Defining the node properties

Define the properties for a user-defined node, and add input and output terminals so that you can connect it to other nodes in a message flow.

Before you start:
When you complete the task described in Creating the user-defined node plug-in files, a .msgnode file is created for the new node, and is opened in the Message Node editor of the Broker Application Development perspective. You can now add terminals and properties to the node.

Adding terminals to the node

  1. If the Terminals page is not already displayed, click the Terminals tab at the bottom of the Message Node editor.
  2. Click Add to the right of the In Terminals or Out Terminals fields to add an input or output terminal.

    You must define at least one input terminal, but output terminals are optional.

  3. To rename a terminal, click the terminal name so that it is highlighted and shows a flashing cursor after the name, and enter a new name.

Defining properties for the node

  1. Click the Properties tab at the bottom of the Message Node editor.

    On the Properties page, you can set the node's properties: for example, a database name, a host server name, or a password. The properties that you set here must match the properties that you specified in the user-defined node itself by using the get and set methods.

  2. If the node is an input node, click the node name in the hierarchy to highlight it, and select Input node. Select Use broker default values if you want the node to initialize with the broker's default values.
  3. To add a simple property, click the name of a property group in the hierarchy to highlight it, and click Add Simple PropertyThe Add Simple Property icon shows a table with two columns. A green cross is superimposed in the bottom left hand corner.

    The new property is added to the hierarchy as a child of the property group. Its name is highlighted so that you can change it. A number of fields are displayed in the Details section, where you can configure the property.

    1. Select the correct attribute type: one of the built-in types, or a type to match the list of values that the property can have.
    2. Enter any default values, which are shown in the Properties view when the node is included in a message flow.
    3. Specify the location of these resources in the relevant field to generate a property editor or a compiler. Use the IPropertyEditor interface for your property editor; see the Property editor API for more details.
    4. Use the IPropertyCompiler interface to create a custom compiler; see the Property editor API for more details.
    5. Specify the system property for each attribute that you define:
      Hidden
      The property is not displayed in the Properties view or the Promote Property dialog box.
      Read only
      The property is displayed, but cannot be changed.
      Mandatory
      A value is required. The field cannot be left blank. Boolean and enum properties are always mandatory.
      Configurable
      The property can be configured at deployment time
  4. Optional: Drag the properties in the properties hierarchy to change the order in which they are listed on the properties page.
  5. Close the nodename.msgnode file.
  6. Optional: You can customize the text that appears in the node properties view for each property. To set the text, open the nodename.properties file and edit the line:
    Property.propertyName = your descriptive text
Related reference
User-defined extensions
Related information
Property editor API
Notices | Trademarks | Downloads | Library | Support | Feedback

Copyright IBM Corporation 1999, 2009Copyright IBM Corporation 1999, 2009.
Last updated : 2009-01-07 15:23:06

as04496_