Creating a user-defined node for a connector

Create a user-defined node that uses a connector in a message flow.

Before you begin

Create the connector factory, connectors, and connector descriptor for the runtime environment by completing the tasks in Developing a connector for the IBM App Connect Enterprise runtime environment.

About this task

The project that contains a user-defined node is a user-defined node project. When you create a user-defined node, you can add it to an existing user-defined node project, or you can create a new project. A user-defined node project can contain more than one user-defined node. Typically, all user-defined nodes for a particular connector provider are contained in the same project. For example, if you create an input, output, and request connector for a connector provider, all three types of connector have a user-defined node in the same project.

Procedure

To create a user-defined node, complete the following steps:

  1. In the IBM App Connect Enterprise Toolkit, click File > New > User-defined Node.
    The New User-defined Node wizard opens.
  2. Select an existing user-defined node project, or click New to create a new project.
    The following steps assume that you create a new project.
  3. In the New User-Defined Node Project wizard, select Create a new category and enter a name for the category.
    This category is displayed on the message flow node palette.
  4. Enter a project name.
    For example, use the same name as the connector provider.

    When you enter the project name and move to another field, the other fields in the wizard are filled automatically.

  5. Click Finish.
  6. In the New User-Defined Node wizard, specify a schema for this node.
    Do not use the default schema or any other common schema, such as mqsi, which might cause file name clashes.
    For example, you might use the same package name that is used for the runtime connector, such as connector.database.
  7. In Name, specify a name for the node.
    The name must be one of the following values:
    Connector interaction type User-defined node name
    Input ComIbmEventInput
    Output ComIbmOutput
    Request ComIbmRequest
  8. In Display name, enter a name for the node to include on the message flow node palette.
    For example, set the display name to My Database Input. This name is used in trace and error logs to represent the user-defined node.
  9. In Tooltip on palette, enter some appropriate text; for example, "Input node for a database".
  10. Select Implemented in Java/C.
  11. Optional: Import an icon to represent your node.
  12. Click Finish.

Results

A .msgnode file for the new user-defined node is created and is added to the project in the Application Development view. A .properties file of the same name is also created. The .msgnode file is opened in the Message Node editor.

What to do next

Configure the user-defined node properties for your connector by following the instructions in Configuring the user-defined node properties and terminals for your connector.