Table 3 shows the two graphical design tools of mapping.
Table 3. Principal components of data mapping system
Design tool
| Mapping component
| Description
|
Map Designer Express
| Map
| Uses Java code to specify how to transform attributes from one or more
source business objects to one or more destination business objects.
You typically create one map for each source business object you want to
transform, though you can also break up a map into several submaps.
|
Relationship Designer Express
| Relationship
| Establishes an association between two or more data entities in the Map
Development system. Relationship definitions most often associate two
or more business objects. You use relationship definitions to transform
data that is equivalent across business objects but is represented
differently. For example, a state code for the state of Michigan might
be represented as MI in one application and MICH in
another. This data is equivalent but is represented differently in each
application. Most maps use one, or a few, relationship
definitions.
|
These graphical tools run on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Therefore,
these platforms are for map development.
Table 4 lists the additional tools that are supported for map
development.
Table 4. Tools for map development
Tool
| Description
|
Mapping API
| Set of Java classes with which you can customize the generated mapping
code.
|
System Manager
| Provides graphical windows to configure a map instance as well as
configure a relationship object.
|
Map Designer Express creates and compiles maps. You can launch Map
Designer Express from System Manager by selecting Map Designer Express from
the Tools menu. For other ways to launch Map Designer Express, see "Starting Map Designer Express".. Map Designer Express provides a
tab window to view map information. This window displays one of four
tabs: Table tab, Diagram tab, Messages tab, or Test tab.
Figure 3 shows a map displayed in the Diagram tab of Map Designer
Express.

Figure 3. Map Designer Express
For information on how to use Map Designer Express to create a map, see Creating maps.
Relationship Designer Express creates relationship definitions that store
the run-time relationship instance data. You can launch Relationship
Designer Express from System Manager by selecting Relationship Designer
Express from the Tools menu. Figure 4 shows several relationships displayed in Relationship
Designer Express.

Figure 4. Relationship Designer Express
For more information on how to use Relationship Designer Express, see Creating relationship definitions.
Many transformation steps can be programmed using standard Java
methods. To make writing transformation steps easier, the map
development system provides a mapping API (described in detail in "Mapping API Reference"), with methods to handle the most common data transformation
situations. The mapping API includes the following classes:
-
DTP (
Data Transformation Package) classes provide methods for string manipulation,
data type conversion, date manipulation, submap calling, and
SQL query execution. The classes are:
-
DtpConnection (deprecated)
-
DtpDataConversion
-
DtpDate
-
DtpMapService
-
DtpSplitString
-
DtpUtils
-
Business object classes are used for both collaboration development and
mapping. The classes are:
-
Relationship management classes provide methods for creating and managing
relationship instances. The classes are:
-
Participant
-
Relationship
-
IdentityRelationship
- Database connection classes provide methods for SQL query
execution. These classes are:
-
CwDBConnection
-
CwDBStoredProcedureParam
-
DtpConnection (deprecated)
-
UserStoredProcedureParam (deprecated)
-
Utility classes assist with error handling and debugging, and setting
important run-time values for maps. The classes are:
System Manager is a graphical tool that provides an interface to
InterChange Server Express and the repository. System Manager provides
the means to manage maps and configure a map definition. You can:
- Set some general
properties of a map definition, including its trace level and data validation
level.
- Display the
source and
destination business objects of a map.
- Compile a map definition.
- Note:
- System Manager provides ways to start up Map Designer Express. For
more information, see "Starting Map Designer Express".
System Manager also provides the means to manage relationships. You
can:
- Set some general properties of a relationship, including the location of
its relationship tables.
- Display the participants of the relationship.
- Note:
- System Manager also provides ways to start up Relationship Designer
Express. For more information, see "Starting Relationship Designer Express".
