About IBM MQ Messages

You can access IBM MQ queues and messages with IBM MQ applications by using TIBCO ActiveMatrix BusinessWorks Plug-in for IBM MQ.

IBM MQ messages consist of three basic sections:
  • A header containing fields.
  • Message properties that are the collection of property names and property values.
  • The message body.

The plug-in uses different mechanisms to provide access to these sections.

Message Headers

Get, Put, and Listener activities provide access to IBM MQ message headers using the input and output schemas for an activity. The root name mqproperties contains the fields of message headers. Field names used in the mqproperties node generally map to message header field names used in the IBM MQ interface for Java. Only applicable fields are exposed in the input and output schema. For example, the accountingToken element is not an input schema field but is an output schema field for the Get activity.

The Get, Put and ReqReply activities support the addition of CICS or IMS headers to the input and output schema tabs. You can use these headers when using the CICS and IMS bridge facilities on z/OS.

Message Properties

Message properties are a collection of name value pairs that can be sent with a Put activity to a destination, or can be received from a destination for Get and Listener activities. Values for a property are interpreted according to the schema that defines the properties node, and honor the encoding of the message.

Message Body

The message body is exchanged as text strings or byte arrays for Get, Put, and Listener activities.

Note: IBM MQ message payloads are often complex combinations of string, integer, and other fields types. It is good practice that the Plug-in for Data Conversion be used to parse and render such complex message bodies.