ActiveVOS Designer User’s Guide
The ActiveVOS server uses a Java framework that supports custom
function extensions. This framework is a set of Java interfaces
and classes made available for your use. IAeFunction and IAeFunctionContext are
implemented to create the objects that are accessible to the engine
at run-time. AeFunctionCallException and AeUnresolvableException are
used to signal fault conditions. These types are resolved via the org.activebpel.rt.bpel package
in ae_rtbpel.jar. Additionally, AeUnresolvableException
extends AeException provided in ae_rt.jar.
Step One: Create a Function Context
Your first task is to create a function context, which is
a new class that implements the IAeFunctionContext interface.
This class exposes one public method: getFunction(String),
which returns an object of a type that implements the IAeFunction
interface. The method uses the String argument to indicate the local name
of the function and then select that object.You may implement multiple
custom functions via one function context class. getFunction() throws
an AeUnresolvableException if it is unable to locate the desired
function by name.
Step Two: Create the Custom Function
Your second task is to create the actual custom functions,
each of which implements the IAeFunction interface. These also expose
one single public method: call(IAeFunctionExecutionContext,
List), which performs the function’s task, which you
create. The function’s argument list (if any) is passed to the call
method via the List argument. This function may optionally use the
function execution IAeFunctionExecutionContext as
needed. Individual custom functions should throw AeFunctionCallException,
constructed to contain the root exception message, if they encounter
a problem that prevents them from finishing their task.
Step Three: Package and Deploy
Once you have created your function context and function classes, and tested the classes that do the actual custom function work, you can create a jar file that can be deployed to the ActiveVOS server. Optionally you can make it available to ActiveVOS Designer for simulation.
Sample Custom Function
To help you get started with custom functions, the Active Endpoints Web site Education Center contains a Custom Function sample with all the files you need to see a working example of a custom function.
When you download and import the custom_functions project, you will have the following files:
|
File |
Description |
|---|---|
|
aecf-xmlstring.jar |
Contains the class files generated from the Java source implementing the custom function |
|
custom_xpath_xmlstring_pickList.xml |
Document describing display elements for the custom functions so that they appear in Expression and Query Builders in ActiveVOS Designer. |
|
custom_function.bpel |
Process illustrating the use of sample custom functions. |
|
custom_function.wsdl |
Interface for the process |
|
BrandYearTypeRequest.xml |
Sample data for use in simulation |
To use the sample files, do the following:
Copyright (c) 2004-2009 Active Endpoints, Inc.