Copying a message flow or subflow by using copy

Copy a message flow or subflow to use as a starting point for a new message flow or subflow that has similar function. For example, you might want to replace or remove one or two nodes to process messages in a different way.

Before you begin

To complete this task you must have already created a message flow or subflow; for more information, see Creating a message flow or Creating a subflow.

About this task

The Application Development view is populated with all the applications, libraries, and integration projects to which you have access. Message flows and subflows are contained in these containers. Message flow files are called message_flow_name.msgflow. Subflow files are called subflow_name.subflow.

To copy a message flow, complete the following steps.

Procedure

  1. In the Application Development view, expand the appropriate application, library, or integration project.
  2. Select the message flow or subflow that you want to copy and click Edit > Copy.
  3. Select the application, library, or integration project to which you want to copy the message flow or subflow, then click Edit > Paste.

    You can copy the flow to a different container, or to the same container. If the target container does not contain a broker schema, the schema is created automatically when you paste the message flow or subflow. If you copy a flow to the same container, you are prompted to rename the flow.

    When you copy a message flow or subflow, the associated files (ESQL and mapping, if present) are not automatically copied to the same target container. To copy these files as well, you must copy and paste each file.

    You might also need to update nodes that have associated ESQL or mappings, to ensure that modules are unique. For example, you have created a message flow Test1 that contains a single Compute node. You copy message flow Test1 and its associated .esql file to the same application, library, or integration project, and rename the copy Test2. However, two modules named Test1_Compute now exist in the same schema: one is in Test1.esql and the second is in Test2.esql.

    This duplication is not supported, and an error message is written to the Problems view when you have completed the copy action. You must rename the associated ESQL modules in the .esql file and update the matching node properties to ensure that every module in a broker schema is unique.

Results

When you have completed these steps, the flow is copied with all property settings intact. If you intend to use this copy of the message flow or subflow for another purpose (for example, to retrieve messages from a different input queue), you might have to modify its properties.

You can also copy a flow by clicking File > Save As. This task is described in Saving a message flow or subflow.