Variable Properties

You can specify the data type and input values for a variable. You can also apply content constraints and structural constraints to a variable for validation purposes. A variable can be a String, String list, String table, document, document list, document reference, document reference list, Object, or Object list.

In the Properties view, select a variable in the editor to set general properties and constraints for the variable.

Note: Specific properties in the Properties view are enabled or disabled, depending on the type of variable you have selected.

General Properties for Variables

In the Properties view, under General, you can change the data type for a variable. You can also associate the variable with an XML namespace and specify input values and an input method.

Property	Description
Name	Specifies the name of the variable. To change the name of a variable, rename it in the editor.
Type	Specifies the data type of the variable.
XML namespace	Specifies the XML namespace to which the variable belongs.
Comments	Specifies a comment about the variable.
Model type	Specifies the content model for a document or document list variable. The content model provides a formal description of the structure and allowed content for a document. The Model type property is display-only. To change the model type for a document or document list, modify the corresponding complex type definition in the XML schema definition, and recreate the document type that contains this document or document list. The contents of a document or document list variable with a Model type property value other than “Unordered” cannot be modified. The Model type property can have one of the following values:
	Value...	Description...
	All	At run time, all of the fields in the document must appear once or not at all, and in any order. The all model type corresponds to an complex type definition that contains an all compositor in the model group.
	Choice	One and only one of the fields in the document can appear. The choice model type corresponds to an complex type definition that contains a choice compositor in the model group.
	Sequence	Fields in the instance document must appear in the same order in which they are declared in the document type. The sequence model type corresponds to an complex type definition that contains a sequence compositor in the model group.
	Simple	At run time, the document contains a single field that contains simple content and carries an attribute. The document field contains a `@attributeName` field for the attribute value and a `*body` field for the simple content.
	Unordered	At run time, fields in the document can appear in any order and any number of times. Note: An unordered data structure is sometimes referred to as a “bag” data structure.
String display type	Specifies how you want to enter input data for this variable. You can only select a display type if the variable is a String. Select one of the following:
	Select...	To...
	Text Field	Enter the input in a text field.
	Password	Enter the input as a password, where asterisks indicate the input instead of characters.
	Large Editor	Enter the input in a large text area instead of a text field. This is useful if you expect a large amount of text as input for the variable, or if you need to have TAB or new line characters in the input.
	Pick List	Limit the input to a predefined list of values. These values appear as choices when Designer prompts for input at run time. Click the Pick list choices property’s Edit button to specify the list of values you want users to select from.
Pick list choices	Allows you to enter the list of values that users can select for this variable.
Document reference	For a document reference or document reference list, this property specifies the fully qualified name of the document type in the Package Navigator view that the variable references.
Substitution group	If the variable represents an element that is a member of a substitution group, identifies the head element for which this element can be substituted.

Constraints Properties for a Variable

Use these properties to apply structural and content constraints to the variable. You only need to specify constraints if you plan to use this variable with validation.

Property	Description
Min occurs	Specifies the minimum number of occurrences of the variable at run time. This property is display-only. Note: The Min occurs property appears only for a variable in a document type with a Model type property value of Sequence, Choice, or All.
Max occurs	Specifies the maximum number of occurrences of the variable at run time. A value of “unbounded” indicates that the variable can appear an unlimited number of times. This property is display-only. Note: The Max occurs property appears only for a variable in a document type with a Model type property value of Sequence, Choice, or All.
Required	Specifies whether or not the variable needs to exist at run time. The Required property appears for variables in document types if one or more of the following are true: The document type was created using a version of Integration Server prior to version 8.2. The document type was created using Developer. The Model type property of the document type is Unordered.
	Select...	To...
	True	The default value. Specifies that the variable must exist in the pipeline at run time.
	False	Specifies that the existence of the variable is optional at run time.
Allow null	Specifies whether null is a valid value for this variable.
	Select...	To...
	True	The default value. Specifies that a null value will not result in a validation error at run time.
	False	Specifies that a null value will cause a validation error at run time.
Allow unspecified fields	Specifies whether the document is open or closed. This property is enabled only if the variable is a document or document list.
	Select...	To...
	True	The default value. The document is considered open. At run time, fields that exist in the document but are not declared in the document field will not cause errors.
	False	The document or document list is considered closed. At run time, fields that exist in the document but are not declared in the document field will be treated as errors.
Content type	Specifies the XML schema simple type that constrains the value of the String field. This property is enabled if the variable is a String, String list, or String table. To view and edit the content constraint for a variable, click and select one of the following:
	Select...	To...
	Content type	Select a content constraint from the drop-down menu that corresponds to a simple type built-in to XML Schema.
	Browse	Use a simple type from an IS schema as the content constraint.
	Customize	Customize a simple type by modifying the constraining facets.
	Base constraints	View the constraining facet values set in the type definitions from which a simple type was derived.
Java wrapper type	Specifies the Java class of an Object field. This property is enabled if the variable is an Object or Object list.

Constraints Applied to Variables

Designer displays small symbols next to a variable icon to indicate the constraints applied to the variable. Designer displays variables in the following ways:

Variable	Constraint status	Variable Properties
	Required field.	The Required property is set to True.
	Optional field.	The Required property is set to False.
	Required field with content type constraint	The Content type property specifies an IS schema or XML schema.
	Optional field with content type constraint	The Required property is set to False and the Content type property specifies an IS schema or XML schema.

Note: Designer displays the ‡ symbol next to String, String list, and String table variables with a content type constraint only. Designer does not display the ‡ symbol next to Object and Object list variables with a specified Java class constraint. Object and Object lists with an applied Java class constraint have a unique icon. For more information about icons for constrained Objects, see Java Classes for Objects.