Preface
Welcome to Informatica Process Developer
- About Informatica Process Developer
- Working in the Eclipse Environment
- Migrating from Earlier Versions
- Saving From One Editing Style to Another (BPMN and Classic)
- Converting Legacy Deployments to Contributions
Using Guide Developer for the First Time
- Launching Process Developer
- Using the Workspace to Store Projects
- Creating an Orchestration Project
  - Changing the Default Location of a Workspace Project
  - Orchestration Project Templates
- Adding or Removing a Project Orchestration Nature
- About Project Orchestration and Validation Builders
- Using Project References
- Creating a New Process
  - Beginning a New Process
  - Selecting the BPMN-Centric or BPEL-Centric Palette
- Importing an Existing BPEL Process
- Importing a Visio XML Drawing File
- Begin Your First Project with Process Developer Assistance
- Setting Up the Embedded Process Server
- Process Developer Orchestration File Resources
Getting Started with Informatica Process Developer
- Using Source Control Systems
- Navigating Through Process Developer
- Windows Perspectives Views and Editors
- Process Developer Perspective
- Guide Developer Debug Perspective
- BPMN-Centric and BPEL-Centric Edit Styles
- Using the Process Developer Process Editor
- Customizing the Process Developer Perspective
- Process Developer Menus and Toolbars
- Process Developer Preferences
- Accessing Process Developer Help
About Interfaces Service References and Local WSDL
- Importing a Local WSDL
- Importing a Service Reference
- Creating a New Interface
- Creating a Java Interface
- Using the Interfaces View to Create Activities
- Creating a WSDL File with Extensions for BPEL
- Using Sample Data for WSDL Messages
- Finding Where a WSDL Component is Used
- Using Process Search
Planning Your BPEL Process
- Using Top-Down or Bottom-Up Process Design
- Using WSDL References for Efficient Design
  - Creating WSDL Extensions for BPEL
  - Starting a Process by Dropping an Operation onto the Process Editor
- Importing WSDL Schema and Other Resources
- Declaring Extensions
  - Using the Process Developer Create XPath Extension
  - Using the Process Developer Disable Selection Failure Fault Extension
- Declaring Extension Elements and Attributes
- Understanding BPEL Process Structure and Properties
- Understanding BPEL Process Lifecycle
- Creating an Executable vs. an Abstract Process
  - Creating an Abstract Process
  - Tips for Working with Abstract Processes
- Creating a BPEL Process as a Service for Another BPEL Process
- Message Exchange Declaration
Participants
- What are Participants
- What are Partner Link Types and Partner Links
- Partner Link Type
- Partner Link
- Using Scoped Partner Links
- Partner Links and Endpoint References
Implementing a BPMN Task or Event in BPEL
- BPMN-to-BPEL Implementation of Tasks and Events
- Overview of BPEL Activities
- Defining an Activity and Its Properties
  - Selecting Values for Activity Properties
  - Selecting Activity Labels
  - Standard Properties for Activities
  - Adding a Background Color to a Task Scope People Activity and Handlers
- Understanding and Using Activity Sequences and Flows
- Receive
- Reply
- Throw
- Rethrow
- Signal
- Exit
- Wait
- Compensate
- Compensate Scope
- Break
- Continue
- Start End None
- Invoke
  - From Part to Variable
  - From Variable to Part
  - Input Variable
  - Output Variable
- Assign
  - Tips for Copy Operations
  - Copy Operation Query and Expression Examples
  - Copy Operation Literal Contents Examples
  - Copy Operation Dynamic Endpoint Reference Example
  - Element to Element Copy Operation with Keep Source Element Name Attribute
  - Copy Operation with Ignore Missing From Data Attribute
- Empty
- Suspend
- Validate
- Opaque
- Creating a Custom Activity
- Creating an Activity by Starting with a WSDL Interface
Implementing a BPMN Gateway or Control Flow
- BPMN-to-BPEL Implementation of Gateways and Control Flow
- Different Ways of Structuring Activities
  - Overview of Control Flow Items
  - Ungrouping Selected Structured Activities
- Gateway
- Pick
- Fork Join
- If
- While
- Repeat Until
- Scope
- For Each
- Sequence
- Flow
Using Variables
- Overview of Variables
- Adding a Variable
- Adding Variable Properties and Property Aliases
- Initializing a Variable
- Viewing Variables
- Deleting a Variable
- Using Sample Data in Process Variables View
- Using the XML Data Wizard
- Finding Where Variables are Used
- Using Variables in a Copy Operation
- Using Variables Based on WSDL Fault Messages
- Mapping WSDL Message Parts in Web Service Interaction Activities
- Validating Variables
- Working with Variable Attachments
Attachments
- Adding an Attachment
- Adding an Attachment for Simulation
- Remote Debugging with Variable Attachments
- Custom Functions for Manipulating Attachments
- Attachment Custom Function Examples
Using Links
- What is a Link
- Process Developer Extension for Links
- Adding a Link Between Activities
- Execution Rules for Links
- Designing With Links vs. Structured Activities
- Links and the Join Condition
- Link Properties
Data Manipulation
- Overview of Data Manipulation in BPEL
- Selecting XPath or XQuery for Expression Building
  - Example XQuery Expressions
  - Example XPath Expressions
- Using the Expression Builder
- Expected Expressions for Conditions Counters and Other Values
- Using the Query Builder
- Creating a Join Condition for an Incoming Link
- Deadline and Duration Expressions
Compensation
- Compensation Handlers and Compensate Activities
  - Default-Order Compensation Example
  - Specified Compensation Example
- Adding a Compensation Handler to a Scope
- Compensating an Invoke Activity
Correlation
What is Correlation
What is a Correlation Set
- Properties
- Property Aliases
- WSDL Syntax and Example for Property Names and Aliases
- Global and Local Correlation Sets
Creating Message Properties and Property Aliases
- Creating a Property Definition
- Creating a Property Alias
Adding a Correlation Set
- XML Syntax
- Example
- Correlation Sets: Required and Optional Properties
Deleting a Correlation Set
Adding Correlations to an Activity
Rules for Declaring and Using Correlation Sets
Correlation Sets and Engine-Managed Correlation
Event Handling
- What is Event Handling
- Adding Event Handlers
  - Adding an onEvent Event Handler
  - Adding an onAlarm Event Handler
- Processing Rules for Events
- Adding Boundary Events
  - Catch and Catch All Boundary Events and Compensate Compensate Scope and Rethrow
  - Using a Variable from a Catch or Interrupting OnEvent Boundary Event
Fault Handling
- What is BPEL Fault Handling
- Defining Catch and CatchAll Fault Handlers
- Fault Handling for Service Invocations
- Adding a Fault Handler
- Fault Handling Processing Rules
- Rules for Catching Faults in a Catch Activity
- Tips on Fault Handling
- Catching Undeclared and SOAP Faults
Simulating and Debugging
- What is the Process Developer Debug Perspective
  - Opening the Process Developer Debug Perspective
  - Switching Between Process Developer Perspectives
- Process Developer Debug Perspective Views and Menus
- Simulating Execution of a BPEL Process
- Supplying and Inspecting Sample Variable Data During Simulation
  - Setting up Sample Data Values for Input Output and Fault Messages
  - Inspecting Process Variables during Simulation
- Selecting Simulation Paths and Properties
- Inspecting Standard Faults During Simulation
- Simulation Preferences
- Setting Debug Preferences
- Debugging Remote Processes Running on the Server
- Correcting Retrying or Completing Activities
- Monitoring Client Message Traffic with TCP IP Monitor
Deploying Your Processes
- Preparing for Deployment
  - Preparing BPEL Files for Deployment
  - Selecting a Server Platform for Deployed Processes
- Endpoint Reference Addressing Considerations
- Overview of Process Deployment Steps
- Creating a Process Deployment Descriptor File
- Creating and Deploying a Business Process Archive Contribution
  - Deploying Project Dependencies and Viewing Excluded Dependencies
  - Deploying Additional Resources
- Managing Deployment Contributions
- Using a BPRD Script to Regenerate and Deploy a BPR Contribution
  - Running a BPRD Ant Script from within Process Developer
  - Running a BPRD Ant Script from the Command Line
- Deployment Complete
- Starting the Server and Running a Process
- How a BPEL Process is Instantiated
- What is Process Versioning
BPEL Unit Testing
- What is BPEL Unit Testing
- Creating a BPEL Unit Test File
- Running a BPEL Unit Test in Process Developer
- Creating and Running a B-unit Ant Script
- Editing a B-unit File
- Debugging a B-unit Test
- Creating and Running BPEL Unit Test Suites
- Example B-unit File
Creating POJO and XQuery Custom Functions
- Custom Functions Overview
- Implementing the Function Context and Adding Annotations
- Sample Custom Function
- Adding Global Custom Functions to the Process Server
- Writing XQuery Functions
Custom Service Interactions
- Using a REST-based Service
- Using an OAuth REST-Based System Service
  - Creating an OAuth Service
  - Specifying Deployment Details for an OAuth Service Provider
- Using a Java Messaging Service Invoke Handler
Process Exception Management
- What is Process Exception Management
- Suspending a Process on Uncaught Faults
Creating Reports for Process Server and Central
- Creating the User Reports Orchestration Project
- Using the Process Developer Report Template
- Using the Process Developer Data Source
- Creating a Data Set from the Process Developer Data Source
- Understanding the Process Developer Data Model
- Deploying a Process Developer Report
- Updating or Deleting a Deployed Report
- Reporting Service
Business Event Processing
- Defining an Event in the Process Deployment Descriptor
- Using System-Defined Events
- Creating an Event-Action BPEL Process
- Activity States Event Properties Task States and Task Event Types
Process Central Forms and Configuration
- What is Process Central
- Creating a Process Central Process Form
- Testing and Debugging Process Central Forms
- Creating a Process Central Configuration File
- Configuring Task Role Filters
- Deploying Forms Reports and Configuration Files
- Adding Multilingual Support to Process Central
- Process Central Advanced Configuration
Building a Process with a System Service
- Using a BPEL Template for a System Service-Based Process
- Alert Service
- Data Access Service
- Email Service
- Identity Service
- Migration Service
- Monitoring Alert Service
- Retry-Policy Service
- Server Log Service
- Shell Command Invoke Service
Human Tasks
- Getting Started with Human Tasks
- Participants and Tasks
- Using the People Activity
- Simulating Debugging Deploying
- Providing Renderings for Task Clients
- Custom Functions
  - Human Tasks Custom Functions
  - WS-HT (Human Task) Custom Functions
- Using Customized Task Clients
  - What is the Informatica Business Process Manager WS-HumanTask API
  - Using the WS-HT and Identity Service SDK
- Creating Custom Task Properties
- Creating Custom Escalation Actions
BPEL Faults and Reports
- BPEL Standard Faults
- User Reports Sample

Designer

9.2.5
- 9.2.4.6

Back Next

Overview of Variables

A BPEL process receives, manipulates, and sends data through XML variables. Variables hold the messages exchanged between business partners and data used within the process.

For example, a process that receives a purchase order message from a buyer puts the message in an input variable. From there the variable content can be accessed by other operations. The following illustration shows an example.

Variables are defined in one of the following ways:

WSDL Message Types

XML Schema Type

XML Schema Element

Tips for using variables:

You can initialize a variable when you declare it. For details, see

Initializing a Variable

You can validate the value of variables against their definitions by adding a validate activity or a validate attribute in an assign activity. For details, see

Validate

and

Assign

Variables can have attachments, and you can manipulate the attachments, as described in

Attachments

XML Syntax

<variable name="BPELVariableName"
    messageType="QName"? type=QName? element=QName?>+ from-spec?
</variable>

A variable name cannot contain the "." character. This character is reserved for use as a delimiter in WS-BPEL's default binding to XPath 1.0.

Rename Saved Search

Table of Contents

Designer

Designer

Overview of Variables

Overview of Variables