About this task
The following steps describe how to create a calling flow and a callable flow that can send information to each other.
Procedure
- In the IBM Integration Toolkit, create the calling message flow, which must include a CallableFlowInvoke node.
The CallableFlowInvoke node parses the incoming message in full so that it is in a suitable format to send to the CallableInput node. Therefore, you should validate the message before it reaches the CallableFlowInvoke node. If the message fails validation at this point, it can be rolled back.
- In a different application, create a callable message flow, which must begin with a CallableInput node, and contain a CallableReply node.
A CallableFlowInvoke node calls a callable flow by referring to the endpoint name on the CallableInput node, and the application that contains the callable flow. Therefore, you must include all callable flows in applications.
- On the CallableInput node of the callable flow, use the Endpoint Name property to provide a name for the callable flow.
Application and endpoint name pairs must be unique on a single integration server. You can have multiple callable flows that share the same application and endpoint names, but they must be in different integration servers. In this case, the Switch server acts as a load balancer.
- On the CallableFlowInvoke node of the calling flow, set the following properties.
Table 1. CallableFlowInvoke node propertiesProperty |
Value |
Target Application |
Set this property to the name of the application that contains the callable flow. |
Target Endpoint Name |
Enter the name of the Endpoint Name property of the CallableInput node. This name is case sensitive. The Target Endpoint Name must match the Endpoint Name of the CallableInput node exactly. |
Request timeout (sec) |
Set the time within which the callable flow must be called, in seconds. If the callable flow is not called within the specified time, an error message is issued. |
Call Preference |
- If your main and callable flows are in the same integration server, set this property to Prefer local calls.
- If your flows are split between different integration servers, or between IBM Integration Bus and IBM Integration
Bus on Cloud, set this property to Remote calls only.
|
- Package the applications that contain your message flows into BAR files.
- Deploy the BAR files to the appropriate integration servers.
If you are splitting processing between IBM Integration Bus and IBM Integration
Bus on Cloud, deploy one BAR file on premises and upload the other to the cloud. For more information about deploying BAR files to the cloud, see Running integrations in the cloud in the IBM Integration
Bus on Cloud product documentation.
Results
When you pass a message into the main message flow, the
CallableFlowInvoke node sends the contents of the message body and local environment folders to the
CallableInput node of the callable flow. When the callable flow completes processing, the
CallableReply node returns the message body and local environment folder data to the
CallableFlowInvoke node of the main flow.
What to do next
If your callable flows are in different integration servers, you need to create a Switch server (which routes data) and connectivity agents to allow the flows to communicate securely. For more information, see
Preparing the environment for callable flows.