Lookup search rules = Link Criteria

When you selected Lookup mode then a new tab labeled 'Link Criteria' appeared in the Connector editor. Link Criteria is for defining the matching rules for the search.

You can either define these as simple Link Criteria by using the drop-downs, adding new Link Criteria as needed and setting the Match Any check box as you would for Conditions. Alternatively, you can select the Build criteria with custom script check box and instead write a snippet of script that computes the actual search rule, like this example of an LDAP search filter:

   "(cn=" + work.FullName + ")"

Note that this will tie your solution more closely to the data source being searched since you have to write the actual syntax expected by the connected system. In our case it would mean creating a WHERE clause (without the 'WHERE' keyword itself).

In contrast, simple Link Criteria are translated to native search syntax for you by the Connector, so you can switch the Connector Interface without having to redo your Link Criteria.

Simple Link Criteria look similar to Conditions. The first drop-down is populated with the schema you discovered and the second one shows you which Work Entry Attributes are available at this point in your AL. Again, just as with Conditions, the dollar sign is used here to indicate that the value of the named Attribute should be substituted at run-time in order to create the search filter.

Figure 1. A simple Link Criteria

Remember to save your work, for example by pressing CTRL-S¹. You will want to do this regularly so that you don't loose any work.

It's time to Run your AssemblyLine again.

¹ If you have deleted AssemblyLines or resources and want to undo this, right-click on your project in the Navigator panel and select Restore from Local History... which will present you with a list of asset versions to restore from. You will of course have to save something first before it shows up in your Local History.