IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Services and service-related functions > Access external services with adapters > Configure and using adapters > IBM WebSphere Adapters > Email > Overview of WebSphere Adapter for Email > Technical overview of the WebSphere Adapter for Email > Outbound processing
Outbound data transformation
During outbound communication, the adapter transforms business objects into multipart MIME email messages.
While the adapter uses an adapter-specific data binding and data handlers to accomplish it, the actual transformation is external to the adapter and performed by IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus. The data bindings and data handlers that the adapter uses to compose an email from the corresponding attributes in a business object are configured through the external service wizard in IBM Integration Designer.
Data bindings
Data bindings are essentially maps that define how a business object is to be formatted. Data bindings are responsible for reading the fields in a business object and filling the corresponding fields in an email.
During outbound communication, the data binding takes the following fields from a business object and populates the equivalent fields in an email with their values:
- Headers
- Mail content
- Attachment
For data that does not require transformation, the adapter conducts the pass-through processing, where data such as attachments pass through the system without being altered.
The adapter uses one of the three data bindings during outbound communication. Each data binding corresponds to a business object structure or data type selected in the external service wizard. The following table lists these data bindings and describes their usage. A more detailed description of each data binding is provided in the sections that follow the table.
Outbound data bindings Data binding Usage Email simple data binding Used for the simple alert email data type Email wrapper data binding Used for the generic email and the generic email with business graph data types Email fixed structure data binding Used with the user-defined data type Email data binding Used only with version 6.0.2 business objects for compatibility with earlier versions
Email simple data binding The email simple data binding is the default data binding for the simple alert email data type in the external service wizard. This data binding corresponds to the simple alert email business object structure that is described in this documentation.
Email wrapper data binding The email wrapper data binding is the default data binding for both the Generic email and Generic email with business graph data types in the external service wizard. This data binding corresponds to the email business object structure.
Email fixed structure data binding The email fixed structure data binding is the default data binding for the user-defined data type in the external service wizard. This data binding corresponds to a specific business object structure defined by a user. With this data binding, the order of the attachments is significant. The attachments must be in the same order as the attributes in the business object. This data binding retains the order.
Email data binding This data binding is used exclusively for compatibility with business objects created in version 6.0.2 or earlier. This data binding supports the five-level business object structure used in version 6.0.2 of the adapter.
Data handlers
In addition to the data bindings, data transformation requires the use of a data handler. Data handlers are converters of data from one format to another. Data handlers perform the conversions between a business object and a particular MIME format. Data handlers are provided by IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus.
For data that does not need to be transformed, such as some attachments, the adapter can be configured to conduct what is called pass-through processing. In pass-through processing, data passes directly from the business object to the email without being altered.
Character encoding
To send globalized characters in email messages, you set encoding values for headers, mail content, and attachment business objects. For all data types except the simple alert email data type, you can set encoding values at two levels: in the Encoding attribute of the business object or in the Encoding property of the data binding in the data binding properties.
- For the simple alert email data type, you set the encoding value in the Encoding attribute of the SimpleAlertEmail business object.
- For the generic email data type, you set the encoding value in the Encoding property of the data binding (EmailWrapperDataBinding) or in the Encoding property of the wrapper business object (email business object). The encoding property in the data handler configuration must have the same value that is specified in the data binding.
- For the user-defined data type, you set the encoding value in the Encoding property of the wrapper business object (email business object) or in the Encoding property of the data binding (EmailFixedStructureDatabinding). The encoding property in the data handler configuration must have the same value that is specified in the data binding.
During pass-through processing, the adapter uses the encoding value that is set in the business object. When data transformation is required, the adapter uses the value that is set in the individual data binding.
In both pass-through and non pass-through scenarios, the headers are encoded with same encoding value such as the mailContent.
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