FCC parameter reference for MessageTransformBean module

[engswee]

Update 14 Mar 2016: Revert 2 Jan 2015 change - xml.<StructureName>.processFieldNames is actually correct for StructPlain2XML. Also parameter xml.recordsetsPerMessage is not allowed for StructPlain2XML

Update 9 Oct 2015: Consolidate content - introduction was previously in original blog. Fully move all content to this collaborative document to allow for collaborative effort to maintain/update this reference list

Update 2 Jan 2015: Correction for StructPlain2XML- should be xml.processFieldNames instead of xml.<StructureName>.processFieldNames

Introduction

Performing File Content Conversion (FCC) is a common requirement when developing interfaces that deal with flat file formats. This can be easily accomplished in the File/FTP adapter. However, for other adapter types, this needs to be achieved by adding the MessageTransformBean (MTB) module with conversion class com.sap.aii.af.sdk.xi.adapter.Conversion into the module chain.

However, MTB is not feature-equivalent with the FCC functionality in the File/FTP adapter. Certain parameters that are available for configuration in the File/FTP adapter are not equally supported in MTB. Furthermore, the SAP Help Library online documentation does not fully list down all the available configuration parameters. Therefore, more often than not when working with MTB, it becomes a trial and error exercise.

This blog is an attempt to come up with a list (as comprehensive as possible) of the configuration options available when using MTB. This has been accomplished by decompiling the corresponding JAR package for MTB. Whilst this is on a PI 7.11 system, hopefully most of it will still be applicable for higher releases. Hopefully this will be a helpful reference for those who plan to use MTB in the future.

1) Conversion type: SimplePlain2XML

Parameter Name	Default value if parameter not configured	Allowed parameter values	Additional remarks
xml.skipEmptyFile	false
xml.encoding	UTF-8
xml.conversionType	SimplePlain2XML		Required parameter
xml.structureTitle	row
xml.fieldFixedLengths			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.fieldFixedLengthType	char
xml.fieldSeparator			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.endSeparator	nl
xml.beginSeparator
xml.enclosureSign
xml.enclosureSignEnd	xml.enclosureSign
xml.enclosureSignEscape
xml.enclosureSignEndEscape	xml.enclosureSignEscape
xml.enclosureConversion	YES
xml.checkForXMLPredefinedEntities	YES
xml.checkForISOControls
xml.lastFieldsOptional	NO		Deprecated and should not be used with missingLastFields or additionalLastFields
xml.missingLastFields	ignore
xml.additionalLastFields
xml.keepIncompleteFields	NO
xml.addBeginSeparatorAsField
xml.addEndSeparatorAsField
xml.fieldContentFormatting	trim
xml.processFieldNames		fromFile - means that the field name information is located in the header line of the file to be converted. fromFileWithBlankLine - corresponds to fromFile. After the header line there also follows a blank line or separator that is skipped. fromConfiguration - means that no header information exits in the file to be converted, but it will be delivered by the present configuration. notAvailable - means that no field name information is assumed to be in the configuration or in the file to be converted. In this case, the columns in the XML document are identified using a simple counter tag (<columnX> , X=0,1,2…).	Required parameter
xml.documentName
xml.documentNamespace
xml.documentNamespaceScope	root
xml.fieldNames			Required parameter if xml.processFieldNames = fromConfiguration

2) Conversion type: StructPlain2XML

<StructureName> is per the structure names defined in xml.recordsetStructure. For each structure name listed, configure the corresponding xml.<StructureName>.* parameters.

Parameter Name	Default value if parameter not configured	Allowed parameter values	Additional remarks
xml.skipEmptyFile	false
xml.encoding	UTF-8
xml.conversionType	StructPlain2XML		Required parameter
xml.recordsetStructure			Required parameter
xml.recordsetStructureOrder	asc
xml.allowEmptyRecordsets	YES
xml.recordsetName	Recordset
xml.recordsetNamespace
xml.recordsetNamespaceScope	root
xml.recordsetBeginSeparator
xml.recordsetEndSeparator
xml.documentName
xml.documentNamespace
xml.documentNamespaceScope	root
xml.recordsetsPerMessage	*		Message splitting via MTB is actually not allowed. If this is configured, it will result in an error in the communication channel.
xml.documentSkipFirstRows	0
xml.keyFieldName			Required parameter if there is a structure with * in xml.recordsetStructure
xml.keyFieldType			Required parameter if there is a structure with * in xml.recordsetStructure
xml.<StructureName>.processFieldNames	fromConfiguration	fromFile - means that the field name information is located in the header line of the file to be converted. fromFileWithBlankLine - corresponds to fromFile. After the header line there also follows a blank line or separator that is skipped. fromConfiguration - means that no header information exits in the file to be converted, but it will be delivered by the present configuration. notAvailable - means that no field name information is assumed to be in the configuration or in the file to be converted. In this case, the columns in the XML document are identified using a simple counter tag (<columnX> , X=0,1,2…).
xml.<StructureName>.fieldFixedLengths			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.<StructureName>.fieldFixedLengthType	char
xml.<StructureName>.fieldSeparator			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.<StructureName>.endSeparator	nl
xml.<StructureName>.beginSeparator
xml.<StructureName>.enclosureSign
xml.<StructureName>.enclosureSignEnd
xml.<StructureName>.enclosureSignEscape
xml.<StructureName>.enclosureSignEndEscape
xml.<StructureName>.enclosureConversion	YES
xml.<StructureName>.checkForXMLPredefinedEntities	YES
xml.<StructureName>.checkForISOControls
xml.<StructureName>.lastFieldsOptional	NO		Deprecated and should not be used with missingLastFields or additionalLastFields
xml.<StructureName>.missingLastFields	ignore
xml.<StructureName>.additionalLastFields
xml.<StructureName>.keepIncompleteFields	NO
xml.<StructureName>.addBeginSeparatorAsField
xml.<StructureName>.addEndSeparatorAsField
xml.<StructureName>.fieldContentFormatting	trim
xml.<StructureName>.keyFieldValue			Required parameter if there is a structure with * in xml.recordsetStructure
xml.<StructureName>.keyFieldInStructure	add
xml.<StructureName>.fieldNames			Required parameter if xml.<StructureName>.processFieldNames = fromConfiguration

3) Conversion type: SimpleXML2Plain

xml.encoding

Parameter Name	Default value if parameter not configured	Allowed parameter values	Additional remarks
xml.skipEmptyFile	false
UTF-8
xml.conversionType	SimpleXML2Plain		Required parameter
xml.fieldFixedLengths			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.fieldFixedLengthType	char
xml.fieldSeparator			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.endSeparator	nl
xml.beginSeparator
xml.checkForXMLPredefinedEntities	YES
xml.checkForISOControls
xml.addHeaderLine			Required parameter
xml.headerLine			Required parameter if xml.addHeaderLine = 3 or 4
xml.absoluteRowWidth	0
xml.fixedLengthTooShortHandling	Error

4) Conversion type: StructXML2Plain

<StructureName> is per the structure names defined in xml.recordsetStructure. For each structure name listed, configure the corresponding xml.<StructureName>.* parameters.

Parameter Name	Default value if parameter not configured	Allowed parameter values	Additional remarks
xml.skipEmptyFile	false
xml.encoding	UTF-8
xml.conversionType	StructXML2Plain		Required parameter
xml.recordsetStructure			Required parameter
xml.<StructureName>.fieldFixedLengths			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.<StructureName>.fieldFixedLengthType	char
xml.<StructureName>.fieldSeparator			Either fieldFixedLengths or fieldSeparator must be populated
xml.<StructureName>.endSeparator	nl
xml.<StructureName>.beginSeparator
xml.<StructureName>.checkForXMLPredefinedEntities	YES
xml.<StructureName>.checkForISOControls
xml.<StructureName>.absoluteRowWidth	0
xml.<StructureName>.fixedLengthTooShortHandling	Error

References:

For details about the functionality & values related to each parameter, refer to the corresponding parameter listed in the FCC section of the File/FTP adapter below:-

Converting Text Format in the Sender File/FTP Adapter to XML

Converting XML in the Receiver File/FTP Adapter to Text Format

Wiki with step by step sample of configuring FCC on JMS adapter

How To...Content conversion module with J2EE JMS adapter - Process Integration - SCN Wiki