Configuring data handlers

To configure a data handler, you must specify that the connector will use that data handler, and you must specify values for configuration attributes of the data handler.

To specify which data handlers a connector will use, set the following connector-specific properties for the connector:

Note:
You can also specify a data handler by providing a value for the connector-specific property DataHandlerClassName. However, the DataHandlerClassName property only specifies the data handler; it does not enable you to set configuration values in that data handler's meta-object. To both specify a data handler and configure its properties through the use of data handler meta objects, use the DataHandlerMimeType property and the DataHandlerConfigMO property.

Configuration attributes of data handlers are specified in the top-level data handler meta object (which contains attributes that specify the MimeTypes of each of the data handlers that can be used) and in a child data handler meta-object for each data handler. For instructions on how to create and revise data handler meta objects, see the Data Handler Guide

For the iSoft connector, you must configure data handlers for each of the following:

Note:
For MDNs and notifications, to determine the name of the business object that it creates, the data handler looks first at the value specified by the NameHandlerClass attribute in the data handler's meta-object. If no value has been specified in that attribute, the data handler uses the BOName attribute. By default, the implementation uses just one business object definition for all MDNs and one for all notifications. If you want to have different types of MDN or notification business objects--corresponding, for example, to the business processes of different collaborations--you must create a custom data handler. For information about doing that, see "Building a Custom Name Handler" in the Data Handler Guide.

Data handler for converting business data

You must specify a data handler for converting the business data content that is exchanged between trading partners. Since Peer-to-Peer Agent can send business data in any format, no single data handler can be used for all possible implementations of the connector. However, delivered data handlers are available for some of the most commonly used formats, including an XML data handler. The XML data handler performs conversion both to and from business objects.

For information about designing business objects for use with this type of data handler, see "Business objects for exchanging business data," later in this guide.

MDN data handler

Peer-to-Peer Agent can be configured to send the machine-readable portions of message delivery notifications (MDNs) from its trading partner to the iSoft connector. The connector calls the iSoftMDN data handler, which is provided with the connector, to convert the MDN to a business object. The MDN data handler is unidirectional; it converts MDN data from Peer-to-Peer Agent into a business object that the connector can send to the integration broker for processing. Conversion of business objects into notifications is not necessary, since Peer-to-Peer Agent handles the task of creating and sending MDNs to the trading partner.

Property Name Description Default value
BOName Name of the business object that will store the MDN data. Required. Sample_ISoft_MDN
ClassName Name of the data handler class to load for use with the specified MIME type. The top-level data handler meta-object has an attirbute whose name matches the specified MIME type and whose type is the MDN child meta-object. Required. com.crossworlds. DataHandlers.message. disposition_notification
DummyKey Key attribute required by InterChange Server Express. Used to copy a business object into the repository. Required. 1

For information about designing business objects for use with the MDN data handler, see Business objects for MDNs later in this guide.

Notification data handler

The Peer-to-Peer Agent can be configured to generate notification messages to inform the user of retry attempts being exhausted. The Notification data handler is unidirectional; it converts notification messages that Peer-to-Peer Agent sends to the connector into business objects that the connector can send to the integration broker for processing.

Property name Description Default value
BOName Name of the business object that will store the Notification data. Required. Sample_ISoft_Notification
ClassName Name of the data handler class to load for use with the specified MIME type. The top-level data handler meta-object has an attirbute whose name matches the specified MIME type and whose type is the Notification child meta-object. Required. com.crossworlds. DataHandlers.isoftp2p
DummyKey Key attribute required by InterChange Server Express. Used to copy a business object into the repository. Required. 1

For information about designing business objects for use with the Notification data handler, see Business objects for notifications later in this guide.

Copyright IBM Corp. 2003