Explanations

Use the Explanation column in the Template Messages window to add a detailed explanation of each message to create self-documenting messages. Explanations are optional, but can improve the usability of your collaboration.

For example, suppose you have a message with the following text: Update failed. Destination application missing entry for {1} {2}. This message text does not provide enough detail for the user to easily remedy the error. In this example, adding a message explanation such as the following can significantly enhance the value of the message to the user:

An update request was sent to a connector, which 
 successfully contacted the application. However, the application 
 did not return data for the specified key attribute value.
 

For more examples of self-documenting messages, view the InterchangeSystem.txt file that is installed with InterChange Server Express.

Reading message explanations

Explanations are not displayed with the message during runtime. Instead, the user must view them in the collaboration's message file.

If the InterChange Server log has been saved to a file, use Log Viewer to read any message explanations written to the log file. If the log is not saved to a file, message explanations must be viewed directly in the collaboration's message file.

Copyright IBM Corp. 2003, 2004