IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Defining and transforming data > Defining data objects

Create business objects

Data is defined by business objects. You can create business objects using the New Business Object wizard, or by creating or importing XSD files.

To create a business object using the wizard, follow these steps:


Procedure

  1. Click File > New > Business Object.

  2. The New Business Object wizard window opens. Choose an existing module or library or click New to create a new one. Provide a Name for the business object and you can also click Browse to provide the folder name.
  3. Optional: By default, business objects are created as global complex types. If your integration scenario requires a global element in the schema file, select the option Create the business object as an element. If you select this option, the business object will be created as a global element with an anonymous type, for example: 
    <xsd:element name="MyBusinessObject">
		<xsd:complexType>
			<xsd:sequence />
		</xsd:complexType>
	</xsd:element>

    For more information on manually creating global element based business objects, and why you would want to do this, see this technote

  4. If you want to pre-populate your business objects, click Next instead of Finish.

  5. The Derived Business Object window opens. If available, you may choose to populate the new business object with fields from one or more existing business objects.

  6. Click Finish. The new business object is created and available in the Business Integration view.


Other business object creation options

You can manually create and edit the XSD files using a text editor or XSD editor. Or, you can import XSD files into WID. This scenario is supported, provided that the file created in this manner is a properly formed schema and contains an XSD complex type definition.

  • Create private business objects
    Private business objects are business objects that are contained within other business objects. They are only visible to the containing business object, thereby making them "private". A business object field can have either a simple type or a business object type. All business objects are indexed and therefore can be reused in numerous places as required. If you want to use a complex type (that is, a business object type) that will only ever be used once, a private business object can be used for this purpose. In XSD terms, a private business object is simply an element with an anonymous complex type defined in a business object (that is, a complex type definition). Or more simply, it is a business object field that defines an anonymous complex type instead of referencing a named complex type.
  • Create abstract business objects
    An abstract business object is like an abstract java class.

    You cannot get an xml instance of an abstract business object at run time, however an abstract business object can be inherited by a regular business object. It is good practice to use an inherited business object rather than the abstract business object.

Defining data objects