1. Developing SOA Applications with Oracle SOA Suite
  2. Sharing Functionality Across Service Components
  3. Using Oracle SOA Composer with Domain Value Maps

45 Using Oracle SOA Composer with Domain Value Maps

This chapter describes how to modify domain value maps for an Oracle SOA Suite project at runtime using Oracle SOA Composer. Domain value maps let you map values from one vocabulary used in a given domain to another vocabulary used in a different domain.

In earlier releases, for editing a domain value map at runtime, you first had to make the changes in Oracle JDeveloper, and then redeploy the domain value map in the application server. Oracle SOA Composer now offers support for editing domain value maps at runtime.

This chapter includes the following sections:

For more information about domain value maps, see Working with Domain Value Maps .

45.1 Introduction to Oracle SOA Composer

Oracle SOA Composer is an EAR file that is installed as part of the Oracle SOA Suite installation. Oracle SOA Composer enables you to manage deployed domain value maps during runtime without needing to redeploy the project that uses the domain value maps. Domain value map metadata can be associated either with a SOA composite application, or it can be shared across different composite applications. Figure 45-1 shows how Oracle SOA Composer lets you access a domain value map from the Metadata Service (MDS) repository.

Figure 45-1 Oracle SOA Composer High-Level Deployment Topology

Description of Figure 45-1 follows
Description of "Figure 45-1 Oracle SOA Composer High-Level Deployment Topology"

45.1.1 How to Sign In to Oracle SOA Composer

To sign in to Oracle SOA Composer:

  1. Enter the following URL in your web browser:
    http://hostname:port/soa/composer

    The Oracle SOA Composer Sign In page is displayed.

    Figure 45-2 Oracle SOA Composer Sign In Page

    Description of Figure 45-2 follows
    Description of "Figure 45-2 Oracle SOA Composer Sign In Page"
  2. Enter your credentials in the User Name and Password fields, then click Sign In.

After you sign in to Oracle SOA Composer, the Oracle SOA Composer home page is displayed.

Figure 45-3 Oracle SOA Composer Home Page

Description of Figure 45-3 follows
Description of "Figure 45-3 Oracle SOA Composer Home Page"

You must have the SOADesigner application role to access Oracle SOA Composer metadata. By default, all users with Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control administrator privileges have this role. If you log in to Oracle SOA Composer without this role, you see the following message: 

Currently logged in user is not authorized to modify SOA metadata.

For information about adding the SOADesigner application role to users without administrator privileges, see Administering Oracle SOA Suite and Oracle Business Process Management Suite.

45.2 Viewing Domain Value Maps at Runtime

You can view domain value maps at runtime. Perform the following steps to open and view a domain value map.

45.2.1 How To View Domain Value Maps at Runtime

To view domain value maps at runtime:

  1. Select Types View in the Applications window panel on the left.
  2. Expand Domain Value Maps folder by clicking the right arrow icon before it.
  3. Select the domain value map file (.dvm) that you want to view or edit.
  4. Click the Open icon to open the domain value map.
  5. From the Open menu, select Open DVM. The DVM details appear in view mode.

    Figure 45-4 shows a sample domain value map in SOA Composer.

    Figure 45-4 Domain Value Map in SOA Composer

    Description of Figure 45-4 follows
    Description of "Figure 45-4 Domain Value Map in SOA Composer"

Note:

To get a direct link to the selected domain value map, click Bookmark.

45.3 Editing Domain Value Maps at Runtime

You can edit domain value maps while the applications using the domain value map are running.

Note:

When you update a DVM using SOA Composer, the DVM cache also gets updated with the updated DVM.

45.3.1 How to Edit Domain Value Maps at Runtime

By default, domain value maps open in view mode. Once you change to edit mode, you can modify row information. When you finish making changes, be sure to save and commit them as described in Publishing Changes at Runtime.

45.3.1.1 Changing to Edit Mode

To change to edit mode:

  1. Open the domain value map for viewing, as described in How To View Domain Value Maps at Runtime.
  2. Click Create Session in the top right section of the SOA Composer window. If you have a previously active session, you must click Edit Session.

    The domain value map opens in edit mode.

45.3.1.2 Adding Rows

To add rows to the current domain value map:

  1. Click Add Domain Values.
  2. In the dialog, enter values and click OK.

    The entered values are added to the domain value map.

  3. Click the Save icon.
45.3.1.3 Editing Rows

To edit rows in the current domain value map:

  1. Select the row to edit.
  2. Click Edit Domain Values.
  3. In the dialog, edit the values as required and click OK.
  4. Click the Save icon.
45.3.1.4 Deleting Rows

To delete rows from the current domain value map:

  1. Select the rows to delete.
  2. Click Delete Domain Values.
  3. Click the Save icon.

45.4 Exporting and Importing Customizations to Domain Value Maps at Runtime

At runtime, you can use SOA Composer to export customizations to an XML file, and import the changes into another SOA composite that is the same version as the source SOA composite. The changes are reflected immediately, with no need to restart the composite. Customizations in a SOA composite can be exported and imported for domain value maps, business rules, and worklists.

45.4.1 How to Export Customizations to a Domain Value Map at Runtime

To export customizations made to a domain value map at runtime:

  1. In SOA Composer, go to the domain value map that you want to export. See How To View Domain Value Maps at Runtime.
  2. If you want to update the domain value map, click Create Session and make customizations to the domain value map.
  3. Click the Save icon.
  4. Click Publish and optionally enter a description in the Publish Session dialog.
  5. Click Export/Import and select Export SOA Changes.
  6. In the Export SOA Changes dialog, click Export to export the customizations that you made to an .xml file.
  7. When the export operation completes, click Download.
    Export SOA Changes dialog
  8. Save the downloaded .xml file to your local computer to later import it into another SOA composite to apply the customizations. See How to Import Customizations to a Domain Value Map at Runtime.

    Note:

    The target SOA composite must the same version as the source SOA composite.

45.4.2 How to Import Customizations to a Domain Value Map at Runtime

To import customizations to a domain value map at runtime:

  1. In SOA Composer, go to the domain value map that you want to customize. See How To View Domain Value Maps at Runtime.
  2. Click Export/Import and select Import SOA Changes.
  3. In the Import SOA Changes dialog, browse to the .xml file on your local computer saved from a prior export of a domain value map customization in a SOA composite that is the same version as the current SOA composite.
    Import SOA Changes dialog
  4. Click Import.
    The customization is imported and reflected immediately, with no need to restart the composite.

45.5 Publishing Changes at Runtime

Every time a domain value map is opened in an edit session, a sandbox is created per domain value map, per user. If you save your changes, then the changes are saved in your sandbox.

You must publish the changes you make to have them picked up by the runtime and be saved permanently to the MDS repository. In a session, you can also save your changes without publishing them. In such a case, the domain value map remains in the saved state. You can reopen the domain value map and publish the changes later.

45.5.1 How to Publish Changes at Runtime

To publish changes at runtime:

  1. Click Publish in the top right section of SOA Composer. A confirmation dialog appears.
  2. Enter an optional description for the changes made in the session. Click OK.

45.5.2 How to Discard Changes at Runtime

You can also choose to discard any changes made to the DVM in the session.

To discard changes at runtime:

  1. Click Discard in the top right section of SOA Composer. A confirmation dialog appears.
  2. Click OK to discard changes made in the session. This includes any changes that you might have saved to the sandbox.

45.6 Detecting Conflicts

Oracle SOA Composer detects conflicts that can occur among concurrent users. If you open a domain value map that is being edited by another user, then you see a dialog asking you to confirm whether you want to go ahead with the edit.

If you still want to edit the domain value map, you can click Yes and make the modifications.

If the other user makes changes to the domain value map and commits the changes, you receive a notification message while trying to commit your changes.

If you click Yes and commit your changes, then the changes made by the other user are overwritten by your changes.