Developing a message flow with a CORBARequest node

To connect to an external CORBA application, create a message flow that contains a CORBARequest node.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have created an integration project and message set project, and that you have imported an IDL file, as described in Connecting to an external CORBA application.

About this task

You can create and configure a message flow manually, or you can create a message flow by dragging an imported IDL file onto the canvas.

Creating a message flow from an imported IDL file

Procedure

  1. Drag an IDL file from the CORBA IDLs folder in the Application Development view to an empty canvas.
    (If you have imported an IDL file that contains includes, drag the top-level IDL file onto the canvas.)

    A CORBARequest node is created. The IDL file, Interface name, and Operation name properties are set according to the IDL file.

  2. If the IDL file contains more than one interface or operation, select an interface and operation from the dialog box.
  3. Configure the following properties on the CORBARequest node:
    • Naming service: Specify the host name and port of the naming service.

      The format of this value is host:port, where port is optional; for example, localhost:2809. You can obtain this value from the administrator of the CORBA application that you are calling.

    • Object reference name: Specify the name of the object reference in the naming service.

      You can obtain this value from the CORBA server that you are calling. For more information about how to specify the object reference name, see CORBA naming service.

  4. Add to the message flow other nodes that build the incoming and outgoing messages.

    You can use an XML message for the CORBARequest node, or you can build a message by using a Compute, or JavaCompute node. If the incoming message has a message model, you can use a Mapping node to build the message that is sent to the CORBARequest node.

    If the message that the CORBARequest node produces has a message model, you can use a Mapping node to build the outgoing message.

  5. Build a message for the CORBARequest node by using the examples in Building a message for the CORBARequest node.
  6. Save the message flow.
  7. Deploy the message flow.
    (If you have used an IDL file that contains includes, ensure that all the IDL files are deployed with the message flow.)

What to do next

You can also drag an IDL file onto an existing CORBARequest node. The existing IDL file, Interface name, and Operation name properties are replaced with values from the new IDL file, and the Naming service and Object reference name properties are cleared. If the IDL file contains more than one interface or operation, the Interface name property is set to the first interface in the IDL file, and the Operation name property is set to the first operation in that interface.

Creating a message flow manually

Procedure

  1. Create a message flow.
  2. Add a CORBARequest node to the message flow.
  3. Configure the following properties on the CORBARequest node:
    • Naming service: Specify the host name and port of the naming service.

      The format of this value is host:port, where port is optional; for example, localhost:2809. You can obtain this value from the administrator of the CORBA application that you are calling.

    • Object reference name: Specify the name of the object reference in the naming service.

      You can obtain this value from the CORBA server that you are calling. For more information about how to specify the object reference name, see CORBA naming service.

    • IDL file: Click Browse and select the IDL file from the message set project. If you have imported an IDL file that contains includes, select the top-level IDL file.
    • Interface name: Specify the name of the interface in the IDL file that the node calls.
    • Operation name: Specify the name of the operation from the interface that you select in the IDL file.
      You can override this property in the local environment by specifying a value in the following location:
      $LocalEnvironment/Destination/CORBA/Request/OperationName
  4. Add to the message flow other nodes that build the incoming and outgoing messages.

    You can use an XML message for the CORBARequest node, or you can build a message by using a Compute, or JavaCompute node. If the incoming message has a message model, you can use a Mapping node to build the message that is sent to the CORBARequest node.

    If the message that the CORBARequest node produces has a message model, you can use a Mapping node to build the outgoing message.

  5. Build a message for the CORBARequest node by using the examples in Building a message for the CORBARequest node.
  6. Save the message flow.
  7. Deploy the message flow.
    (If you have used an IDL file that contains includes, ensure that all the IDL files are deployed with the message flow.)

What to do next

After you have deployed the message flow, learn how calls are processed by the CORBARequest node; see Processing responses from a CORBARequest node.