Converting between applications and libraries

You can convert an application into a static library, or you can convert a static or shared library into an application.

Before you begin

Read the concept information about applications, libraries, and integration projects in Resource management overview.
To convert projects from previous versions of IBM Integration Bus, you must first import them. For instructions, see Importing resources from previous versions.
To convert a project to an application or library, see Converting existing projects to applications and libraries.

About this task

Applications are designed to contain all the resources that you need for a particular solution. Your main message flows are typically contained by an application. Libraries are designed to contain objects for reuse. Libraries typically contain reusable helper routines and resources such as subflows, ESQL modules, message definitions, and Java™ utilities. You might want to convert an application to a static library if it contains resources that you want to reuse for other solutions. You might want to convert a library to an application if it contains all the resources that are required to build your solution. If your application contains runnable message flows, a warning is displayed if you try to convert it to a library.

To convert an application or library to a different project type, complete the following steps.

Procedure

In the Application Development view, right-click the application or library that you want to convert, then click Convert to Application or Convert to Library.
If you are converting a library to an application, conversion happens immediately. If necessary, you can rename the converted application by right-clicking it and selecting Rename.
If you are converting an application to a static library, and your application contains runnable flows, read the warning message. To leave the application as an application, click Cancel. If you still want to convert the application to a library, click Convert.
The application is converted to a static library. To share the resources in this library between multiple solutions, you can convert the static library to a shared library (see Converting a static library to a shared library).

Results

The converted application or library is displayed with its resources in the Application Development view.