Generic/Specific Definition of Configuration Objects 

Use

You use sender agreements and receiver agreements to define the flow of messages. You create each of these objects for a specific combination of key attributes. Furthermore, it is possible to create part of the object key generically. This enables you to define the object for all values of the key attribute when creating the object.

Therefore, you can have either generically-defined objects or specifically-defined objects, for which all key attributes have been specified.

At runtime, the object with the most specific key attributes takes precedence (“most specific object has priority”).

A configuration object X is more specific than a configuration object Y if the following condition applies to all key attributes: The values of the key attribute of X and Y are either identical or the key attribute of Y has the value *.

Generic definition is supported in sender and receiver agreements, that is, in the objects that you use to define the flow of the message. The object key of these objects contains a sender or a receiver, respectively, and thus refers to the objects party/sender of the collaboration profile.

Generic definition of configuration objects enables you to minimize the work effort required when creating and changing configuration data. In particular, the likelihood of errors occurring when changing configuration data is greatly reduced because changes to configuration objects automatically apply for all values of the masked key attributes.

Note that creating configuration objects generically can result in undesired side-effects. Therefore, note the constraints and recommendations specified below.

The reason for this is that all configuration objects are always valid in the entire PCK. Therefore, you must always be aware when defining configuration objects generically that the definition you make may be made redundant by a more specific definition of a configuration object at a later date.

Features

To define an object generically for a key attribute, when creating the object, enter the wildcard character (*) in the relevant field in place of a specific value.

Part-masking of fields (for example, Field value=BUS*) is not supported.

The object type determines the key attributes that the object can be generically defined for. The table below lists all key attributes that can be masked for the configuration objects concerned. These are indicated by a star (*).

Masked Key Fields in Generically-Definable Configuration Objects

Key Attribute	Sender Agreement	Receiver Agreement
Sender Party		*
Sender Service		*
Outbound Interface (Name)	*
Outbound Interface (Namespace)	*
Receiver Party	*
Receiver Service	*
Inbound Interface (Name)		*
Inbound Interface (Namespace)		*

For more information, see:

·        Generic/Specific Definition of Sender Agreements

·        Generic/Specific Definition of Receiver Agreements