ODA development process

This section provides an overview of the ODA development process, which includes the following high-level steps:

  1. Install and set up the WebSphere business integration system software and install the Java Development Kit (JDK).
  2. Design and implement the ODA.

Setting up the development environment

Before you start the development process, the following must be true:

Note:
To create an ODA and test its generated content, you do not need to have an integration broker or a connector running. However, at some point, the connector must be running to test that the ODA's generated content correctly describes the connector's business objects. To test the entire WebSphere business integration system, the integration broker and the connector must be able to communicate.

Stages of ODA development

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
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:

  • Which content types the ODA supports:
    • Business object definitions: implement the IGeneratesBoDefs interface (required)
    • Binary files: implement the IGeneratesBinFiles interface (optional)
  • Which content protocols the ODA uses:
    • on request (required for business object definitions)
    • callback

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:

  • Connection management
  • Content analysis and definition

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.

Note:
For information on business object design, refer to Business object design. For information on using an Object Discovery Agent in Business Object Designer, see Using an Object Discovery Agent to create a business object definition.

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