Using the Server Mode

The most common pattern for using a Connector in Server Mode is:

1. Using the Config Editor, add a Connector in Server mode to our workspace. See Creating a Connector.

2. Set the mode (Server) and other connection parameters for this Connector in the Connection tab; required parameters are marked with an asterisk (*). Some Connectors require you to configure a Parser as well in the Parser tab.

3. Set up the Attribute Map; see Input Attribute mapping.

These mapped Attributes are retrieved from the data source, placed in the Work entry, and passed to the Connectors in the Flow section in the AssemblyLine.

1. Server mode Connectors are special in that they usually need to return some information to the client that connects to it. Due to this nature, setting up Attribute Maps by clicking Discover Attributes will in many cases not result in any meaningful Schema; therefore, we will in most cases need to set up attribute maps completely by hand by selecting Add new attribute; alternatively delete unneccessary ones by selecting a mapping and deleting it. The data mapped out in this manner is sent back to the client, for each cycle of the AssemblyLine; though as mentioned before, in a typical request or response way of operation there will often be only one cycle.

2. Server Mode Connectors based on TCP protocols have a parameter called Connection Backlog that controls the queue length for incoming connections.

3. In the AssemblyLine component list we can observe sections called Feeds and Flow. Server Mode Connectors observe a third phase in AssemblyLine processing, the Response phase. The Output Map and Response Hooks are part of the Server Mode Connector itself on screen, but the execution of response behavior is done after Flow section processing is finished.

   Note that a system.skipEntry(); call will instruct the AssemblyLine to skip response behavior, and as such, no reply will be made by a Server Mode Connector. If you would prefer to simply skip the remaining Flow section components and yet send the response, use the system.exitBranch("Flow"); call instead.

If you did not create the Connector directly inside an AssemblyLine, then in order to use this Connector in an AssemblyLine, drag the Connector from its location in <workspace>/Resources/Connectors to the Feed section of an AssemblyLine.

Parent topic: Server mode