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 > Flat Files > Overview of WebSphere Adapter for Flat Files > Technical overview > Inbound processing

Inbound data transformation

During inbound processing, the adapter performs data transformation based on the adapter-specific data binding and data handler that you select when you configure the module in the external service wizard.


Inbound processing with data transformation

The process of data transformation during inbound processing is controlled by the adapter-specific data binding and data handler that you select when you configure the module. The following steps describe inbound processing with data transformation.

  1. Each individual event is retrieved from the event file based on the value set in the SplitCriteria property. The content is set on the record and sent to the data binding.

  2. The adapter checks the expected data type of the inbound operation.

    If it is not a generic type (FlatFile or FlatFileBG), the adapter checks for the data handler property in the data binding.

  3. If the data handler is set, the adapter transforms the data. The data binding invokes the data handler and returns a content-specific business object.

  4. The adapter passes this content-specific business object to the endpoint by calling the method returned by the function selector.


Inbound processing without data transformation

If no data transformation is required on the content, for example, when text\xml content must be retained as text\xml content, the event data is not converted into business objects but is passed through as unstructured content.

The following steps describe inbound processing without data transformation.

  1. Each individual event is retrieved from the event file based on the value set in the SplitCriteria property. The content is set on the record and sent to the data binding.

  2. The data binding checks for the expected type of the event. If it is a generic type (FlatFile or FlatFileBG), the adapter does not transform the data.

  3. The data binding sets the content on the UnstructuredContent record and sends it back to the adapter.

  4. The adapter passes this business object to the endpoint by calling the method returned by the function selector.

Inbound processing