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 > FTP > Overview of IBM WebSphere Adapter for FTP > Technical overview
WebSphere Application Server environment variables
When you configure the adapter for inbound or outbound processing using the external service wizard, you set values for various required local files and directories. You can later change these values in the deployed application from the IBM BPM administrative console.
With IBM BPM version 6.2 and onwards, instead of hard coding values for directories and files, you can declare them as WebSphere Application Server environment variables, and specify the environment variable names when you run the external service wizard. When you deploy your application, the environment variable name is replaced with the actual value and used by the adapter. If you want to change the property value, you can change the environment variable in the administrative console.
WebSphere Application Server environment variables can be used for all string property values (not Boolean or integer variables) that are set in inbound and outbound configuration.
When you define a WebSphere Application Server environment variable, you specify:
- The name of the environment variable, for example, EVENT_DIRECTORY.
- The value that the symbolic name represents, for example: C:\ftp\event
- The scope for the environment variable. The scope level determines the level at which the environment variable is visible in the administrative console. The scope level can be server, node, or cell:
- Server scope limits visibility to the named server. The server scope is the most specific scope for defining environment variables.
- Node scope limits visibility to all the servers on the named node. This is the default scope.
- Cell scope limits visibility to all servers on the named cell.
See the topic Defining WebSphere Application Server environment variables Defining WebSphere Application Server environment variables for detailed information about how to create a WebSphere Application Server environment variable.
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