In orchestrations, variables provide temporary storage
locations to hold the input and output data of activities.
This is shown in the example orchestration of the following figure:
During run time, this orchestration extracts data from
and stores data into variables as described in the following steps:
- The FTP Poll Directory activity polls for
a Flat File on an FTP Server and places the contents of the Flat File
into the data output parameter. The data output
parameter is mapped to the string variable called flatFileRawContent.
- The Flat File data returned from the FTP Poll Directory activity
is stored as a string into the flatFileRawContent variable.
- The flatFileRawContent variable is mapped to
the Data input parameter of the Read
Flat File activity. The Flat File data is parsed by the Read
Flat File activity and returned from the activity in the XML output
parameter.
- The XML output parameter is mapped to the batchOrderXML Flat
File Schema variable. The data is available in the orchestration from
the batchOrderXML Flat File Schema variable. For
example, if an activity is added to the orchestration to the right
of the Read Flat File activity, it can use
this data as input.
Variables must be initialized in an orchestration in order for
the orchestration to be considered valid. This includes variables
that are initialized in the branches of an
If.. Then activity.
The variable must be initialized in all branches. For more information
see
Validating
the orchestration.
The Variables tab
The
Variables tab
contains the following panes:
- Variables: Displays the variables that
are defined and available for use in the Mapping Editor. A predefined
variable called JobInfo is available in the Variables
pane of the Variables tab by default.
- Schema of <variable>: Displays
the schema for the selected variable.
- Activities using <variable>: Displays
all activities in the orchestration which use the variable.
- Properties of <variable>:
Where you define or edit variable properties or specify a default
value.
The JobInfo variable
By default, Studio provides
the
JobInfo variable. The Integration Appliance
provides the values for the
JobInfo nodes during
run time. The
JobInfo variable contains the nodes
defined in the following table:
JobInfo Node Name |
Data Type |
Description |
jobId |
String |
Contains the job ID number assigned to the instance
of the orchestration. When the orchestration starts processing the
activities contained in the orchestration, a job ID number is assigned
to that instance of the orchestration. This job ID number is also
visible from the Web Management Console (WMC). |
jobStartTime |
XML Schema data type xsd:dateTime |
Contains the date and time that the instance
of the orchestration started processing. Note: The jobStartTime is
the date and time that the orchestration starts processing the messages
or events and is assigned a job ID number. The jobStartTime is
not the date and time that orchestration was deployed on the Integration
Appliance and became active —ready to start processing messages and
events. For example, an orchestration contains a FTP Poll
Directory activity (a starter activity) that is deployed
on the Integration Appliance. The orchestration becomes active waiting
for a file to show on the FTP Server in a particular directory. When
the orchestration determines that a file has been placed in a particular
directory on the FTP Server, it starts processing the FTP
Poll Directory activity. When the orchestration starts
processing, the current date and time is stored in thejobStartTime node.
|
projectName |
String |
The name of the project that contains the current
orchestration. |
configurationName |
String |
The name of the configuration associated with
the current instance of the orchestration. Different configurations
of projects are created using the Web Management Console (WMC). |
orchestrationName |
String |
The name of the orchestration currently processing. |
routerHostName |
String |
The host name of the Integration Appliance that
the current instance of the orchestration is running on. |
Note: The JobInfo variable or the nodes
of the JobInfo variable cannot be removed.