Creating a message map in the Application Development view

You can create a message map for use in your message flows in the Application Development view with messages as input and output objects. Data from database tables can also be used as input to the message map.

Before you begin

Before you create a message map, you must complete the following tasks:

1. Create an application, a library, an integration service, or an Integration project, as described in the following topics:
   • Creating an application
   • Creating a library
   • Creating an integration service based on a wsdl or Creating an integration service from scratch
   • Creating an integration project
   • Creating a REST API. For information about the steps involved in completing this task, see Implementing a REST API operation by using a message map .
2. Create a message flow. For more information, see Creating a message flow.
3. Define the message flow content that includes a Mapping node. For more information, see Defining message flow content.

To create a message map in the Application Development view, complete the following steps:

1. Choose one of the following options to start the New Message Map wizard:
   • In the IBM® Integration Toolkit, click File > New > Message Map.
   • In the Application Development view, right-click the application, library, integration service, or Integration project where you want to create the message map. Then, click New > Message Map.

   The New Message Map wizard opens.

2. On the Specify a new message map file pane, select Message map called by a message flow.

   A message map is created that can be accessed from a Mapping node. A message map can contain components of a message body such as global elements and global types. A message map contains Properties, message headers, or the local environment.

3. Specify the Container, Map name, and broker schema for the message map. Click Next.

   If your message map is likely to be used by multiple solutions, store it in a shared library.

4. On the Select map inputs and outputs pane, select your input type:
   • If you want to use an XML, DFDL, or JSON schema-defined element, expand the list of available input objects, and select the input objects that you want to use as inputs to the message map.

     If necessary, use the Filter map input names field to filter what is shown in the list of available objects. Each object in the list is displayed in the form: objectname {namespace}.

   • If you want to use SOAP, JSON, or BLOB messages as input, expand IBM supplied message models, and select the message model type.
5. Select your mapping output type:
   • If you want to use an XML, DFDL, or JSON schema-defined element, expand the list of available output objects, and select the output objects that you want to use as outputs for the message map.

     If necessary, use the Filter map output names field to filter what is shown in the list of available objects. Each object in the list is displayed in the form: objectname {namespace}.

   • If you want to use SOAP, JSON, or BLOB messages as input, expand IBM supplied message models, and select the message model type.
6. Optional: If you are creating a Message map called by a message flow node, click Next to specify the Output domain for the message map.
7. Click Finish to create the message map.

Results

The new message map is created, and the Graphical Data Mapping editor opens with the selected sources and targets.

The message map is created as a .map file.

In the Application Development view, the message map is displayed under a Maps category. Maps are organized by namespace.

What to do next

Edit the message map, and define transformations between the input message assembly and the output message assembly. For more information, see Editing message maps.