The output message of a flow

The output message of a flow is a single message that describes the output parameters that the flow returns to a program that invokes the flow.

The following steps provide an overview of how to create an output message, how to store a reference to the output message into the interface operation of a flow, and how to use the output message during the processing of the flow.
Note: Some of the same tasks are required in setting up the output message of a flow as are required in setting up the input message of a flow (see The input message of a flow). Therefore in the wizards described below, whenever a wizard page contains an option for an input message, the same page also includes a similar option for an output message.

  1. Create an output message file and an output message.

    • Basic method:

      1. Create a new message file (extension .sfmxsd) to serve as the output message file of the flow.

      2. Within the message file create a new message:
        • This message serves as the output message of the flow.
        • This message should be the only message in the output message file.

      3. Within the output message create a message element corresponding to each of the output parameters of the flow.

        Define each message element to contain the same type of data as the corresponding output parameter.
        Note: A message element can be a simple data type, a complex data type, or an array.

      See the example in Step 1.2: Define the input, output, and variable messages for the top-level flow

    • Wizards:

      See Steps 2 and 3.

  2. Create an interface operation and store a reference to the output message into the interface operation.

    You can store a reference to the output message into the interface at the same time that you store a reference to the input message (see Step 2 in the instructions in The input message of a flow).

    If you have not stored a reference to the output file into the interface operation yet, you can do so now:

    1. Open the operations file that you created earlier (extension .wsdl).

    2. Expand the operation the you want to update.

    3. Add a reference to the output message of the flow to the interface operation (see Working with the operations editor).

    See the example in Step 1.3: Create the interface operation for the top-level flow

  3. Specify the operation from Step 2 as the interface operation for a flow.

    See Step 3 in The input message of a flow.

  4. At the end of the flow store the output parameters of the flow into the output message:

    1. Open the flow in the flow editor.

    2. In the last Assign node of the flow (if this node was created automatically its name is variableAssignOutput):
      1. Get the output parameters from the general-purpose variables in which you have stored them.
      2. Store the output values into general-purpose variables so that you can use them during the flow.

      See the example in Step 4.5: Set the output parameters of the flow CatalogOrder).