Input nodes
You must include at least one input node in your message flow.
An input node is different from other nodes because it controls when the rest of the message flow is triggered to do its processing. The input node is designed to check when there is data for the message flow to process, read that data from the transport or server, and present that data to the rest of the flow for processing. The other nodes do processing, but do not control when the flow gets invoked.
- CallableInput node
- Use the CallableInput node in a callable flow so that you can split message flow processing between different locations. The CallableFlowInvoke node in a calling flow calls the CallableInput node of a callable flow.
- DatabaseInput node
- Use the DatabaseInput node to respond to events in a database. For example, the integration node can keep an external system synchronized with a database by sending updates to the target system whenever data is changed in the database.
- EmailInput node
- Use the EmailInput node to retrieve an email, with or without attachments, from an email server that supports Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) or Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).
- FileInput node
- Use a FileInput node if the messages are contents of files.
- FTEInput node
- Use the FTEInput node to receive files using IBM® MQ File Transfer Edition.
- HTTP input node
- Use an HTTPInput node if the messages are sent by a web services client.
- Input node
- If you are creating a message flow that you want to embed in another
message flow (a subflow) that you will not deploy as a stand-alone
message flow, you must include at least one Input node to receive messages
into the subflow.
An instance of the Input node represents an In terminal. For example, if you have included one instance of the Input node, the subflow icon shows one In terminal, which you can connect to other nodes in the main flow in the same way that you connect any other node.
To deploy a message flow, it must have at least one input node. If your message flow does not contain an input node, you are prevented from adding it to the BAR file. The input node can be in the main flow, or in a message flow that is embedded in the main flow.
You can use more than one input node in a message flow. For more information, see Using more than one input node.
- JMSInput node
- Use a JMSInput node if the messages are sent by a JMS application.
- KafkaConsumer node
- Use the KafkaConsumer node to connect to the Kafka messaging system and to receive messages that are published on a Kafka topic.
- MQInput node
- Use an MQInput node if the messages arrive at the integration node on an IBM MQ queue, and the node is to be at the start of a message flow.
- MQTTSubscribe node
- Use the MQTTSubscribe node to receive messages that are published by applications and devices to a topic that is hosted on an MQ Telemetry Transport (MQTT) server.
- .NETInput node
- Use the .NETInput node to create inputs for the .NETCompute node using C#, F#, and VB templates.
- SOAP input node
- Use the SOAPInput node to process client SOAP messages and to configure the message flow to behave like a SOAP web services provider.
- TCPIPClientInput or TCPIPServerInput node
- Use a TCPIPClientInput node or a TCPIPServerInput node to create a TCP/IP connection when messages are sent through raw TCP/IP sockets.
- TCPIPClientReceive or TCPIPServerReceive node
- Use a TCPIPClientReceive node or a TCPIPServerReceive node to read the messages that arrive in the message flow through a TCP/IP connection.
- User-defined input node
- Use a user-defined input node if the message source is a client or application that uses a different protocol or transport.
- WebSphere® Adapters nodes
- Use the WebSphere Adapters
nodes to interact with Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) such as
SAP, Siebel, and PeopleSoft. The following input nodes are available:
- SAPInput node
- SiebelInput node
- PeopleSoftInput node
- JDEdwardsInput
The WebSphere Adapters input nodes monitor an EIS for a particular event. When that event occurs, business objects are sent to the input node. The node constructs a tree representation of the business objects and propagates it to the Out terminal so that the data can be used by the rest of the message flow.
The WebSphere Adapters request nodes can send and receive business data. They request information from an EIS and propagate the data to the rest of the message flow.