Data-Flow Editor (SAP Library - SAP Exchange Infrastructure (BC-XI))

Data-Flow Editor

Use

You use the data-flow editor (at the bottom of the mapping editor) to describe the flow of data from one or more source fields to one target field. Since this mapping is only a part of the actual message mapping and refers to a particular target field, this type of mapping is known as a Target Field Mapping.

Features

The data-flow editor comprises the following:

An editor window in which you can insert functions and outbound and target fields as rectangles, and move them as required. These rectangles are known as Data-Flow Objects because you use them to describe the data-flow between source fields and target fields.
A function chooser in the lower screen area of the data-flow editor that contains the functions of various function categories. Using this toolbar, you can drag functions as new data-flow objects and drop them in the editor window.

On the left-hand side of the editor window there are general functions that are useful when editing a target field mapping.

General Functions of the Data-Flow Editor

Function	Meaning
Delete Floating Objects	Deletes all data-flow objects that are not connected to a source and target field. Floating data-flow objects are displayed in white
Lay Out Mapping	Produces an ordered representation of the target field mapping
Delete Current Mapping	Deletes the target field mapping currently displayed

Activities

Once you have selected the source fields and the target field you want (see: Assigning a Field), select a function category from the function chooser.

If you have already created a user-defined function, it is located in the User-Defined function category.

All other categories contain the most important standard functions for message mappings.

Select a function from the function chooser either by double-clicking, or by using Drag&Drop to drag it to the editor area.

Connect the selected function to the other data-flow objects for the source fields and the target field by connecting the small rectangles for the input and output values using Drag&Drop. Arrows represent connected elements.

To undo a connection, remove the arrow from the corresponding rectangle and drop it anywhere outside the data-flow object.

To delete any data-flow objects that you no longer require, choose Delete from the context menu. To delete all floating data-flow objects (displayed in white), choose Delete Floating Objects.

Logically speaking, once all data-flow objects are green the mapping for the target field is complete.

All functions (including user-defined functions) expect string arguments and return a string value. The strings true or false are expected for conditions. If a condition transfers a value other than true or false, it is interpreted as false.

Example

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

In the example above, a mapping to the target field name was selected that is connected to the source fields firstName and lastName using the standard function concat. Input values of any data-flow objects are displayed in small rectangles on the left of the object, while output values are displayed on the right of the object. You use these small rectangles to connect data-flow objects to each other so as to define a data flow between multiple source fields and exactly one target field. Technically speaking, a target field mapping is complete once a source field has been assigned to a target field and all arguments for each connecting function have values. Since this is the case in the example illustrated here, the data-flow editor displays the connected objects in green.