This example illustrates how to use Activity Editor to change a source
attribute's date format and assign the reformatted value to a destination
attribute. In this example, the source attribute is
QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate and the destination attribute is
Invoice.PostingDate. The original date format is yyyyMMdd, and
the updated date format is yyyy-MM-dd. This example assumes that the
business objects and attributes have already been created and declared in the
collaboration template scenario.
The following steps are required to change the source attribute's date
format and then assign it to the destination attribute:
- Ensure that Activity Editor is open.
- Drag the QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate variable function block onto the
editing canvas and drop it. (The function blocks that represent the
business objects, attributes, and variables available in a scenario are
located in the Variables folder of the Library and Content windows.)
- Drag and drop the Format Change function block onto the editing canvas to
the right of the QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate function block, as shown in Figure 45.
Figure 45. Placing the Format Change function block

- Place a connection link between the output port of the
QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate function block and the Date input of the
Format Change function block.
- Drag and drop the yyyyMMdd function block constant onto the editing
canvas, placing it underneath the QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate and Format
Change function blocks. This function block represents the current
format of the QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate attribute.
- Place a connection link between the output port of the yyyyMMdd function
block and the Input Format input of the Format Change function block, as shown
in Figure 48.
Figure 46. Specifying the input date format

- Drag and drop the yyyy-MM-dd function block constant onto the editing
canvas, placing it near the yyyyMMdd function block. This function
block represents the new format of the QuoteSchedule.ExpireDate
attribute.
- Place a connection link between the output port of the yyyy-MM-dd function
block and the Output Format input of the Format Change function block, as
shown in Figure 48.
Figure 47. Specifying the output date format

- Drag and drop the Invoice.PostingDate function block to the editing
canvas; this is the destination attribute. Place it to the right
of the Format Change function block.
- To assign the output of the Format Change function block to the
Invoice.PostingDate attribute, place a connection link between the
Format Change function block output port and the Invoice.PostingDate
input port as shown in Figure 48.
Figure 48. Assigning output to the destination attribute

- Save the activity definition by clicking File --> Save.
