Copyright © TIBCO Software Inc. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © TIBCO Software Inc. All Rights Reserved


Chapter 6 Metadata : Defining Metadata Classes

Defining Metadata Classes
The adapter developer defines metadata classes by using TIBCO Designer or by editing an AE XML file, which can be verified using the schema available as part of the SDK.
Using TIBCO Designer
TIBCO Designer includes a hierarchy of all metadata classes defined in the SDK. Instantiate these classes as appropriate for describing the data the adapter will work with, then save the project. For additional information, see the TIBCO Designer Palette Reference.
After defining the metadata classes, save them as part of the project or export them to a file.
Metadata Types
There are two types of metadata:
This metadata is defined through class, union, or association resources, and has scalar type or complex type (which can be another class, union, or association) attributes.
This metadata should have a name, and a method or methods with a return class (if any), parameters (name, class, and the direction: in, out, or both), and any exceptions the operation raises. This metadata is used by SDK Operations classes.
Figure 17 Defining Metadata with TIBCO Designer
Working With the AEXML Repository File
At times, you may want to edit the AEXML repository file directly. There are several ways to create an AEXML schema file:
In cases where adapter schema changes infrequently, you can supply preconfigured schema by manually creating it in TIBCO Designer and exporting it as an AEXML repository file. The exported file can then be imported into a new TIBCO Designer project to reuse the adapter metadata schema.
The first two options export an existing repository to an AEXML file. The third option (Repository Import and Export API) creates a standalone schema configuration application for the adapter.
In cases where adapter schema varies greatly at runtime, the interactive schema configuration application will extract the metadata object from the target application and map it into an AEXML file for import into the repository. You must programmatically generate an AEXML stream by following an example export file. TIBCO Runtime Agent includes the ActiveEnterprise Schema XSD file, AESchema.xsd, which is used to validate an AEXML stream.
TIBCO Designer can save the adapter configuration as a template so that it can be used to create a new project, complete with schema and adapter configuration. This makes it easy to clone template for adapters that do not require a high level of schema customizations.

Copyright © TIBCO Software Inc. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © TIBCO Software Inc. All Rights Reserved