This section provides an overview of the ODA development process, which includes the following high-level steps:
Before you start the development process, the following must be true:
For an ODA to run, it must be able to access the ODA library, CwODA.jar. Therefore, this ODA library must be installed. For more information, see your product installation information.
WebSphere InterChange Server |
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If your business integration system uses InterChange Server (ICS), the CwODA.jar file is installed as part of the ICS software. Refer to the System Installation Guide for UNIX or for Windows for product installation information, which includes how to install and start up the ICS system. |
Other integration brokers |
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If your business integration system uses WebSphere MQ Integrator Broker or WebSphere Application Server, you must install the WebSphere Business Integration Adapters product to install the CwODA.jar file. For product installation information for the WebSphere Business Integration Adapters product, refer to the installation chapter of the Implementation Guide for your integration broker (Implementation Guide for WebSphere MQ Integrator Broker or Implementation Guide for WebSphere Application Server). |
For the required version of the JDK and how to install it, refer to your product installation information. Make sure to update the PATH environment variable to include the installed Java directory. If WebSphere InterChange Server is your integration broker, restart ICS after you have updated the path.
ProductDir\lib
To compile the ODA, the compiler must be able to access this directory ODA. For information on how to compile an ODA, see Compiling the ODA.
To develop an ODA, you must take the steps listed in Table 25.
Table 25. Steps in the development of an ODA
ODA development step | For more information | |
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1. |
Extend the ODA base class, ODKAgentBase2, to create your ODA class. |
Extending the ODA base class |
2. |
Implement the methods of the ODA class, which provide the means of starting the ODA. |
Starting the ODA |
3. |
Design and implement the ODA content:
|
Determining the ODA generated content |
4. |
Implement error and message handling for all ODA methods. Implement trace messages at the appropriate trace levels. |
Handling exceptions and Handling trace and error messages |
5. |
Create any classes needed to handle data-source interactions, such as:
|
IBM recommends that you modularize the Object Discovery Agent into component classes that handle its separate significant processes. Details depend on your data source. |
6. |
Build the ODA. |
Compiling the ODA |
7. |
Create a startup script for the new ODA. |
Starting up a new ODA |
8. |
Test and debug the ODA, recoding as necessary. |
Writing ODA code is only one part of the overall task for developing business objects. Before beginning to write the Object Discovery Agent code, you should clearly understand business object design issues, the application whose entities the business objects will represent, and the connector and data handler that will process the business objects. You should also be familiar with the steps users follow in Business Object Designer to create a business object definition using an Object Discovery Agent.