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" />
                </xs:appinfo>
              </xs:annotation>
              <xs:element name="VNum" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="1" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Name" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="2" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Address1" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="3" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Address2" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="4" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="CityStateZip" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="5" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="AcctName" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="6" wrap_char_type="char" wrap_char="&quot;" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Cat" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="7" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="Ref" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="8" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element name="DisbAmt" type="xs:string">
                <xs:annotation>
                  <xs:appinfo>
                    <b:fieldInfo justification="left" sequence_number="9" />
                  </xs:appinfo>
                </xs:annotation>
              </xs:element>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
      </xs:sequence>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
</xs:schema>

Answer 1

Your situation is fairly common and the solution an be pretty eash depending on home much control you have over the two schemas.

For your flat file, Rec 1-4 must be children of the same Parent:

<RecordsParent>
  <Rec1/>
  <Rec1/>
  <Rec1/>
  <Rec1/>
</RecordsParent>

RecordsParent should be maxOccurs=unbounded.

Then, from the source schema, use a Looping Functoid to connect the parent of Rec 1-4 sources to RecordsElement.

This will cause the Mapper to add an additional for-each around the parent elements which in most cases will give you the output you want.