After you have created the VMD files, the next step is to create the channels that use the VMD files to extract data from incoming HL7 messages and generate HL7 Version 3 messages.

You will need to create two channels:

• The first channel uses the VMD file you created in Creating a VMD File To Extract Information in XML to filter incoming messages, extract the required data, and convert the data to XML.
• The second channel uses the VMD file you created in Creating a VMD File To Generate HL7 Version 3 Messages to generate the HL7 Version 3 message.

To create the first channel:

• In the Dashboard Control Panel, click Add Channel.
• In the Add Channel window, from the Source list box, select whatever source is appropriate for your incoming messages. (For test purposes, you can select LLP Listener and use the HL7 Simulator to send test messages through the channel.)
• From the Destination list box, select To Channel.
• Click Configure Channel.
• In the Channel name field, type the name of your channel (such as HL7toXML).
• Click the Source tab, and supply whatever information you need to configure the source component of this channel.
• Click the Filter tab, and select the Use filter check box.
• In the Full filter VMD path field, type or browse for the location of the VMD file that you created in Creating a VMD File To Extract Information in XML.
• From the Transformation mode list box, select HL7 to XML:

• Click Add Channel to add the channel.

To create the second channel:

• In the Dashboard Control Panel, click Add Channel.
• From the Source list box, select From Channel.
• From the Destination list box, select To File (or whatever destination you want to send the HL7 version 3 messages to).
• Click Configure Channel.
• In the Channel name field, type the name of your channel (such as XMLtoHL7v3).
• Click the Source tab. From the Add a Source Channel list box, select the name of the channel that you just created (for example, HL7toXML).
• Click the Filter tab, and select the Use filter check box.
• In the Full filter VMD path field, type or browse for the location of the VMD file that you created in Creating a VMD File To Generate HL7 Version 3 Messages.
• From the Transformation mode list box, select Scripted transformation. Leave the other fields unchanged:

• Click the Destination tab.
• In the Full directory path to write files into, type or browse for the name of a directory into which you want output from this channel to be written.
• In the File field, type the name of the file into which output is to be written.

	If you have selected a destination component other than To File, supply whatever fields are needed for your destination component.

• Click Add Channel to add the channel.

Now that you have added the channels, the next step is to test them.