Questions Concerning The Database
This page should list the most frequently asked questions:
Data types and data structures: What is the difference?
Some functions are not operating using Access 2000!
What information does it contain?
Where can I get the database?
The HTML generation process does not work properly
How can I compare different versions?
What are the new features of version 3.0?
Is this database free of charge?
After purchase: Can I use it in a commercial product?
Does this provide an API for interfaces?
What generators are included in the database version 6.0?
Is this database free of charge?
No: Due to copyright this database is sold by HL7 Inc. as an official product.
Where can I get the database?
Due to copyright this database is sold by HL7 Inc. as an official product. Please send an email to HQ.
Another option is the original website. At www.hl7.org you will find a link to the shop/store.
For members of HL7 Germany we are proud to offer the database for a special rebate. The HTML files itselves for a single HL7 version are available for download at the members site of HL7 Germany. For information please send an email to HL7 DE.
After purchase: Can I use it in a commercial product?
Yes.
Data Types and Data Structures: What is the difference?
Data types are introduced by the official HL7 standard documents. Data structures are needed
in order to distinguish between logically the same data structures but having different components.
As such the data structures refers to different names with the correct components, but indirectly links
to the official data types.
This is especially true for CE data types as well as all the different CM data types.
The difference has been resolved as technical corrections for v2.3.1 and v2.4. Starting with v2.5 we do have component tables maintaining that kind of information.
But the database provide this information as of v2.1 and therefore still needs this mechanism although the later HL7 versions have almost the same data types and data structures (except CE).
Some functions are not operating using Access 2000!
To use Access2000 some manual changes are required since there is no full backward compatibility between Access97 and Access2000. These steps are documented within the supplied documents on your CD. These problems are only valid for the first release of the database, since the newer versions are built with Access 2000.
Does this provide an API for interfaces?
No:
This database contains the information about HL7 v2.x. Depending on the license agreement,
different versions are provided.
Today, you may purchase the db containing a single version
- or the full package with all available v2.x versions.
What information does it contain?
The contents of the database is extracted out of the documents. Therefore, all information maintained within a table is available!
Events and the associated messages (message structures including groupnames)
Segments and their attributes
tables and their values
data types AND their components
the German interpretation
a reference to the HTML version of the standard (for use in a browser)
the standard documents (as of v2.5)
For some example values take a look on the webpage of the German HL7 user group. It gives a few samples for generated HTML files.
The HTML generation process does not work properly!
Some functions require VBA - Visual Basic for Applications. This module is typically not installed on most of the machines.
Please ask your system administration to get it for MS Access.
This problem is identified if you start running the functions and if they stop in the debugger highlighting VBA functions like "Mid()".
How can I compare different versions?
There is no direct way to compare different versions since the required information is collected during HTML generation!
But I have implemented a procedure to store that information in the database in a database table in a simplified manner.
You can use SQL-statements to access it afterwards.
But be careful, of course you can only compare two versions if the database itself maintains the HL7 versions you would like to compare.
What are the new features of version 4.0?
The fourth generation of the comprehensive HL7 database
has been released May 2007. I am sorry for the inconvenience the delay in delivering the database may has caused.
But what are the new features?
Nevertheless, it still has capabilities for further improvements:
What generators are included in the database version 6.0?
The sixth generation of the comprehensive HL7 database has been released April 2011. What kind of generators based on VBA are included now?