BizTalk Server Map Error - Native serialization error Root element is missing

Recently I was testing a BizTalk map inside Visual Studios.  The input schema was auto generated using the SQL Adapter and the output was a simple text file.  I was using a sample file provided to me from a past generation from the schema (or so I thought) to test the map. 

When I was testing, I keep getting a blank file as output and a strange error.  The error was: Native serialization error: Root element is missing. 

I had both input and output validation turned on and the input sample file was passing validation.  To confirm this, I took the schema and sample file and confirmed it validated using Visual Studios. 

Since I was not having much luck testing inside Visual Studios, I decided to set up a send & receive port and test the map through BizTalk to see if I could get different result.  This time, I got a subscription not found error.

Odd, since the schema and maps are all deployed.  I check the message that was suspended and noticed it was not mapped; my original message was published and suspended. 

This could only mean the message type was wrong - somehow.  So I took a closer look at the namespace in the sample message.  It was slightly off!  I corrected the namespace in the sample file and everything worked fine.

Overall, the moral of the story is three fold:

1.          Schema Validation inside BizTalk DOES NOT validate name