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Globalization and bidirectional data transformation

The adapter is globalized to support single- and multi-byte character sets and deliver message text in the specified language. The adapter also performs bidirectional script data transformation, that refers to the task of processing data that contains both right-to-left (Hebrew or Arabic, for example) and left-to-right (a URL or file path, for example) semantic content within the same file.


Globalization

Globalized software applications are designed and developed for use within multiple linguistic and cultural environments rather than a single environment. WebSphere Adapters, IBM Integration Designer, IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus are written in Java™. The Java runtime environment within the Java virtual machine (JVM) represents data in the Unicode character code set. Unicode contains encodings for characters in most known character code sets (both single- and multi-byte). Therefore, when data is transferred between these integration system components, there is no need for character conversion.

To log error and informational messages in the appropriate language and for the appropriate country or region, the adapter uses the locale of the system on which it is running.


Bidirectional script data transformation

Languages such as Arabic and Hebrew are written from right to left, yet they contain embedded segments of text that are written left to right, resulting in bidirectional script. When software applications handle bidirectional script data, standards are used to display and process it. Bidirectional script data transformation applies only to string type data. IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus uses the Windows standard format, but applications or file systems that exchange data with the server might use a different format. The adapter transforms bidirectional script data passed between the two systems so that it is accurately processed and displayed on both sides of a transaction. It transforms the script data by using a set of properties that defines the format of script data, as well as properties that identify content or metadata to which transformation applies.


Bidirectional script data formats

IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus uses the bidirectional format of ILYNN (implicit, left-to-right, on, off, nominal). This bidirectional format is used by Windows. If an enterprise information system uses a different format, the adapter converts the format before introducing the data to IBM BPM or WebSphere Enterprise Service Bus.

The bidirectional format consists of five attributes. When you set bidirectional properties, you assign values for each of these attributes. The attributes and settings are listed in the following table.

Bidirectional format attributes
Letter position Purpose Values Description Default setting
1 Order schema I Implicit (Logical) I
V Visual
2 Direction L Left-to-Right L
R Right-to-Left
C Contextual Left-to-Right
D Contextual Right-to-Left
3 Symmetric Swapping Y Symmetric swapping is on Y
N Symmetric swapping is off
4 Text Shaping S Text is shaped N
N Text is not shaped (Nominal)
I Initial shaping
M Middle shaping
F Final shaping
B Isolated shaping
5 Numeric Shaping H National (Hindi) N
C Contextual shaping
N Numbers are not shaped (Nominal)


Bidirectional properties that identify data for transformation

To identify business data for transformation, set the BiDiContextEIS property.

Do this setting by specifying values for each of the five bidirectional format attributes (listed in the preceding table) for the property. The BiDiContextEIS property can be set for the managed connection factory and for the activation specification.

To identify event persistence data subject for transformation, set the EP_BiDiFormat property. The value for the EP_BiDiFormat property is set with the value you specified in the BiDiContextEIS property. The EP_BiDiFormat property can be set for the activation specification.

To identify application-specific data for transformation, annotate the BiDiContextEIS property and the BiDiMetadata property within a business object. Do this setting by using the business object editor within IBM Integration Designer to add the properties as application-specific elements of a business object.

Globalization


Related reference:

Bidirectional transformation in business objects

Properties enabled for bidirectional data transformation

Activation specification properties

Managed connection factory properties