Common configuration tasks

After installing the adapter, you must configure the connector before starting it. This section provides an overview of some of the configuration and startup tasks that most developers will need to perform.

Installing the adapter

See Configuring the connector, for a description of what and where you must install.

Configuring connector properties

Connectors have two types of configuration properties: standard configuration properties and connector-specific configuration properties. Some of these properties have default values that you do not need to change. You may need to set the values of some of these properties before running the connector. For more information, see Configuring the connector.

When you configure connector properties for the adapter for WebSphere Commerce, make sure that:

Sending requests without notification

To configure the adapter to send requests without notification (the default asynchronous mode, also known as "fire and forget"):

Sending requests and get notifications

Note:
This approach requires a customization of the commands that are executed in WebSphere Commerce when a business object comes from the ICS. The commands should retrieve the "ReplyTo" queue from the message, and place a reply on the queue within the ResponseTimeout interval. For information about creating and customizing commands in WebSphere Commerce, refer to the Programmer's Guide for WebSphere Commerce 5.4.

If you configure the adapter to send requests and get notifications, specify a positive ResponseTimeout value to indicate how long the adapter waits for a reply.

This approach also requires that you define a ReplyTo queue in the connector properties. See "Synchronous delivery" for more information and details about what the connector expects in a response message. If the requirements listed are not met by the response message, the connector may report errors or fail to recognize the response message. See also sections on "Configuring meta-object attributes", and Working with business objects.

Configuring a static meta-object

A static meta-object contains application-specific information that you specify about business objects and how the connector processes them. A static meta-object provides the connector with all the information it needs to process a business object when the connector is started.

If you know at implementation time which queues different business objects must be sent to, use a static meta-object. To create and configure this object:

Configuring a dynamic meta-object

If the connector is required to process a business object differently depending on the scenario, use a dynamic meta-object. This is a child object that you add to the business object. The dynamic meta-object tells the connector (at run-time) how to process a request. Unlike the static meta-object, which provides the connector with all of the information it needs to process a business object, a dynamic meta-object provides only those additional pieces of logic required to handle the processing for a specific scenario. To create and configure a dynamic meta-object:

The connector will check for the dynamic meta-object and use its information to determine how to process the business object. For more information, see "Dynamic child meta-objects".

Configuring MQMD formats

MQMDs are message descriptors. MQMDs contain the control information accompanying application data when a message travels from one application to another. You must specify a value for the MQMD attribute OutputFormat in either your static or dynamic meta-object. For more information, see "Create, update, and delete".

Configuring queue URIs

To configure queues for use with the connector:

Configuring the XML data handler

The XML data handler is required for using the adapter with WebSphere Commerce. There are two ways to configure the data handler:

Modifying the startup script

See Configuring the connector, for a description of how to start the connector. You must configure connector properties before startup. You must also modify the startup file:

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