Chapter 2   Viewing the Repository Contents


The Repository Browser is designed to provide the developer with a convenient tool to view the contents of the repository.

This chapter describes the following topics:

• Overview of the Repository Browser

• Viewing the Repository

• The Service Provider Object

• Function Objects

• Operations

• Entity Mapping

Overview of the Repository Browser

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The developer must be able to see the contents of the repository to be able to program an application. Variable values in the repository can not be changed using the repository browser. XML files may be imported and exported using the repository browser but use of this feature is not recommended.

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Caution

The Repository Browser should not be used for editing even though import, export, and delete actions on repository nodes are enabled. Only advanced administrators should use these functions.

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To Access the Repository Browser from Windows NT

• Select Start > Programs> iPlanet Application Server 6.0 > UIF 6.0 SP1 Repository Browser.

To Access the Repository Browser from Solaris

1. Enter the following command lines:

   cd iplanet/ias6/ias/APPS/bin

   and

   ./bspbrowser.sh

   The Repository Browser is shown in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1    Repository Browser

Viewing the Repository

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The Repository Browser is divided into two panes. When you open the browser the left pane displays nodes containing the adapter (connector) types and data sources. These nodes are hierarchical and can be expanded to show details of the data structure and function objects. The right pane displays the properties and values of the node selected in the left pane.

Viewing the Hierarchy

You can expand and collapse your view of the repository. Initially, the hierarchy displays the following:

• the root node

• connector types

• data sources

To Refresh the Display of the Repository Contents

• Click Refresh to refresh the display of the Repository contents.

Viewing Data Objects

The Repository Browser allows you to view data object templates, data object types, and data object image nodes in different ways. The node specifies the view that is currently displayed.

Details are included for the following objects:

• The Service Provider Object

• Function Objects

• Operations

The Service Provider Object

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The service provider object is the logical representation of a connection to an EIS. Usually, the service provider object is not bound to a physical connection until it is absolutely necessary. The service provider object is under the service provider template as shown in Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2    Service Provider Configuration Object

Table 2-1 lists the fields and the definitions of all the fields.

Table 2-1    Service Provider Configuration Object Field Definitions 

Field	Definition
host	Host machine name of the target machine.
Password	CICS user password.
port	TCP/IP port that is used to connect to the Relay.
User	CICS user name.
WebUserId	ID for user mapping.

Function Objects

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A function object is a group of related operations that share a common state and is located under the function object template. Function object definitions represent business methods available for execution on the specific enterprise server. These are derived from metadata mined from the enterprise server.

A function object needs to be set up and associated with a service provider before it can be executed. Figure 2-3 shows the function object.

Function Object Template

The function object template includes function objects. The function object TransactionControl contains the following operations:

• COMMIT — Used to commit the transaction.

• PREPARE — Used to prepare the transaction for a commit.

• ROLLBACK — Used to rollback the changes that were done in this transaction.

Other function objects represent CICS programs. Each of these nodes contain operations.

Figure 2-3    Function Object Type

Operations

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The operation node contains the dataBlocks and propertySet nodes as shown in Figure 2-4.

Figure 2-4    Operations

dataBlock

The dataBlock contains two structures: INPUT and OUTPUT. The INPUT and OUTPUT structures contain fields that can be one of the following types: primitive, structure, or array.

Field Attributes

The attributes describe characteristics of fields. Figure 2-5 displays the field attributes.

The attributes are connected to the following fields:

• Name - field name

  Type - field UIF type

• Max Length - maximum value of length

• Default - default value that the field contains

Other Field Attributes
Every connector has its own field types in addition to the standard UIF types. These are explained in Table 2-7.

Mapping CICS Data Types to UIF Data Types

The CICS connector has data types with the following attributes as shown in Table 2-2 through Table 2-6.

Table 2-2    CICS Attributes

Attributes	Description
Total_digits	Total number of digits including fractional part
Precision	Number of digits in the fractional part
Len	Length of the string field
User_type	These specify the data type

The four user types are explained in Table 2-3.

Table 2-3    User Types

User Type	Description
101 - zoned	The attribute total digits is needed to represent the length of the zoned value. Precision is optional.
102 - packed	The attribute total digits is needed to represent the length of the packed decimal. Precision is optional.
103 - short	Represents Short value (half word integer)
104 - long	Represents Long value (double word integer)

During runtime the UIF type is mapped to the EIS type. Table 2-4 describes the comparable UIF user type for each of the CICS primitive user types.

Table 2-4    Comparable UIF Primitive User Types for CICS User Types 

Type in CICS	Type in UIF
Pic 9(n) Comp-4. or Pic 9(n) binary.
short 1 < n > 4	T_integer + user_type = "103"
int 9 < n > 5	T_integer
long 10 < n > 18	T_double + user_type = "104"
Pic 9(n) Comp-1	T_float
Pic 9(n) Comp-2	T_double
Pic x(n)	T_fstring + size = "n"
Pic 9(n) Comp-3. or Pic 9(n) Packed -decimal	T-fstring + user_type = "102"
Pic 9(n)	T_fstring + user_type = "101"

The comparable types in UIF for CICS array types are described in Table 2-5.

Table 2-5    Comparable UIF Array User Types for CICS User Types

Type in CICS	Type in UIF
Fixed occurs length	T_array + array_size = "length"
Dynamic occursMinLength to MaxLength depending on <variable>	T_array + array_size="MaxLength"+ size_is = <variable>

The comparable types in UIF for CICS structure types are described in Table 2-6.

Table 2-6    Comparable UIF Structure User Types for CICS User Types

Type in CICS	Type in UIF
level structname	<T_struct name = "structname">
field level field 1 pic 9(4).	<T_integer name = "field1" user_type="103">
field level pic x(8).	<T_fstring name = "field2" size="8">
01 < level < 99	</T_struct>
level < field level < 99

propertySet

The propertySet contains the properties of the operation.

The CICS propertySet contains one field: connection. It is used internally by the CICS connector. The value of this entry matches the function object name. See Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5    PropertySet

Table 2-7 lists the communication fields and includes a description.

Table 2-7    Description of Communication Fields 

Field Name	Description
Applid	Specifies a CICS program name that is to be invoked on the CICS system.
Applind	Used to indicate the conversation state status, and can be in one of the following three states: E - Conversation is inactive. The conversation has either not yet started or already ended. The E state is an ending state. To leave the E state, the client application must start a new conversation. M - Client application has the right to send data and the service application must receive it. When in the M state the client application is in control of the conversation. S - Service application has the right to send data and the client application must receive it. When in the S state the service application is in control of the conversation. The client starts the client application from an inactive state (E). The client application's first call to iAS for CICS identifies the service application with all needed conversation parameters. The first call starts the service application on the remote platform, if not already started. The conversation then continues until one of the applications stops it, either normally, or abnormally, at which point the conversation enters the E state.
Conversation Type	Pooled — must be specified for TCP/IP connection. Direct — must be specified for APPC connection.
LU	The Logic Unit (LU) name where the transaction specified in TranName is defined if SRVXLINK is used. This is where SRVXLINK itself resides.
Request	This field specifies the communication operation that the Relay performs: The following listst the tpes of requests: SendAndEnd - Send data to the server application, wait for a reply, and then end the conversation. SendLast - Send data to the server application and wait for a reply. Send -- Send data to the server application. Receive - Receive data from the server application. End - End the conversation with the server. Quit - Abort the conversation with the server. If you do not intend to use the Server Side API, you should use "SendLast" or "SendAndEnd".
StubRC	Return code from the SRVXLINK program.
StubRequest	Instructs SRVXLINK what to do. The following values are acceptable: COMMIT - to automatically commit the transaction upon successful execution of the EIS program. EXECUTE - not to automatically commit the transaction.
Target system ID	The system ID of the CICS in which SRVXLINK starts a program. If the program resides on the same CICS as SRVXLINK, no specification program is required.
Transaction Name	Default transaction name for the SRVXLINK program is SRVX.
Target Transaction Name	Not used in this version
Use Stub	Determines whether you are using the SRVXLINK program or not. Values should be "Y" or "N".
Hold Conversation	This configuration places the conversation on "hold" for the user until he wants to access it again. This option guarantees that the user accesses the same CICS transaction on its next execution of an operation, within the same user interaction.
RC	Return Code. The return code is received by the CICS Connector during its conversation with the Relay.
RelayRC	This is the return code (RC) that the Relay received from conversations with the CICS server.

Entity Mapping

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User mapping information consist of definitions of user mapping tables from the web domain to EIS domain for a specific EIS. The contents of the user mapping tables are managed via the connector Management Console. See Figure 2-6 for details of the Entity Mapping. Refer to the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for CICS Administrator's Guide for details on the Management Console.

Figure 2-6    Entity Mapping

The WebUserId represents the web domain and is mapped to the EIS domain.