Use the Data Provider editor to configure the system settings and interface parameters necessary to retrieve information from external systems. You use data providers in conjunction with Data Instance behaviors to augment order information by retrieving information from external systems.
When configuring system settings and interface parameters in the Data Provider editor, see the following topics:
Use the Data Provider editor Settings tab to configure the external system settings for data providers.
Field | Use |
---|---|
Provider Type | Select a built-in data provider or a custom data provider that you will create.
You can switch between one provider type and another. If at least one parameter value already exists for the provider type you are changing, a warning message appears indicating that the parameters of the new provider type will replace the existing provider type parameters. |
Provider Class | If you select Custom in the Provider Type field, you must provide a class name. |
Scope | Specify how OSM should cache external data instances. Select one of the following cache levels from the Scope field:
|
Maximum Time, Maximum number cached | If you select System or Node in the Scope field, specify the following cache settings:
|
For information about building a custom Data Provider, see the OSM Developer's Guide.
Use the Data Provider editor Interface tab to define the input parameters and default settings for the external system and specify the provider class and cache settings.
Field | Use |
---|---|
Parameters | When you create a new data provider, Design Studio displays all of the mandatory and optional parameters based on the selected provider type. Mandatory parameters are shown with an asterisk (*) to differentiate them from optional parameters.
Click Add to add an input parameter, and select the new parameter to rename it. Input parameters specify named parameters whose values are used when retrieving an external instance. The value is determined at run time and is based on the XPath or XQuery expression you define in the Default Value field. |
Default Value | Define the content of the associated parameter element as an XPath to a node or as an XQuery expression.
|
Result Document | (Optional) Specify the structure of the XML document. Though this field is optional, if you do not provide an XML structure, the system will not display the parameters on the Data Instance Behavior Properties tab. |
Note:
XPath and XQuery fields are limited to 4000 characters