EpicSerializer 1.0.1

EpicSerializer

Epic Chronicles Format Serializer

Epic is a very popular Electronic Medical Record system, with a proprietary format for bulk importing data through their Chronicles tool. This library makes it easy to serialize arbitrary types into the Chronicles format, which resembles an OrderedMap<int, string>. Since Epic configurations can vary so widely among different installations, this library doesn't make any assumptions about how any particular instance is configured.

The library is designed to be scalable, it only performs introspection on your serializable types once, on it's first encounter with that type. During this encounter it creates an access plan that describes how to pull data out of the objects of this type. These plans are stored in a static thread-safe container, so all instances of the Serializer benefit.

Chronicles Format Example: 1,12345 2,Biff Jutsu 45,biffj 50,1 2301,ARNP 2302,WA 2303,ABC123456 2301,RN 2302,WA 2303,DEF789012 1,67890 2,Some Other Person 45,otherp 50,1 ...

Code

Simple single object example.

[EpicSerializable(MasterFile.EMP)]
class EpicUser
{
    [EpicRecord(Field: 1)]
    public int EpicID { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 2)]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 45)]
    public string Username { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 50)]
    public bool Active { get; set; }
}

var user = new EpicUser
{
    EpicID = 12345,
    Name = "Biff Jutsu",
    Username = "biffj",
    Active = true
};

var serial = new EpicSerializer<EpicUser>();
string serializedResult = serial.Serialize(user);
Console.WriteLine(serializedResult);

// Console Output
1,12345
2,Biff Jutsu
45,biffj
50,1

Single object with simple repeated section.

[EpicSerializable(MasterFile.EMP)]
class EpicUser
{
    [EpicRecord(Field: 1)]
    public int EpicID { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 2)]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 45)]
    public string Username { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 50)]
    public bool Active { get; set; }

    [EpicRepeat(Field: 100)]
    public List<string> Locations { get; set; }
}

var user = new EpicUser
{
    EpicID = 12345,
    Name = "Biff Jutsu",
    Username = "biffj",
    Active = true,
    Locations = new List<string>
    {
        "Hospital",
        "Burn Ward"
    }
};

var serial = new EpicSerializer<EpicUser>();
string serializedResult = serial.Serialize(user);
Console.WriteLine(serializedResult);

// Console Output
1,12345
2,Biff Jutsu
45,biffj
50,1
100,Hospital
100,Burn Ward

Single object with complex repeated section.

[EpicSerializable(MasterFile.EMP)]
class EpicUser
{
    [EpicRecord(Field: 1)]
    public int EpicID { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 2)]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 45)]
    public string Username { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 50)]
    public bool Active { get; set; }

    [EpicRepeat(Field: 100)]
    public List<string> Locations { get; set; }

    [EpicRepeat(Field: 2301)]
    public List<License> Licenses { get; set; }
}

[EpicSerializable(MasterFile.EMP)]
class Alias
{
    [EpicRecord(Field: 2301)]
    public string Type { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 2302)]
    public string State { get; set; }

    [EpicRecord(Field: 2303)]
    public string Value { get; set; }
}

var user = new EpicUser
{
    EpicID = 12345,
    Name = "Biff Jutsu",
    Username = "biffj",
    Active = true,
    Locations = new List<string>
    {
        "Hospital",
        "Burn Ward"
    },
    Licenses = new List<License>
    {
        new License
        {
            Type = "ARNP",
            State = "WA",
            Value = "ABC123456"
        },
        new License
        {
            Type = "RN",
            State = "WA",
            Value = "DEF789012"
        }
    }
};

var serial = new EpicSerializer<EpicUser>();
string serializedResult = serial.Serialize(user);
Console.WriteLine(serializedResult);

// Console Output
1,12345
2,Biff Jutsu
45,biffj
50,1
100,Hospital
100,Burn Ward
2301,ARNP
2302,WA
2303,ABC123456
2301,RN
2302,WA
2303,DEF789012

See tests for more detailed examples.