Blog Home

Add extra custom fields to the ISO8583 simulator

Posted on 10th Feb 2021 4627 views

Because Every ISO8583 implementation has its own particularities, variations and custom behaviour, the ISO8583 simualtor from neaPay is designed from the begining for super fast configuration and customization.

Adding or removing extra fields or changing their behaviour is designed from the begining to be ultra easy.

 

Adding extra, custom fiedls to the ISO8583 simualtor is very easy.

Edit the spreadsheet and save, and you are done with test data configuration.

Edit the message that reads the test data and you can use the data in the simualtor

Edit the ISO8583 message fields building behaviour, and you have loaded the data into the transaction.

 

 

Edit Test Data Structure

In order to edit ISO8583 test data structure for the neaPay simulator, locate folder named test_data and open the spreadsheet inside.

The spreasheet will be called something like 

ISO8583_TestCases_v3.5.xlsm

Inside the spreadsheet file you will find several sheets, and for this example we will add a field on the Acquirer Sheet, which holds Acquirer specific data.

Edit ISO8583_Acquirer sheet to add a new field, a new column

For examplea add after column DE126, columns DE126.1, DE126.2, DE126.3 and so on, to be used as subfields. DE126 = data Element 126

Add values on the columns.

Press "Save Test Data CSV" button within the sheet.  IMPORTANT! 

That button exports csv. Check that on disk, file "ISO8583_Acquirer.csv" has been updated. 

Now the test data is updated.

 

Edit Acquirer sheet reading message

The Acquirer sheet is being read in the simulator like a normal connection.

The communication of the simulator with via the connection is done via a message.

All messages are configured in script_variables.js.

 

If you want to learn how to find out where a connection is used, read section below . Otherwise skip to section below. 

All connections are defined in script_connections.js

To find out how the "connection" to this test data is read, open script_connections.js and locate the name ISO8583_Acquirer.csv

The name of the connection is "AcquirerDataFile"

Search for "AcquirerDataFile" in script_acquirer.js

 

The line that uses this connection is 

receivedAcquirerDatamessage = receive(AcquirerData, AcquirerDataFile, true);

Which can be read as:

"receivedAcquirerDatamessage" takes values from receiving "AcquirerData" messages from "AcquirerDataFile" connection.

 

Update the test data reading message

If we want to read the updated data structure, then we need to update the structure of the message that reads it.

We go to script_variables.js and locate AcquirerData message

This message has all the columns of ISO8583_Acquirer sheet mapped to fields.

There is no naming correspondence, the fields are read from the csv file "ISO8583_Acquirer.csv" in order, meaning the 20th column goes to 20th field, no matter the name.

We will need to add our fields after field F126.

Copy this row to the next (duplicate), for as many rows as you have added columns to the sheet. 

Use suggestive names for the fields, because these names will be used in the scripts, later.

For example F126_1, F126_2, F126_3.

Now, if you start the simulator, these fields will be automatically read and available. But not used, Yet.

 

Use the values of the new fields.

The best approach is to look at existing scripting.

Simples way is to look up where field 126 is used, so search F126 in script_acquirer.js but we notice we do not use it.

So search for other fields for reference, like F125 or F127. 

 

We find function

function build_F125_Reserved{...}

and we can duplicate it into 

function build_F126_Custom{...}

and add a call to this funtion to 

function buildMessage(acquirerDataFromCsv);

This is where we call only the functions that we need to populate the fields.

 

Script building the field

In this function you can script the functionality you need, to populate this field.

Look at other functions and use various methods to populate the data. You can populate it automatically with date and time, or you can copy the values from the test data sheet.

For example, if you want to  set the value of F126 as a concatenation of its sub-fields, you can script it like below.

 

function build_F126_Custom(acquirerDataFromCsv) {
setVal(isoMessageAcqRq.F126,
acquirerDataFromCsv.F126_1.value+
   acquirerDataFromCsv.F126_2.value+
   acquirerDataFromCsv.F126_3.value
   );
setBitON(isoMessageAcqRq.F126.bitmap_position)
}

 

Some scripting skills are required for this section.

Contact us if you need help.

 

Keep in mind that the ISO8583 format is automatically protected by the core, all you need to supply is the value. The core will automatically set the lenght, trim or pad, convert , as needed.

 

 

 


LinkedIn

Top Read Articles


BIN List & Range for MasterCard, Visa, Amex, Diners, Discover, JCB, CUP
108615 views

Read smart card chip data with APDU commands ISO 7816
52574 views

ISO8583 Response Codes for Transaction processing
38563 views

ISO8583 Message Types for Transaction Processing
22771 views

ISO8583 Processing Codes for Transaction Processing
21226 views

Run the neaPay ISO8583 simulator
17652 views

Deploy, run and generate with neaPay Card Data Generator
17519 views

MCC Codes - Merchant Category Codes to use in ISO8583 Field 18
15827 views

ISO8583 payments message format, programmers guide
15547 views

ISO8583 message: The list of ISO 4217 currency codes for data elements 49 and 52
13673 views

ISO8583 Message Converter JSON and XML interface specification mapping
11170 views

Cards and Banks Training
9257 views

Support for the neaPay products: Authorization, Switch, Converter, Simulator, Issuer
7947 views

Create a new test case in the neaPay ISO8583 simulator Video guide
7722 views

Log Files in BASE24 classic
7626 views

Deploy the neaPay ISO8583 simulator - video guide
7395 views

BASE24 documentation to read
6861 views

BASE24 classic vs BASE24-eps
6715 views

Performance testing at 500, 1000 and 1500 TPS
6657 views

BASE24 classic interview questions
6609 views

EMV explained for programmers
6096 views

ISO8583 converter to JSON XML SQL to HTTP host - message flow - video guide - Part.2
6052 views

Connect the neaPay ISO8583 Acquirer simulator to your own host or Issuer
5708 views

ISO8583 converter to JSON XML SQL to HTTP Host - host unavailable - video guide- Part.3
5640 views

Adding your own card to the Payments simulator to test your system
5532 views

Card readers supported by neaPay payments simulator, CHIP and NFC
5500 views

ISO8583 converter to JSON XML SQL to HTTP host - start& run - video guide - Part.1
5483 views

BASE24 classic screens examples explained
5421 views

Enabling traces in the payments simulator
5375 views

Changing fields definitions in the ISO8583 simulator and message converter
5373 views

Altering test cases in Excel for the ISO8583 simulator
5373 views

Load Test enabling and performance testing at 1TPS and 100TPS
5370 views

Run the neaPay ISO8583 converter to JSON, XML, SQL, in a test environment
5370 views

Sample Recommended design for an Acquirer test cases suite, Scenarios and Regression
5365 views

Deploy the neaPay ISO8583 Payments converter in a test environment
5364 views

ISO8583 ATM POS Crypto API integration with exchanges like Coinbase or Binance
5364 views

Run One, Run Scenario, Run All, Run Load in the neaPay ISO8583 Simulator - Use guide
5359 views

How the fingerprint reader works in the ISO8583 payments simulator
5359 views

Regression Testing in 1 click with instant Analytics and CSV report
5336 views

BASE24-eps interview questions
5099 views

Deploy the Payments Switch Router in a test environment
5061 views

Java version for neapay products Simulator Converter Switch Authorization Cards Issuer
5030 views

Deploy the neaPay HSM simulator in a test environment
5029 views

BASE24 classic ATM configuration Tutorial in ATD and XPNET with examples
4907 views

Add extra custom fields to the ISO8583 simulator
4628 views

BASE24 classic cards configuration tutorial with Examples
4330 views

BASE24-EPS ACI DESKTOP tutorial - Getting started
4078 views

PCI compliant with neapay switch
3759 views

ISO8583 Message Converter to XML SQL CSV interface specification mapping
3656 views

BASE24 classic prefix configuration tutorial CPF with examples
3107 views

BASE24 classic tracing of transactions. Audits, configuration, enabling and opening
3052 views

ACI BASE24 classic automatic extract configuration
3004 views

BASE24 classic Institution configuration Tutorial with example
2730 views

BASE24 classic balance file configuration PBF with example
2720 views

First steps with BASE24 Classic
2483 views

Getting started with using Prognosis for BASE24 and BASE24-eps
2231 views

Trace configuration in neaPay Simulator, Converter, Switch, Authorization and Cards Issuer
2079 views

POS simulator format SPDH HPDH Verifone and custom
1526 views

Iso8583 - articles


Are you ready to start or need help?


Ready to start your next project with us? Give us a call or send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Download and Use the software yourself


Download software

Read Documentation and Start guides


Get started