B XPath Extension Functions

This appendix describes the XPath extension functions that are displayed in the Expression Builder dialog in Oracle JDeveloper. It also describes how to build XPath expressions in the Expression Builder and how to create user-defined XPath extension functions. Oracle provides XPath functions that use the capabilities built into Oracle SOA Suite and XPath standards for adding new functions.

This appendix includes the following sections:

For additional information about XPath functions, visit the following URL:

http://www.w3.org

B.1 Advanced Functions

This section describes the advanced functions.

B.1.1 batchProcessActive

This function returns the number of active processes in the batch.

Signature:

ora:batchProcessActive(String rootId, String processId)

Arguments:

rootId: The ID of the root.
processId: The ID of the process.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.2 batchProcessCompleted

This function returns the number of completed processes in the batch.

Signature:

ora:batchProcessCompleted(String rootId, String processId)

Arguments:

rootId: The ID of the root.
processId: The ID of the process.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.3 copyList

Note:

While the copyList function is still available for use, Oracle recommends that you use the bpelx:copyList extension to copy a node list or a node. For more information, see How to Use bpelx:copyList.

This function copies a node list or a node. The node list to be copied to should not be null or empty.

Signature:

ora:copyList('variableName', 'partName'?, 'locationPath'?, Object)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
partName: The part to select from the variable (optional).
locationPath: Provides an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part (optional).
Object: The object can be either a list or a single item. If the object is a list, each item in the list is copied. Each item to be copied is either an element, or an element with the string value of the node created.

Property IDs:

deprecated

Use the bpelx:copyList extension activity to append to a list.
namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.4 create-nodeset-from-delimited-string

This function takes a delimited string and returns a nodeSet.

Signature:

oraext:create-nodeset-from-delimited-string(qname, delimited-string, delimiter)

Arguments:

qname: The qualified name in which each node in the node set must be created. The QName can be represented in two forms:
- task:assignee
- {http://mytask/task}assignee
delimited-string: The sting of elements separated by the delimiter.
delimiter: The character that separates the items in the input string; for example, a comma or a semicolon.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.1.5 createDelimitedString

This function creates a delimited string from the passed-in arguments.

Signature:

ora:createDelimitedString(delimiter as string, nodeList)

Arguments:

delimiter as string: The character that separates the items in the input string (for example, a comma or a semicolon).
nodeList: Provides an ordered collection of nodes.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:ora

B.1.6 createEssParameter

This function creates a parameter for a job in Oracle Enterprise Scheduler.

Signature:

ess:createEssParameter(dataType,name,scope,value)

Arguments:

dataType
name
scope
value

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:ess

For more information about Oracle Enterprise Scheduler, see Developing Applications for Oracle Enterprise Scheduler.

B.1.7 doStreamingTranslate

This function translates using the streaming XPath APIs. It uses batching so that the transformation engine does not materialize the result of the transformation into memory. Therefore, it can handle arbitrarily large payloads of the order of gigabytes. However, it can only handle forward-only XSL constructs such as for-each. The targetType can be SDOM or ATTACHMENT.

Signature:

med:doStreamingTranslate('input','streaming xpath context','targetType','attachment element'?)

Arguments:

input: The input data of the XPath function. This can be an SDOM or attachment element.
streaming xpath context
targetType: Determines how the XPath function translates the native data into XML.
attachment element: The attachment for the returned XML. This parameter is optional.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: med

Example:

med.doStreamingTranslate($in.request/inp1:request/inp1:sourceAttachmentElement,$in.request/inp1:request/inp1:streamingcontext, 'ATTACHMENT', $in.request/inp1:request/inp1:targetAttachmentElement)

B.1.8 doTranslateFromNative

This function translates the input data to XML, where the input can be a string to translate, a file or FTP adapter attachment, an attachment, or an element that contains Base64-encoded data. The targetType can be DOM, ATTACHMENT or SDOM.

Signature:

med:doTranslateFromNative('input','nxsdTemplate','nxsdRoot','targetType','attachment element'?)

Arguments:

input: The input data of the XPath function. The data is in a native format, such as comma-separated values (CSV).
nxsdTemplate: The NXSD schema to use to translate the input data to XML format.
nxsdRoot: The root element in the NXSD schema.
targetType: Determines how the XPath function translates the native data into XML.
attachment element: The attachment for the returned XML. This parameter is optional.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: med

Example:

med:doTranslateFromNative(string($in.request/inp1:request/inp1:source),'xsd/address_csv.xsd','Root-Element','DOM')

B.1.9 doTranslateToNative

This function translates the input DOM to a string or attachment. The targetType can be a STRING or ATTACHMENT.

Signature:

med:doTranslateToNative('input','nxsdTemplate','nxsdRoot','targetType','attachment element'?)

Arguments:

input: The input data of the XPath function. The data can either be DOM or SDOM data that must be translated to a native format such as comma-separated values (CSV).

The input node is usually the root element of the incoming DOM, as shown in the following example:
```
med:doTranslateToNative($in.request/inp1:Root-Element, 'xsd/address_csv.xsd', 
 @ 'Root-Element','STRING')" 
```
However, the input node can also be a subelement and not the root element of the incoming DOM, as shown in the following example:
```
med:doTranslateToNative($in.request/inp1:requestToNative/ns1:Root-Element,
 'xsd/address_csv.xsd', 'Root-Element','ATTACHMENT', 
 $in.request/inp1:requestToNative/inp1:attachment)
```
In this case, you must set the useArrayIdenitifer property to true in the schema node of the NXSD, as shown below.
```
nxsd:useArrayIdentifiers="true" 
```
This setting can adversely impact the performance of this function for very large inputs. You can use the dostreamingxlate function in this case.
nxsdTemplate: The NXSD schema to use to translate the input data to XML format.
nxsdRoot: The root element in the NXSD schema.
targetType: Determines how the XPath function translates the native data into XML.
attachment element: The attachment for the returned XML. This parameter is optional.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: med

Example:

med:doTranslateToNative($in.request/inp1:Root-Element,'xsd/address_csv.xsd','Root-Element','STRING')

B.1.10 format

This function formats a message using Java's message format.

Signature:

ora:format(formatStrings, args+)

Arguments:

formatStrings: The string of data to be formatted.
args+: The arguments referenced by the format specifiers in the format string. If there are more arguments than format specifiers, the extra arguments are ignored. The number of arguments is variable and may be zero.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.11 genEmptyElem

This function generates a list of empty elements for the given QName.

Signature:

ora:genEmptyElem('ElemQName',size?, 'TypeQName'?, xsiNil?)

Arguments:

ElemQName: The first argument is the QName of the empty elements.
size: The second optional integer argument for the number of empty elements. If missing, the default size is 1.
TypeQName: The third optional argument is the QName, which is the xsi:type of the generated empty name. This xsi:type pattern matches SOAPENC:Array. If missing or an empty string, the xsi:type attribute is not generated.
xsiNil: The fourth optional boolean argument is to specify whether the generated empty elements are XSI - nil, provided the element is XSD-nillable. The default is false. If missing or false, xsi:nil is not generated.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information about this function, see Generating Functionality Equivalent to an Array of an Empty Element.

B.1.12 generate-guid

This function generates a unique GUID.

Signature:

oraext:generate-guid()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.1.13 get-content-from-file-function

This function parses the file in the specified native format. Use this function when designing assign activities in BPEL processes.

Signature:

oraext:get-content-from-file-function(fileName, nxsdTemplate?, nxsdRoot?)

Example:

oraext:get-content-from-file-function("file:/c:/Ftab.txt",

"file:/c:/Ftab_1.xsd","root")

Arguments:

fileName: The name of the file.
nxsdTemplate: The native XSD (NXSD) template for the output.
nxsdRoot: The NXSD root.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.1.14 getApplicationName

This function returns the application name.

Signature:

ora:getApplicationName()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.15 getAttachmentContent

This function gets the attachment content from an href function.

Signature:

ora:getAttachmentContent(varName[, partName[, query]])

Arguments:

varName: Specifies the source variable for the data.
partName: (Optional) Specifies the part to select from the variable.
query: (Optional) Specifies an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information, see Reading and Encoding SOAP Attachment Content.

B.1.16 getAttachmentProperty

Gets a SOAP attachment property from an href that is stored in varName, partName, and query.

Signature: ora:getAttachmentProperty(propertyName, varName[, partName[, query]])

Arguments:

varName: Specifies the source variable for the data.
partName: (Optional) Specifies the part to select from the variable.
query: (Optional) Specifies an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.17 getChildElement

This function gets a child element for the given element.

Signature:

ora:getChildElement(element, index)

Arguments:

element: The source for the data.
index: The integer value of the child element index.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.18 getComponentInstanceID

This function returns the component instance ID.

Signature:

ora:getComponentInstanceID()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.19 getComponentName

This function returns the component name.

Signature:

mdhr:getComponentName()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: mdhr

B.1.20 getCompositeInstanceID

Note:

This function is deprecated in 12c Release 1 (12.1.3) and is not displayed in the Expression Builder.

This function returns the composite instance ID.

Signature:

ora:getComponentInstanceId()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.21 getCompositeName

This function returns the composite name.

Signature:

ora:getCompositeName()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.22 getCompositeURL

This function returns the composite URL.

Signature:

ora:getCompositeURL()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.23 getECID

This function returns the execution context ID (ECID).

Signature:

ora:getECID()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.24 getFaultAsString

This function returns the fault as a string value.

Signature:

ora:getFaultAsString()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information, see Getting Fault Details with the getFaultAsString XPath Extension Function.

B.1.25 getFaultAsXML

This function returns the fault as an XML element.

Signature:

ora:getFaultAsXML()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix:ora

B.1.26 getFaultName

This function returns the fault name.

Signature:

ora:getFaultName()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.27 getMilestoneName

This function returns the milestone name.

Signature:

ora:getMilestoneName

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.28 getOwnerDocument

This function returns the document object associated with the node.

Signature:

ora:getOwnerDocument(node)

Arguments:

node: Specifies the XML node.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.29 getParentComponentInstanceID

This function returns the BPEL process instance parent component instance ID.

Signature:

ora:getParentComponentInstanceID()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.30 getRevision

This function does not take any arguments and returns the current revision of the composite from which it is invoked.

Signature:

ora:getRevision

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.31 getTaskReminderDuration

This function computes the next reminder to be sent for the task.

Signature:

ora:getTaskReminderDuration(taskId)

Argument:

taskId: The task ID of the task.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.32 instanceOf

This function extracts arbitrary values from BPEL variables.

Signature:

ora:instanceOf(an_xpath_expression, 'typeQName')

Arguments:

an_xpath_expression: An XPath expression that returns an element.
typeQName: The QName of a globally-declared XSD type.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.1.33 lookup-xml

This function returns the string value of an element defined by lookupXPath in an XML file (docURL) given its parent XPath (parentXPath), the key XPath (keyXPath), and the value of the key (key).

Example:

oraext:lookup-xml('file:/d:/country_data.xml', '/Countries/Country', 'Abbreviation', 'FullName', 'UK') returns the value of the element FullName child of /Countries/Country, where Abbreviation = 'UK' is in the file D:\country_data.xml.

Signature:

oraext:lookup-xml(docURL, parentXPath, keyXPath, lookupXPath, key)

Arguments:

docURL: The XML file.
parentXPath: The parent XPath.
keyXPath: The key XPath.
lookupXPath: The lookup XPath.
key: The key value.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.1.34 parseEscapedXML

This function parses a string to a DOM.

Note:

This function is also displayed for selection under the BPEL XPath Extension Functions option.

Signature:

oraext:parseEscapedXML(contentString)

Arguments:

contentString: The string that this function parses to a DOM.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: oraext

For more information about this function, see How To Convert from a String to an XML Element.

B.1.35 parseXML

This function parses a string to a DOM element.

Signature:

oraext:parseXML(contentString)

Arguments:

contentString: The string that this function parses to a DOM element.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.1.36 processScalableDocumentToNative

This function transforms the scalable document directly to the output stream.

Signature:

ora:processScalableDocumentToNative(template, input, outputFilePath, nxsd, root, batchsize, properties)

Arguments:

template
input
outputFilePath
nxsd
root
batchsize
properties

B.1.37 processXSLTAttachmentFromNativeToNative

This function translates the inbound native data (for example, comma-separated value to XML) and then applies the user-supplied XSL to the translated content. The result of the XSL transformation is then translated to a native file (for example. comma-separated value). The input to this XPath function can either be an attachment or href. It uses batching so that the transformation engine does not put the result of the transformation into memory. Therefore, it can handle arbitrarily large payloads of the order of gigabytes. The XPath function translates the inbound native data to XML, runs the transformation on the XML, and then translates the transformed XML to native format.

Signature:

ora:processXSLTAttachmentFromNativeToNative(template, input href, output href, input nxsd path, input root element name, output nxsd path, output root element name. batch size)

B.1.38 processXSLTAttachmentFromNativeToStream

This function translates the inbound native data (for example, customer-separated value to XML) and then applies the user-supplied XSL to the translated content. The output of the transformation is streamed to the output file.The input to this XPath function can either be an attachment or href. It uses batching so that the transformation engine does not put the result of the transformation into memory. Therefore, it can handle arbitrarily large payloads of the order of gigabytes. However, it can only handle forward-only XSL constructs such as for-each.

Signature:

ora:processXSLTAttachmentFromNativeToStream(template,input href, output href, input nxsd path, nxsd root element name, batchsize,properties)

B.1.39 processXSLTAttachmentToNativeStream

This function transforms the inbound XML by applying the user-supplied XSL and then translates the transformed XML into a native file (for example, comma-separated value). The input to this XPath function can either be an attachment or href. It uses batching so that the transformation engine does not put the result of the transformation into memory. Therefore, it can handle arbitrarily large payloads of the order of gigabytes. This function first transforms the incoming XML data by applying the XSL and then translates the transformed XML into native data.

Signature:

ora:processXSLTAttachmentToNativeStream(template, input href, output href, nxsd schema, nxsd root element, batch size)

B.1.40 processXSLTAttachmentToStream

This function directly streams the result of XSLT transformation to the output file. The input to this XPath function can either be an attachment or href. It uses batching so that the transformation engine does not put the result of the transformation into memory. Therefore, it can handle arbitrarily large payloads of the order of gigabytes. However, it can only handle forward-only XSL constructs such as for-each.

Signature:

ora:processXSLTAttachmentToStream(template, input href, output href, batchsize, properties)

B.1.41 processXSLTForScalableDocument

This function returns a scalable document after an XSLT transformation.

Signature:

ora:processXSLTForScalableDocument(template, input, batchsize, properties)

B.1.42 setCompositeInstanceTitle

This function sets the composite instance title and returns it.

Signature:

ora:setCompositeInstanceTitle(title)

Arguments:

title: The composite instance title.

B.2 BPEL Extension Functions

This section describes the BPEL extension functions.

B.2.1 BPEL Extension Functions in BPEL 1.1 and BPEL 2.0

This section describes BPEL extension functions.

Table B-1 lists the BPEL extension functions supported by either version 1.1 or version 2.0 of the BPEL specification. If a function is supported by a specific version, it displays for selection in the BPEL Extension Functions list of the Expression Builder dialog in Oracle JDeveloper. Otherwise, it does not appear. BPEL version 1.1 functions use the namespace prefix bpws. BPEL version 2.0 functions use the namespace prefix bpel.

Table B-1 BPEL Extension Functions Supported in BPEL 1.1 or BPEL 2.0

Function	Supported in BPEL 1.1?	Supported in BPEL 2.0?
`bpws:getLinkStatus`	Yes	No
`bpws:getVariableData`	Yes	No
`getVariableProperty`	Yes	No
`bpel:getVariableProperty`	No	Yes
`bpel:doXslTransform`	No	Yes

B.2.1.1 getLinkStatus

This function returns a boolean value indicating the status of the link. If the status of the link is positive, the value is true. Otherwise, the value is false. This function can only be used in a join condition.

The linkName argument refers to the name of an incoming link for the activity associated with the join condition.

Signature:

bpws:getLinkStatus ('linkName')

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
propertyName: The QName of the property.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2003/03/business-process/
namespace-prefix: bpws

B.2.1.2 getVariableData

This function extracts arbitrary values from BPEL variables.

When only the first argument is present, the function extracts the value of the variable, which must be defined using an XML schema simple type or element. Otherwise, the return value of this function is a node set containing the single node representing either an entire part of a message type (if the second argument is present and the third argument is absent) or the result of the selection based on the locationPath (if both optional arguments are present).

Signature:

bpws:getVariableData ('variableName', 'partName'?, 'locationPath'?)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
partName: The part to select from the variable (optional).
locationPath: Provides an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2003/03/business-process/
namespace-prefix: bpws

B.2.1.2.1 selectionFailure Fault is Thrown if the Result Node Set is a Size Other Than One During Execution

According to the , if the locationPath argument selects a node set of a size other than one during execution, the standard fault bpws:selectionFailure must be thrown by a compliant implementation.

For example, the count() function shown in the following code does not work if there are multiple entries of product elements under StoreRequest; this causes a selectionFailure fault to be thrown:

count(bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable',
 'payload','/ns2:StoreRequest/ns2:product'))

To make this work, change the syntax to the following:

"count($inputVariable.payload/ns2:product)"

B.2.1.3 getVariableProperty (For BPEL 1.1)

This function extracts arbitrary values from BPEL variables. The first argument specifies the source variable for the data and the second argument identifies the QName of the property to select from that variable. If the given property selects a node set of a size other than one during execution, the standard fault bpws:selectionFailure is thrown.

Signature:

bpws:getVariableProperty ('variableName', 'propertyname')

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
propertyName: The QName of the property.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2003/03/business-process/
namespace-prefix: bpws

B.2.1.4 getVariableProperty (For BPEL 2.0)

Signature:

bpel:getVariableProperty ('variableName', 'propertyname')

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
propertyName: The QName of the property. If the given property selects a node set of a size other than one during execution, the standard fault selectionFailure is thrown.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2003/03/business-process/
namespace-prefix: bpel

B.2.1.5 doXslTransform (For BPEL 2.0)

This function returns the result of XSLT transformation with multiple sources.

Note:

If the input is meant to be an XML document, call ora:getOwnerDocument to wrap the input or use function ora:doXSLTransformForDoc instead of this function.

Signature:

bpel:doXslTransform(template,input, [paramQName, paramValue]*)

B.3 BPEL XPath Extension Functions

This section describes the BPEL XPath extension functions.

B.3.1 addQuotes

This function returns the content of a string with single quotes added.

Signature:

ora:addQuotes(string)

Arguments:

string: The string to which this function adds quotes.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.2 authenticate

This function authenticates an LDAP user and returns true or false.

The authenticate, listUsers, lookupUser, and search XPath functions provide the lookup and search functionality to obtain information from the LDAP server (typically, the LDAP user details).

These XPath functions use a configuration file to obtain server access information for the JNDI (for example, context factory, LDAP server provider URL, authenticate type, and so on). The configuration file is named directories.xml and must be placed in the same directory in which the .bpel file for the BPEL project is located. To call these XPath functions, you must provide this file.

The following example shows the format of the directories.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<directories>
<directory name='people'>
<property name="java.naming.provider.url">ldap://servername:port</property>
<property
name="java.naming.factory.initial">com.sun.jndi.ldap.LdapCtxFactory</property>
<property name="java.naming.security.principal">[username]</property>
<property name="java.naming.security.authentication">simple</property>
 
<property name="java.naming.security.credentials">[passord]</property>
<property name="entryDN">[entry dn]</property>
 
</directory>
</directories>

The following shows an example of the directories.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<directories>
<directory name='people'>
<property
name="java.naming.provider.url">ldap://myhost.us.example.com:7001</property>
<property
name="java.naming.factory.initial">com.sun.jndi.ldap.LdapCtxFactory</property>
<property name="java.naming.security.principal">cn=admin</property>
<property name="java.naming.security.credentials">weblogic</property>
<property name="java.naming.security.authentication">simple</property>
<property name="entryDN">ou=people,ou=myrealm,dc=soainfra</property>
</directory>
</directories>

Signature:

ldap:authenticate('directoryName','userId','password')

Parameters:
- directoryName: The directory name specified in the directories.xml file.
- userId: The LDAP server login user ID.
- password: The LDAP server login password.
Return:

true or false

Example:
```
ldap:authenticate('people','weblogic','weblogic')
```
For this XPath function, only two properties must be specified in the directories.xml file:
- java.naming.provider.url
- java.naming.factory.initial

B.3.3 countNodes

Note:

While the countNodes function is still available for use, Oracle recommends that you use version 1.0 of the XPath count() function to return the size of the elements as an integer.

This function returns the size of the elements as an integer.

Signature:

ora:countNodes('variableName', 'partName'?, 'locationPath'?)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
partName: The part to select from the variable (optional).
locationPath: Provides an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.4 doXSLTransform

This function implements the WS-BPEL 2.0's doXSLTransform function that supports multiple parameters of XSLT. When using this function, the XSL template match must not be set to root (which is /). It must be the root element.

Signature:

ora:doXSLTransform('url_to_xslt',input,['paramQname',paramValue]*)

Arguments:

url_to_xslt: Specifies the XSL style sheet URL.
input: Specifies the input variable name.
paramQname: Specifies the parameter QName.
paramValue: Specifies the value of the parameter.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.5 doXSLTransformForDoc

This function is a complementary XPath function to doXSLTransform(). It aims to perform the transformation when the XSLT template matches the document.

The following example shows the doXSLTransformForDoc function:

<function name="ora:doXSLTransformForDoc">
  <className>com.collaxa.cube.xml.xpath.functions.xml.DoXSLTransformForDocument
  </className>
  <return type="node-set"/>
  <params>
   <param name="template" type="string"/>
   <param name="input" type="string"/>
   <param name="properties" type="string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
  </params>
  <desc resourceKey="PI_FUNCTION_DESC_DOXSLTRANSFORM_FOR_DOC"></desc>
  <detail resourceKey="PI_FUNCTION_DESC_LONG_DOXSLTRANSFORM_FOR_DOC">
        This function is a complement xpath function to doXSLTransform(). It aims
 to do the transformation when the xslt template matching the
document. The signature of this function is <i>ora:doXSLTransformForDoc('url_to_
xslt',input,['paramQname',paramValue]*)</i>.
        </detail>
  <group>BPEL XPath Extension Functions</group>
 </function>

Signature:

ora:doXSLTransformForDoc('url_to_xslt',input,['paramQname',paramValue]*)

Arguments:

url_to_xslt: Specifies the XSL style sheet URL.
input: Specifies the input variable name.
paramQname: Specifies the parameter QName.
paramValue: Specifies the value of the parameter.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

You can use the ora:doXSLTransformForDoc function to write the results of large XSLT/XQuery operations to a temporary file in a directory system. The document is then loaded from the temporary file when needed. This eliminates the need for caching an entire document as binary XML in memory.

For more information, see Using XPath Functions to Write Large XSLT/XQuery Output to a File System.

B.3.6 doc

This function returns the content of an XML file.

Signature:

ora:doc('fileName','xpath'?)

Arguments:

fileName: The name of the XML file.
xpath: A part of an XML file (for example, the node set, node list, or leaf node).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.7 formatDate

This function converts standard XSD date formats to characters suitable for output.

Signature:

ora:formatDate('dateTime','format')

Arguments:

dateTime: Contains a date-related value in XSD format. For nonstring arguments, this function behaves as if a string() function were applied. If the argument is not a date, the output is an empty string. If it is a valid XSD date and some fields are empty, this function attempts to fill unspecified fields. For example, 2003-06-10T15:56:00.
format: Contains a string formatted according to java.text.SimpleDateFormat format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.8 generateGUID

Generates a unique GUID.

Signature:

ora:generateGUID()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.9 getConfigProperty

This function gets the component property value.

Signature:

ora:getConfigProperty(propertyName)

Argument:

propertyName: The property name.

B.3.10 getContentAsString

This function returns the content of an element as an XML string.

Signature:

ora:getContentAsString(element elementAsNodeList)

Arguments:

element: The element (source of the data).
elementAsNodeList: The element as the node list.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.11 getConversationId

This function returns the conversation ID.

Signature:

ora:getConversationId()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.12 getCreator

This function returns the instance creator.

Signature:

ora:getCreator()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.13 getCurrentDate

This function returns the current date as a string.

Signature:

ora:getCurrentDate('format'?)

Argument:

format: (Optional) Specifies a string formatted according to java.text.SimpleDateFormat format (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information, see How to Assign a Date or Time.

B.3.14 getCurrentDateTime

This function returns the current date time as a string.

Signature:

ora:getCurrentDateTime('format'?)

Argument:

format: (Optional) Specifies a string formatted according to java.text.SimpleDateFormat format (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.15 getCurrentTime

This function returns the current time as a string.

Signature:

ora:getCurrentTime('format'?)

Argument:

format: (Optional) Specifies a string formatted according to java.text.SimpleDateFormat format (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.16 getElement

This function returns an element using an index from the array of elements.

Signature:

ora:getElement('variableName', 'partName', 'locationPath', index)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
partName: The part to select from the variable (required).
locationPath: Provides an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part (required).
index: Dynamic index value. The index of the first node is 1.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.17 getInstanceId

This function returns the instance ID.

Signature:

ora:getInstanceId()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.18 getNodeValue

This function returns the value of a DOM node as a string.

Signature:

ora:getNodeValue(node)

Arguments:

node: The DOM node.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.19 getNodes

This function gets a node list. This is implemented as an alternate to bpws:getVariableData, which does not return a node list.

Signature:

ora:getNodes('variableName', 'partName'?, 'locationPath'?)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
partName: The part to select from the variable (optional).
locationPath: Provides an absolute location path (with / meaning the root of the document fragment representing the entire part) to identify the root of a subtree within the document fragment representing the part (optional).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.20 getPreference

This function returns the value of a property specified in the preferences section of the BPEL suitcase descriptor.

Signature:

ora:getPreference(preferenceName)

Arguments:

preferenceName: The name of the preference as specified in the BPEL suitcase descriptor.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.21 getProcessId

This function returns the ID of the current BPEL process.

Signature:

ora:getProcessId()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.22 getProcessOwnerId

This function returns the ID of the user who owns the process, if specified in the TaskServiceAliases section of the BPEL suitcase descriptor.

Signature:

ora:getProcessOwnerId()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.23 getProcessURL

This function returns the root URL of the current BPEL process.

Signature:

ora:getProcessURL()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.24 getProcessVersion

This function returns the current process version.

Signature:

ora:getProcessVersion()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.25 integer

This function returns the content of the node as an integer.

Signature:

ora:integer(node)

Arguments:

node: The input node.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.26 listUsers

This function returns a list of LDAP users.

Signature:

ldap:listUsers('directoryName',filter')

Arguments:

directoryName: The directory name specified in the directories.xml file. For information about the directories.xml file, see authenticate.
filter: The filter expression to use for the search; this value cannot be null.

Returns:

An XML element that contains a list of users.For this XPath function, all properties must be specified in the directories.xml file.

Example:

ldap:listUsers('people','ou=people');

The following provides an example of the output:

<users xmlns="http://schemas.oracle.com/bpel/ldap">
   <user dn="uid=weblogic">
      <uid>weblogic</uid>
      <userpassword>
Unknown macro: {ssha}
 
bHDVJRfWVt/Uwlzb4TKU+QTOLB4FLySO</userpassword>
 
      <objectclass>inetOrgPerson</objectclass>
      <objectclass>organizationalPerson</objectclass>
      <objectclass>person</objectclass>
      <objectclass>top</objectclass>
      <objectclass>wlsUser</objectclass>
      <description>This user is the default administrator.</description>
      <wlsMemberOf>cn=Administrators,ou=groups,ou=myrealm,dc=soainfra</wlsMember
Of>
      <orclguid>8AC1B6206FDD11DEBF9A7F3D47003274</orclguid>
      <sn>weblogic</sn>
      <cn>weblogic</cn>
   </user>
</users>

B.3.27 lookupUser

This function returns LDAP user information.

:Signature:

ldap:lookupUser('directoryName','userId')

Arguments:

directoryName: The directory name specified in the directories.xml file. For information about the directories.xml file, see authenticate.
userId: The user ID to be searched.

Returns:

An XML element that contains the user information.

For this XPath function, all properties must be specified in the directories.xml file.

Example:

ldap:lookupUser('people','ou=people');

The following provides an example of the output:

<user dn="" xmlns="http://schemas.oracle.com/bpel/ldap">
<ou>people</ou>
<objectclass>organizationalUnit</objectclass>
<objectclass>top</objectclass>
<orclguid>8ABB9BA06FDD11DEBF9A7F3D47003274</orclguid>
</user>

B.3.28 parseEscapedXML

This function parses an XML string to an XML element.

Note:

This function is also displayed for selection under the Advanced Functions option.

Signature:

ora:parseEscapedXML(xmlString)

Arguments:

xmlString: The string that this function parses to a DOM.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information about this function, see How To Convert from a String to an XML Element.

B.3.29 processXQuery

This function returns the result of an XQuery transformation.

Signature:

ora:processXQuery('template','context'?)

Arguments:

template: The XSLT template.
input: The input data to be transformed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.30 processXQuery10

This function returns the result of an XQuery 1.0 transformation.

Signature: ora:processXQuery10(<path to xquery> [, <xquery external variable name>, <value>]*)

B.3.31 processXQuery2004

This function returns the result of an XQuery 2004 transformation.

Signature: ora:processXQuery2004(template,context?)

B.3.32 processXSLT

This function returns the result of an XSLT transformation using the Oracle XDK XSLT processor.

The following example shows the 12c version of processXSLT:

<function name="ora:processXSLT">
 <className>com.collaxa.cube.xml.xpath.functions.xml.GetElementFromXDKXSLTFunction
 </className>
  <return type="node-set"/>
  <params>
   <param name="template" type="string"/>
   <param name="input" type="string"/>
   <param name="properties" type="string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
  </params>
  <desc resourceKey="PI_FUNCTION_DESC_PROCESSXSLT"></desc>
  <detail resourceKey="PI_FUNCTION_DESC_LONG_PROCESSXSLT">
        This function returns result of XSLT transformation by using Oracle XDK
        XSLT processor. 
        </detail>
  <group>BPEL XPath Extension Functions</group>
 </function>

Signature:

12c version of the signature:

ora:processXSLT('template','input','properties'?)

Arguments:

template: The XSLT template. Both HTTP and file URLs are supported.
input: The input data to be transformed.

properties: The properties that translate to XSL parameters that can be accessed within the XSL map using the construct <xsl:param name="paramName"/>. The properties are defined as follows:

Create a params.xsd file to define the name-value pair (every property is a name-value pair). For example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252" ?>
<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
            xmlns="http://schemas.oracle.com/service/bpel/common"
            targetNamespace="http://schemas.oracle.com/service/bpel/common"
            elementFormDefault="qualified">
  <!-- Root Element for Parameters -->
  <xsd:element name="parameters">
    <xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:sequence>
        <!-- Each Parameter is represented by an "item" node that contains
             one unique name and a string value
        -->
        <xsd:element name="item" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="unbounded">
          <xsd:complexType>
            <xsd:sequence>
              <xsd:element name="name" type="xsd:string"/>
              <xsd:element name="value" type="xsd:string"/>
            </xsd:sequence>
          </xsd:complexType>
        </xsd:element>
      </xsd:sequence>
    </xsd:complexType>
  </xsd:element>
</xsd:schema>

Create a SetParams.xsl file to populate the properties. Within the XSLT, the parameters are accessible through their names. For this example, the parameter names are userName and location, and the values are jsmith and CA, respectively.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<?oracle-xsl-mapper
  <mapSources>
    <source type="XSD">
      <schema location="TestXSLParams.xsd"/>
      <rootElement name="TestXSLParamsProcessRequest"
 namespace="http://xmlns.oracle.com/TestXSLParams"/>
    </source>
  </mapSources>
  <mapTargets>
    <target type="XSD">
      <schema location="params.xsd"/>
      <rootElement name="ArrayOfNameAnyTypePairType"
 namespace="http://schemas.oracle.com/service/bpel/common"/>
    </target>
  </mapTargets>
  <!-- GENERATED BY ORACLE XSL MAPPER 10.1.3.1.0(build 061009.0802) AT [WED
 APR 18 14:35:04 PDT 2007]. -->
?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
                xmlns:ns2="http://schemas.oracle.com/service/bpel/common"
xmlns:xp20="http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services
.functions.Xpath20"

                xmlns:bpws="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2003/03/business-process/"
                xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
                xmlns:ora="http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension"
xmlns:ehdr="http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.esb.server.
headers.ESBHeaderFunctions"
                xmlns:ns0="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
                xmlns:orcl="http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services
.functions.ExtFunc"
                xmlns:ids="http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath"
                xmlns:hwf="http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath"
                xmlns:ns1="http://xmlns.oracle.com/TestXSLParams"
                exclude-result-prefixes="xsl ns0 ns1 ns2 xp20 bpws ora ehdr
 orcl ids hwf">
  <xsl:template match="/">
    <ns2:parameters>
      <ns2:item>
        <ns2:name>
          <xsl:value-of select="'userName'"/>
        </ns2:name>
        <ns2:value>
          <xsl:value-of select="'jsmith'"/>
        </ns2:value>
      </ns2:item>
      <ns2:item>
        <ns2:name>
          <xsl:value-of select="'location'"/>
        </ns2:name>
        <ns2:value>
          <xsl:value-of select="'CA'"/>
        </ns2:value>
      </ns2:item>
    </ns2:parameters>
  </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Invoke SetParams.xsl from the .bpel file. For example:

Within assign activity initializeXSLParameters, you initialize the parameter variable from the specific BPEL variable whose information you want to access from within the XSLT.
Within assign activity executeXSLT, you invoke the XSLT with the parameters as the properties (third) argument of the function processXSLT.

For example:

<process name="TestXSLParams"
 . . .
 . . .
   <sequence name="main">
      <receive name="receiveInput" partnerLink="client"
         portType="client:TestXSLParams" operation="initiate"
         variable="inputVariable" createInstance="yes"/>
      <assign name="initializeXSLParameters">
         <bpelx:annotation>
            <bpelx:pattern>transformation</bpelx:pattern>
         </bpelx:annotation>
         <copy>
            <from expression="ora:processXSLT ('SetParams.xsl',
               bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable','payload'))"/>
            <to variable="propertiesXMLVar"/>
            </copy>
      </assign>
      <assign name="executeXSLT">
         <bpelx:annotation>
             <bpelx:pattern>transformation</bpelx:pattern>
         </bpelx:annotation>

         <copy>
            <from expression="ora:processXSLT('TestXSLParams.xsl',
               bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable','payload'),
               bpws:getVariableData('propertiesXMLVar'))"/>
             <to variable="outputVariable" part="payload"/>
         </copy>
      </assign>
      <invoke name="callbackClient" partnerLink="client"
         portType="client:TestXSLParamsCallback"
         operation="onResult"
         inputVariable="outputVariable"/>
   </sequence>
</process>

In a BPEL process, you use the properties to process the XSLT function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora (for 12c)

You can use the ora:processXSLT function to write the results of large XSLT/XQuery operations to a temporary file in a directory system. The document is then loaded from the temporary file when needed. This eliminates the need for caching an entire document as binary XML in memory.

For more information, see Using XPath Functions to Write Large XSLT/XQuery Output to a File System.

B.3.33 readBinaryFromFile

This function reads data from a file.

Signature:

ora:readBinaryFromFile(fileName)

Arguments:

fileName: The file name from which to read data.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

For more information, see Sending Attachment Streams.

B.3.34 readBinaryFromFileWithMimeHeaders

This function returns the content of a binary file with MIME headers.

Signature:

ora:readBinaryFromFileWithMimeHeaders(fileName, contentId, contentType, contentDisposition, contentTransferEncoding, contentDescription, contentLanguage)

B.3.35 readFile

This function returns the content of the file.

Signature:

ora:readFile('fileName','nxsdTemplate'?,'nxsdRoot'?)

Arguments:

fileName: The name of the file. This argument can also be an HTTP URL.

This function by default reads files relative to the suitcase JAR file for the process. If the file to read is located in a different directory path, you must specify an extra directory slash ( /) to indicate that this is an absolute path. For example:
```
ora:readFile('file:///c:/temp/test.doc')
```
If you specify only two directory slashes (//), you receive an error similar to that shown in the following example:
```
XPath expression failed to execute.
Error while processing xpath expression,
the expression is "ora:readFile("file://c:/temp/test.doc")",
the reason is c. Verify the xpath query. 
```
nxsdTemplate: The NXSD template for the output.
nxsdRoot -The NXSD root.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

Note:

Currently, the readFile function does not support the functionality to access files on a web server that requires authorization. If you tried to access such a file, then you get the following error:

java.io.IOException: Server returned HTTP response code: 401 for URL

B.3.36 search

This function returns a list of LDAP entries.

Signature:

ldap:search('directoryName','filter','scope')

Parameters:

directoryName: The directory name specified in the directories.xml file. For information about the directories.xml file, see authenticate.
filter: The filter expression to use for the search; this value cannot be null.
scope: The scope of the search. It must be one of the following values: 1: one level, 2: subtree, or 0: named object. This parameter is optional. By default, its value is 2.

Returns:

An XML element that contains the list of entries.For this XPath function, all properties must be specified in the directories.xml file.

Example

ldap:search('people','cn=weblogic');

The following provides an example of the output:

 <searchResult xmlns="http://schemas.oracle.com/bpel/ldap">
   <searchResultEntry dn="uid=weblogic" xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:DSML:2:0:core">
      <attr name="uid">
         <value>weblogic</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="userpassword">
         <value>
Unknown macro: {ssha}
 
bHDVJRfWVt/Uwlzb4TKU+QTOLB4FLySO</value>
 
      </attr>
 
      <attr name="objectclass">
         <value>inetOrgPerson</value>
         <value>organizationalPerson</value>
         <value>person</value>
         <value>top</value>
         <value>wlsUser</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="description">
         <value>This user is the default administrator.</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="wlsMemberOf">
         <value>cn=Administrators,ou=groups,ou=myrealm,dc=soainfra</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="orclguid">
         <value>8AC1B6206FDD11DEBF9A7F3D47003274</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="sn">
         <value>weblogic</value>
      </attr>
      <attr name="cn">
         <value>weblogic</value>
      </attr>
   </searchResultEntry>
   <searchResultEntry xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:DSML:2:0:core"/>
</searchResult>

B.3.37 toCDATA

This function returns a DOM node as a CDATA section.

Signature:

ora:toCDATA(node)

B.3.38 tryToCastToBoolean

This function returns a boolean value if the input is a string of true, false, 1, or 0.

Signature:

ora:tryToCastToBoolean(string)

Argument:

string: String value to attempt to convert to a boolean value.

B.3.39 writeBinaryToFile

This function writes the binary bytes of a variable (or part of the variable) to a file of the given file name.

Signature:

ora:writeBinaryToFile(varName[, partName[, query]])

Arguments:

varName: The name of the variable.
partName: The name of the part in the messageType variable.
query: The query string to a child of the root element.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.40 getGroupIdsFromGroupAlias

This function returns a list of user IDs for a group alias specified in the TaskServiceAliases section of the BPEL suitcase descriptor.

Signature:

ora:getGroupIdsFromGroupAlias(String aliasName)

Arguments:

aliasName: The alias for a list of users or groups.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.3.41 getUserIdsFromGroupAlias

This function returns a list of user IDs for a group alias specified in the TaskServiceAliases section of the BPEL suitcase descriptor.

Signature:

ora:getUserIdsFromGroupAlias(String aliasName)

Arguments:

aliasName: Alias name of the group.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://schemas.oracle.com/xpath/extension
namespace-prefix: ora

B.4 Conversion Functions

This section describes the conversion functions.

B.4.1 boolean

This function converts the input to a boolean. A number is true only if it is neither positive or negative zero or NaN. A node-set is true only if it is nonempty. A string is true only if its length is nonzero.

Signature:

boolean(input as any)

Arguments

input as any: Any value.

For example:

boolean('false') returns true.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:

B.4.2 number

This function converts the input to a number. A string that consists of optional white space, followed by an optional minus sign, followed by a number, followed by white space is converted to the IEEE 754 number that is nearest (according to the IEEE 754 round-to-nearest rule) to the mathematical value represented by the string. Any other string is converted to a NaN. A boolean true is converted to 1. A boolean false is converted to 0. A node-set is first converted to a string as if by a call to the string function and then converted in the same way as a string parameter.

Signature:

number(input as string or boolean or node-set)

Arguments

input as string or boolean or node-set: Value to convert.

For example:

number('12.3') returns 12.3.

B.4.3 string

This function converts an object to a string.

Signature:

string(input as any)

Arguments

input as any: The object to convert.

For example:

string(12.3) returns '12.3'.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:

B.5 DVM Functions

This section describes the domain value map (DVM) functions.

B.5.1 lookupValue

This function returns a string by looking up the value for the target column in a domain value map, where the source column contains the given source value.

Signature:

dvm:lookupValue(dvmLocation,sourceColumnName,sourceValue,targetColumnName,defaultValue)

Arguments:

dvmLocation: The domain value map URI.
sourceColumnName: The source column name.
sourceValue: The source value (an XPath expression bound to the source document of the XSLT transformation).
targetColumnName: The target column name.
defaultValue: If the value is not found, then the default value is returned.
QualifierSourceColumn: The name of the qualifier column.
QualifierSourceValue: The value of the qualifier.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.dvm.LookupValue
namespace-prefix: dvm

For more information, see dvm:lookupValue.

B.5.2 lookupValue1M

This function returns an XML document fragment containing values for multiple target columns of a domain value map, where the value for the source column equals the source value.

Signature:

dvm:lookupValue1M(dvmLocation,sourceColumnName,sourceValue,targetColumnName1,targetColumnName2...)

Arguments:

dvmMetadataURI: The domain value map URI.
SourceColumnName: The source column name.
SourceValue: The source value (an XPath expression bound to the source document of the XSLT transformation).
TargetColumnName: The name of the target columns. You must specify at least one column name. The question mark symbol (?) indicates that you can specify multiple target column names.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.dvm.LookupValue
namespace-prefix:dvm

For more information, see dvm:lookupValue1M.

B.6 Database Functions

This section describes the database functions.

B.6.1 lookup-table

This function returns a string based on the SQL query generated from the parameters.

The string is obtained by executing:

SELECT outputColumn FROM table WHERE inputColumn = key

You execute it against the data source that can be either a JDBC connect string (jdbc:oracle:thin:username/password@host:port:sid) or a data source JNDI identifier. Only the Oracle thin driver is supported if the JDBC connect string is used.

Example:

oraext:lookup-table('employee','id','1234','last_name','jdbc:oracle:thin:xyz/xyz@localhost:1521:ORCL')

Signature:

oraext:lookup-table(table, inputColumn, key, outputColumn, data source)

Arguments:

table: The table from which to draw the data.
inputColumn: The column within the table.
key: The key value of the input column.
outputColumn: The column to output the data.
data source: The source of the data.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.6.2 query-database

This function returns a node set by executing the SQL query against the specified database.

Signature:

oraext:query-database(sqlquery as string, rowset as boolean, row as boolean, data source as string)

Arguments:

sqlquery: The SQL query to perform.
rowset: Indicates if the rows should be enclosed in an element.
row: Indicates if each row should be enclosed in an element.
data source: Either a JDBC connect string (jdbc:oracle:thin:username/password@host:port:sid) or a JNDI name for the database.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.6.3 sequence-next-val

Returns the next value of an Oracle sequence.

The next value is obtained by executing the following:

SELECT sequence.nextval FROM dual

You execute it against a data source that can be either a JDBC connect string (jdbc:oracle:thin:username/password@host:port:sid) or a data source JNDI identifier. Only the Oracle thin driver is supported if a JDBC connect string is used.

Example:

oraext:sequence-next-val('employee_id_sequence','jdbc:oracle:thin:xyz/xyz@localhost:1521:ORCL')

Signature:

oraext:sequence-next-val(sequence as string, data source as string)

Arguments:

sequence: The sequence number in the database.
data source: Either a JDBC connect string or a data source JNDI identifier.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.7 Date Functions

This section describes the date functions.

B.7.1 add-dayTimeDuration-to-dateTime

This function returns a new date time value adding dateTime to the given duration.

If the duration value is negative, then the resulting value precedes dateTime.

Signature:

xpath20:add-dayTimeDuration-from-dateTime(dateTime as string, duration as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as string: The dateTime to which the function adds the duration, in string format.
duration as string: The duration to add to the dateTime, or subtract if the duration is negative, in string format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.2 current-date

This function returns the current date in the ISO format of YYYY-MM-DD.

Signature:

xpath20:current-date(object)

Arguments:

Object: The time in standard format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.3 current-dateTime

This function returns the current datetime value in the ISO format of CCYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sTZD (where s denotes the time in milliseconds).

For example, if the time is 6 hours, 17 minutes, 15 seconds, 125 milliseconds in the evening (PM) of May 12, 2004 in time zone Z, current-dateTime returns a value of:

2004-05-12T18:17:15.125Z

If com.oracle.soa.xpath.datetimeWithoutMillis is set to true in the setDomainEnv file, this function returns the current datetime value in the following format (where ss denotes the time in seconds):

CCYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.TZD

Signature:

xpath20:current-dateTime(object)

Arguments:

object: The time in standard format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.3.1 To display the datetime value in seconds:

Open the following file:
- On UNIX operating systems, open $MIDDLEWARE_HOME/user_projects/domains/domain_name/bin/setDomainEnv.sh.
- On Window operating systems, open MIDDLEWARE_HOME\user_projects\domains\domain_name\bin\setDomainEnv.bat.

Add com.oracle.soa.xpath.datetimeWithoutMillis with a value of true in the JAVA_OPTIONS section. For example, JAVA_OPTIONS is currently set as follows:

JAVA_OPTIONS="${JAVA_OPTIONS} ${JAVA_PROPERTIES}
-Dwlw.iterativeDev=${iterativeDevFlag} -Dwlw.testConsole=${testConsoleFlag}
-Dwlw.logErrorsToConsole=${logErrorsToConsoleFlag} "

After modification, JAVA_OPTIONS appears as follows:

 JAVA_OPTIONS="${JAVA_OPTIONS} ${JAVA_PROPERTIES}
-Dwlw.iterativeDev=${iterativeDevFlag} -Dwlw.testConsole=${testConsoleFlag}
-Dwlw.logErrorsToConsole=${logErrorsToConsoleFlag}
-Dcom.oracle.soa.xpath.datetimeWithoutMillis=true"

Restart the server.

B.7.4 current-time

This function returns the current time in ISO format. The format is hh:mm:ssTZD.

Signature:

xpath20:current-time(object)

Arguments:

object: The time in standard format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.5 day-from-dateTime

This function returns the day from dateTime. The default day is 1.

Signature:

xpath20:day-from-dateTime(object)

Arguments:

object: The time in standard format as a string.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.6 format-dateTime

This function returns the formatted string of dateTime using the format provided. For examples of date and time formatting strings, see the W3C XSL Transformations documentation; for example, [Y0001]-[M01]-[D01].

Signature:

xpath20:format-dateTime(dateTime as string, format as string)

Arguments:

dateTime: The dateTime to be formatted.
format: The format for the output.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.7 hours-from-dateTime

This function returns the hour from dateTime. The default hour is 0.

Signature:

xpath20:hours-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime: The string with the date and time.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.8 minutes-from-dateTime

This function returns the minutes from dateTime. The default minute is 0.

Signature:

xpath20:minutes-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as string: The date and time.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.9 month-from-dateTime

This function returns the month from dateTime. The default month is 1 (January).

Signature:

xpath20:month-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as string: The dateTime to be formatted.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.10 seconds-from-dateTime

This function returns the seconds from dateTime. The default second is 0.

Signature:

xpath20:seconds-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as a string: The dateTime as a string.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.11 subtract-dayTimeDuration-from-dateTime

This function returns a new dateTime value after subtracting the duration from dateTime.

If the duration value is negative, then the resulting dateTime value follows input-dateTime value.

Signature:

xpath20:subtract-dayTimeDuration-from-dateTime(dateTime as string, duration as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as string: The dateTime from which the function subtracts the duration, in string format.
duration as string: The duration to subtract from the dateTime, or to add if the duration is negative, in string format.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xp20

B.7.12 timezone-from-dateTime

This function returns the time zone from dateTime. The default time zone is GMT+00:00.

Signature:

xpath20:timezone-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime as string: The dateTime for which this function returns a time zone.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.7.13 year-from-dateTime

This function returns the year from dateTime.

Signature:

xpath20:year-from-dateTime(dateTime as string)

Arguments:

dateTime: The dateTime as a string.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.8 Identity Service Functions

This section describes the identity service functions.

B.8.1 getDefaultRealmName

This function returns the default realm name.

Signature:

ids:getDefaultRealmName()

Arguments:

There are no arguments for this function.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.2 getGroupProperty

This function returns the property value for the given group. If the group or attribute does not exist, it returns null.

Signature:

ids:getGroupProperty(groupName, attributeName, realmName)

Arguments:

groupName: String or element containing the group whose attribute must be retrieved.
attributeName: String or element containing the name of the group attribute.

If the identity service uses the LDAP providerType or JAZN LDAP-based providers, configure the LDAP server to enable searching by those attributes.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.3 getManager

This function gets the manager of a given user. If the user does not exist or there is no manager for this user, it returns null.

Signature:

ids:getManager(userName, realmName)

Arguments:

userName: The user name.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.4 getManagerFromManagementChain

This function gets the management chain for a given user based on upToUserName, upToTitle, and upToLevel. If the user does not exist or if there is no manager for the user, it returns null. Regular expressions can be used in upToTitle and upToUser parameters.

Signature:

ids:getManagerFromManagementChain()

B.8.5 getReportees

This function gets the reportees of the user. If the user does not exist, it returns null. This function returns a list of nodes. Each node in the list is called user.

Signature:

ids:getReportees(userName, upToLevel, realmName)

Arguments:

userName: The user name.
upToLevel- Defines the levels of indirect reportees to be included in the result. If the value is 1, it returns only direct reportees. If the value is -1, it returns all levels of reportees. It can be either an element with value xsd:number or a string, for example '1'.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional and, if not specified, the default realm is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.6 getSupportedRealmNames

This function returns the supported realm names.

Signature:

ids:getSupportedRealms()

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.7 getUserProperty

This function returns the property of the user. If the user does not exist, it returns null. Use custom attributes if the desired attribute does not exist.

Signature:

ids:getUserProperty(userName, attributeName, realmName)

Arguments:

userName: String or element containing the user whose attribute must be retrieved.
attributeName: The name of the user attribute.

If the identity service uses the LDAP providerType or JAZN LDAP-based providers, configure the LDAP server to enable searching by those attributes.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm name is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

For more information, see How to Select Email Addresses and Telephone Numbers Dynamically.

B.8.8 getUserRoles

This function gets the user roles. This function returns a list of objects, either application roles or groups, depending on the roleType. If the user or role does not exist, it returns null.

Signature:

ids:getUserRoles(userName, roleType, direct)

Arguments:

userName: String or element containing the user whose roles are to be retrieved.
roleType: The role type that takes one of three values: ApplicationRole, EnterpriseRole, or AnyRole.
direct: A string or element indicating if direct or indirect roles must be fetched. This is optional. If not specified, only direct roles are fetched. This is either xsd:boolean or string true/false.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.9 getUsersInAppRole

This function returns the list of users who are granted this application role. If either the application role name or the application name provided as input is null, then it returns null.

Signature: ids:getUsersInAppRole(appRoleName, appName, direct, realmName)

Arguments:

appRoleName: String or element containing the application role whose members should be retrieved.
appName: Application name within which the application role is created.
direct: String or element indicating if only direct grantees or all users should be fetched.
realmName: String or element containing the realm name. This is optional and, if not specified, the default realm is used.

B.8.10 getUsersInGroup

This function gets the users in a group. If the group does not exist, it returns null. This function returns a list of nodes. Each node in the list is called user.

Signature:

ids:getUsersInGroup(groupName, direct, realmName)

Arguments:

groupName: The group name.
direct: A boolean flag. If true, this function returns direct user grantees; otherwise, all user grantees are returned. It can be either an element with value xsd:boolean or string 'true'/'false'.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm name is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.11 isUserInAppRole

This function verifies if a user has a specific application role.

Signature:

ids:isUserInAppRole(userName, appRoleName, appName, realmName)

Arguments:

userName: String or element containing the user whose participation in the role must be verified.
appRoleName: The application role name.
appName: The application name (for example, OracleBPMProcessRolesApp, OracleBPMComposerRolesApp, and so on).
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm is assumed. This function returns a boolean true or false.

B.8.12 isUserInRole

This function verifies if a user has a specific role.

Signature:

ids:isUserInRole(userID, roleName, realmName)

Arguments:

userID: A string or element containing the user whose participation in the role must be verified.
roleName: The role name.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm name is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.13 lookupGroup

This function gets the group. If the group does not exist, it returns null.

Signature:

ids:lookupGroup(groupName, realmName)

Arguments:

groupName: The group name.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm name is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.8.14 lookupUser

This function gets the user object. If the user does not exist, it returns null.

Signature:

ids:lookupUser(userName, realmName)

Arguments:

userName: The user name.
realmName: The realm name. This is optional. If not specified, the default realm name is assumed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/IdentityService/xpath
namespace-prefix: ids

B.9 Logical Functions

This section describes the logical function.

B.9.1 and

This function returns true if both parameters evaluate to true. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

a-boolean and another-boolean

Arguments:

a-boolean: One boolean value to evaluate.
another-boolean: The other boolean value to evaluate.

B.9.2 equals

This function returns true if the two parameters are equal. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1 = parameter2

Arguments:

parameter1: One parameter to evaluate.
parameter2: The other parameter to evaluate.

B.9.3 false

This function returns a boolean value of false.

Signature:

false()

B.9.4 greater

This function returns true if the first parameter is greater than the second parameter. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1 > parameter2

Arguments:

parameter1: First parameter to evaluate.
parameter2: Second parameter to evaluate.

B.9.5 greater equals

This function returns true if the first parameter is greater than or equal to the second parameter. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1 >= parameter2

B.9.6 less

This function returns true if the first parameter is less than the second parameter. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1 < parameter2

Arguments:

parameter1: First parameter to evaluate.
parameter2: Second parameter to evaluate.

B.9.7 less equals

This function returns true if the first parameter is less than or equal to the second parameter. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1 <= parameter2

Arguments:

parameter1: First parameter to evaluate.
parameter2: Second parameter to evaluate.

B.9.8 not

This function returns the negation of the parameter.

Signature:

unobtainable as boolean)

Argument:

input as boolean: The value to evaluate.

B.9.9 not equals

This function returns true if the two parameters are not equal. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

parameter1!= parameter2

Arguments:

parameter1: First parameter to evaluate.
parameter2: Second parameter to evaluate.

B.9.10 or

This function returns true if either parameter evaluates to true. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

a-boolean or another-boolean

Arguments:

a-boolean: First parameter to evaluate.
another-boolean: Second parameter to evaluate.

B.9.11 true

This function returns a boolean value of true.

Signature:

true()

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:

B.10 Mathematical Functions

This section describes the mathematical functions.

B.10.1 abs

This function returns the absolute value of inputNumber.If the inputNumber is not negative, the inputNumber is returned. If the inputNumber is negative, the negation of inputNumber is returned.

Example:

abs(-1) returns 1.

Signature:

xpath20:abs(inputNumber as number)

Arguments:

inputNumber as number: The number for which the function returns an absolute value.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.10.2 add

This function adds two numbers.

Example:

2 + 2 = 4

B.10.3 ceiling

This function returns the smallest (closest to negative infinity) number that is not less than the input number and is an integer.

Example:

ceiling(1.6) returns 2.0.

B.10.4 count

This function returns the number of nodes in the input node set.

Example:

count(inputNodeSet as node-set)

Argument:

inputNodeSet: The input node set.

B.10.5 divide

This function returns the first number divided by the second number.

Example:

2 div 2 = 1

B.10.6 floor

This function returns the largest (closest to positive infinity) number that is not greater than the input number and is an integer.

Signature:

floor(1.6) returns 1.0

B.10.7 max-value-among-nodeset

This function returns the maximum value from a list of input numbers, the node set inputNumber. The node set inputNumber can be a collection of text nodes or elements containing text nodes. In the case of elements, the first text node's value is considered.

Signature:

oraext:max-value-among-nodeset(inputNumber as node-set)

Arguments:

inputNumber: The node set of input numbers.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.10.8 min-value-among-nodeset

This function returns the minimum value from a list of input numbers, the node set inputNumbers. The node set can be a collection of text nodes or elements containing text nodes. In the case of elements, the first text node's value is considered.

Signature:

oraext:min-value-among-nodeset(inputNumbers as node-set)

Arguments:

inputNumber: The node set of input numbers.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.10.9 mod

This function returns the remainder from a truncating division.

Example:

5 mod 2 returns 1

B.10.10 multiply

This function multiplies two numbers.

Example:

2 * 2 = 4

B.10.11 round

This function returns the number that is closest to the input number and is an integer. If there are two numbers, the one that is closest to positive infinity is returned.

Example:

round(1.5) returns 2.0.

B.10.12 square-root

This function returns the square root of inputNumber.

Example:

oraext:square-root(25) returns 5

Signature:

oraext:square-root(inputNumber as number)

Arguments:

inputNumber: The input number for which the function calculates the square root.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.10.13 subtract

This function subtracts the second number from the first number.

Example:

2 - 2 = 0

B.10.14 sum

This function returns the sum of all nodes in numbers.

Signature:

sum(numbers as node-set-set)

Argument:

numbers as node-set-set: Total number of node sets.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:

B.10.15 unary

This function multiplies a number by -1.

Signature:

-(-1) = 1

B.11 Node Set Functions

This section describes the node set functions.

B.11.1 last

This function returns the context size.

Signature:

last()

B.11.2 local-name

This function returns the local part of the name of a node.

Signature:

local-name([inputNodeSet as node-set])

Arguments:

inputNodeSet as node-set: The name of the node set.

B.11.3 name

This function returns the QName of a node.

Signature:

name([inputNodeSet as node-set])

Argument:

inputNodeSet as node-set: The name of the node set.

B.11.4 namespace-uri

This function returns the URI namespace of a node.

Signature:

namespace-uri([inputNodeSet as node])

Argument:

inputNodeSet as node-set: The name of the node set.

B.11.5 position

This function returns the context position.

Signature:

position()

B.11.6 union

This function computes the union of its operands, which must be node sets.

Signature:

node-set | node-set

B.12 String Functions

This section describes the string functions.

B.12.1 compare

This function returns the lexicographical difference between inputString and compareString by comparing the unicode value of each character of both the strings.

This function returns -1 if inputString lexicographically precedes the compareString.

This function returns 0 if both inputString and compareString are equal.

This function returns 1 if inputString lexicographically follows the compareString.

Example:

xpath20:compare('Audi', 'BMW') returns -1

Signature:

xpath20:compare(inputString as string, compareString as string)

Arguments:

variableName: The source variable for the data.
propertyName: The qualified name (QName) of the property.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.12.2 compare-ignore-case

This function returns the lexicographical difference between inputString and compareString while ignoring case and comparing the unicode value of each character of both the strings. Table B-2 provides details.

Table B-2 Values Returned

This Function Returns...	If...
`-1`	`inputString` lexicographically precedes the `compareString`.
`0`	Both `inputString` and `compareString` are equal.
`1`	`inputString` lexicographically follows the `compareString`.

Example:

oraext:compare-ignore-case('Audi','bmw') returns -1

Signature:

xp:compare-ignore-case(inputString as string, compareString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data to be searched.
CompareString: The string to compare against the input string.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.3 concat

This function returns the concatenation of its string parameters.

Signature:

concat(string1 as string, string2 as string, ...)

Arguments:

string1: String value to concatenate.
string2: String value to concatenate.

B.12.4 contains

This function returns true if inputString contains searchString. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

contains(inputString as string,searchString as string)

For example:

contains('Michael Kay','Michael') returns true.

B.12.5 create-delimited-string

This function returns a delimited string created from a nodeSet delimited by a delimiter.

Signature:

oraext:create-delimited-string(nodeSet as node-set, delimiter as string)

Arguments:

nodeSet: The node set to convert into a delimited string.
delimiter: The character that separates the items in the output string (for example, a comma or a semicolon).

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.6 ends-with

This function returns true if inputString ends with searchString.

Example:

xpath20:ends-with('XSL Map','Map') returns true

Signature:

xpath20:ends-with(inputString as string, searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data to be searched.
searchString: The string for which the function searches.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.12.7 format-string

This function returns the message formatted with the arguments passed. At least one argument is required and supports up to a maximum of 10 arguments.

Example:

oraext:format-string('{0} + {1} = {2}','2','2','4') returns '2 + 2 = 4'

Signature:

oraext:format-string(string,string,string...)

Arguments:

string: One of the strings to use in the formatted output.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.8 get-content-as-string

This function returns the XML representation of the input element.

Signature:

oraext:get-content-as-string(element as node-set)

Arguments:

element as node-set: The input element that the function returns as an XML representation.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.9 get-localized-string

This function returns the locale-specific string for the key. This function uses language, country, variant, and resource bundle to identify the correct resource bundle. All parameters must be in string format. Use the string() function to convert any parameter values to strings before sending them to get-localized-string.

The resource bundle is obtained by resolving resourceLocation against the resourceBaseURL. The URL is assumed to be a directory only if it ends with /.

Usage: oraext:get-localized-string(resourceBaseURL as string, resourceLocation as string, resource bundle as string, language as string, country as string, variant as string, key as string)

Example: oraext:get-localized-string('file:/c:/','','MyResourceBundle','en','US','','MSG_KEY') returns a locale-specific string from a resource bundle 'MyResourceBundle' in the C:\ directory.

Signature:

oraext:get-localized-string(resourceURL,resourceLocation,resourceBundleName,language,country,variant,messageKey)

Arguments:

resourceURL: The URL of the resource.
resourceLocation: The subdirectory location of the resource.
resourceBundleName: The name of the ZIP file containing the resource bundle.
language: The language of the localized output.
country: The country of the localized output.
variant: The language variant of the localized output.
messageKey: The message key in the resource bundle.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.10 index-within-string

This function returns the zero-based index of the first occurrence of searchString within the inputString.

This function returns -1 if searchString is not found.

Example:

oraext:index-within-string('ABCABC, 'B') returns 1

Signature:

oraext:index-within-string(inputString as string, searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data to be searched.
searchString: The string for which the function searches in inputString.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.11 last-index-within-string

This function returns the zero-based index of the last occurrence of searchString within inputString.

This function returns -1 if searchString is not found.

Example:

oraext:last-index-within-string('ABCABC', 'B') returns 4

Signature:

oraext:last-index-within-string(inputString as string, searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data to be searched.
searchString: The string for which the function searches in the inputString.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.12 left-trim

This function returns the value of inputString after removing all the leading white spaces.

Example:

oraext:left-trim(' account ') returns 'account '

Signature:

oraext:left-trim(inputString)

Arguments:

inputString: The string to be left-trimmed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.13 lower-case

This function returns the value of inputString after translating every character to its lower-case correspondent.

Example:

xpath20:lower-case('ABc!D') returns 'abc!d'

Signature:

xpath20:lower-case(inputString)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data that is in lowercase.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.12.14 matches

This function returns true if intputString matches the regular expression pattern regexPattern.

Example:

xpath20:matches('abracadabra', '^a.*a$') returns true

Signature:

xpath20:matches(intputString, regexPattern)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data that must be matched.
regexPattern: The regular expression pattern.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.12.15 normalize-space

This function returns the input string with white space normalized by stripping leading and trailing white space and replacing sequences of white space characters with a single space.

Signature:

normalize-space([inputString as string])

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.

For example:

normalize-space(' book title ') returns 'book title'.

B.12.16 right-trim

This function returns the value inputString after removing all the trailing white spaces.

Example:

oraext:right-trim(' account ') returns ' account'

Signature:

oraext:right-trim(inputString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The input string to be right-trimmed.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.ExtFunc
namespace-prefix: oraext

B.12.17 starts-with

This function returns true if the input string starts with a search string. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

starts-with(inputString as string,searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.
searchString: The search string.

For example:

starts-with('data type','data') returns true.

B.12.18 string-length

This function returns the number of characters in the input string.

Signature:

string-length([inputString as string])

Argument:

inputString: The input string.

For example,

string-length('xml') returns 3.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:
namespace-prefix:

B.12.19 substring

This function returns the substring of the input string starting at the position specified in the starting location with the length specified in length.

Signature:

substring(inputString as string,startingLoc as number,[length as number])

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.
startingLoc: The starting location.
length as number: The length as a number.

For example:

substring('12345',2) returns '2345'.

B.12.20 substring-after

This function returns the substring of the input string that follows the first occurrence of the search string, or the empty string if the input string does not contain the search string.

Signature:

substring-after(inputString as string,searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.
searchString: The string for which to search.

For example,

substring-after('1999/04/01','/') returns '04/01.

B.12.21 substring-before

This function returns the substring of the input string that precedes the first occurrence of the search string or the empty string if the input string does not contain the search string.

Signature:

substring-before(inputString as string,searchString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.
searchString: The string for which to search.

For example:

substring-before('1999/04/01','/') returns '1999'.

B.12.22 translate

Signature:

translate(inputString as string,fromString as string,toString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The input string.
fromString: The from string.
toString: The to string.

For example,

translate('--aaa--','abc-','ABC') returns 'AAA'.

B.12.23 upper-case

This function returns the value of inputString after translating every character to its uppercase correspondent.

Example:

xpath20:upper-case('abCd0') returns 'ABCD0'

Signature:

xpath20:upper-case(inputString as string)

Arguments:

inputString: The string of data that is in uppercase.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.pc.services.functions.Xpath20
namespace-prefix: xpath20

B.13 Workflow Service Functions

This section describes the workflow service functions.

B.13.1 clearTaskAssignees

This function clears the current task assignees.

Signature:

hwf:clearTaskAssignees(taskID)

Arguments:

task: The task ID of the task.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.2 createWordMLDocument

This function creates a Microsoft Word ML document as a base 64-encoded string.

Signature:

hwf:createWordMLDocument(node, xsltURI)

Arguments:

node: The node is an XML node that is an input to the transformation.
xsltURI: The XSLT used to transform the node (the first argument) to Microsoft Word ML.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.3 dynamicTaskAssign

This function selects an assignee of the specified type from the input, using the specified pattern, in the context of the current task.

This function can only be used in the context of a human task.

Signature:

hwf:dynamicTaskAssign(patternName, participants, inputParticipantType, targetAssigneeType, isGlobal, invocationContext, parameter1, parameter2, ..., parameterN)

Arguments:

patternName: (Mandatory) Name of the pattern to use. The patterns ROUND_ROBIN, LEAST_BUSY, and MOST_PRODUCTIVE are automatically provided. It is possible to configure the SOA server with custom patterns.
participants: (Mandatory) The participant or participants from which to select the assignee. This can be a string or element containing a participant name or a comma-separated list of participant names, or a set of elements containing participant names or comma-separated lists of participant names. Participants must all be of the same type.
inputParticipantType: (Mandatory) The type of the input participants (user, group, or application_role).
targetAssigneeType: (Mandatory) The type of assignee to select (user, group, or application_role). The value must match the context in which the function is used (for example, it must be a user if dynamically selecting an owner user. Note that if inputParticipantType is the user, the only valid value here is the user.
isGlobal: A boolean value that indicates to access the pattern using tasks of all types or tasks of the same type as the current task. This is optional. It defaults to false.
invocationContext: The string to uniquely identify where this function is used. If not specified, a default context is assigned.
parameterN : Some dynamic assignment patterns enable parameters to be specified. The parameter values can be specified as name-value pairs, using an ?=? character as a delimiter (for example, ?TIME_PERIOD=7?).

Examples:

hwf:dynamicTaskAssign(?LEAST_BUSY?,?jcooper,jstein,mtwain?,?user?,?user?,?true?,?ErrorAssignee?)

hwf:dynamicTaskAssign(?ROUND_ROBIN?,?LoanAgentGroup?,?group?,?user?,?false?,?OwnerUser?)

hwf:dynamicTaskAssign(?MOST_PRODUCTIVE?,task:task/task:payload/task:users,?user?,?user?,?false?,?OwnerUser?,?TIME_PERIOD=7?)

hwf:dynamicTaskAssign(?LEAST_BUSY?,?DeveloperRole?,?application_role?,?group?)

B.13.4 getNotificationProperty

This function retrieves a notification property. This function evaluates to corresponding values for each notification. Only use this function in the notification content XPath expression. If used elsewhere, it returns null.

Signature:

hwf:getNotificationProperty(propertyName)

Arguments:

propertyName: The name of the notification property. It can be one of the following values:
- recipient: The recipient of the notification.
- recipientDisplay: The display name of the recipient.
- taskAssignees: The task assignees.
- taskAssigneesDisplay: The display names of the task assignees.
- locale: The locale of the recipient.
- taskId: The task ID of the task for which the notification is meant.
- taskNumber: The task number of the task for which the notification is meant.
- appLink: The HTML link to the Oracle BPM Worklist task details page.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.5 getNumberOfTaskApprovals

This function computes the number of times the task was approved.

Signature:

hwf:getNumberOfTaskApprovals(taskId)

Arguments:

taskId: The ID of the task.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.6 getPreviousTaskApprover

This function retrieves the previous task approver.

Signature:

hwf:getPreviousTaskApprover(taskId)

Arguments:

taskId: The ID of the task.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.7 getTaskAttachmentByIndex

This function retrieves the task attachment at the specified index.

Signature:

hwf:getTaskAttachmentByIndex(taskId, attachmentIndex)

Arguments:

taskId: The task ID of the task.
attachmentIndex: The index of the attachment. The index begins at 1. The attachmentIndex argument can be a node whose value evaluates to the index number as a string (all node values are strings). If specified statically, it can be specified as '1'.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.8 getTaskAttachmentByName

This function retrieves the task attachment by the attachment name.

Signature:

hwf:getTaskAttachmentByName(taskId, attachmentName)

Arguments:

taskId: The task ID of the task.
attachmentName: The name of the attachment.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.9 getTaskAttachmentContents

This function retrieves the task attachment contents by the attachment name.

Signature:

hwf:getTaskAttachmentContents(taskId, attachmentName)

Arguments:

taskId: The task ID of the task.
attachmentName: The name of the attachment.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.10 getTaskAttachmentsCount

This function retrieves the number of task attachments.

Signature:

hwf:getTaskAttachmentsCount(taskId)

Arguments:

taskId: The task ID of the task.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.13.11 getTaskResourceBundleString

This function returns the internationalized resource value from the resource bundle associated with a task definition.

Signature:

hwf:getTaskResourceBundleString(taskId, key, locale?)

Arguments:

taskId: The task ID of the task.
key: The key to the resource.
locale: (Optional) The locale. This value defaults to system locale. This returns a resourceString XML element in the namespace http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/services/taskService, which contains the string from the resource bundle.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri: http://xmlns.oracle.com/bpel/workflow/xpath
namespace-prefix: hwf

B.14 XREF Functions

This section describes the cross reference (XREF) functions.

B.14.1 lookupPopulatedColumns

This function looks up a cross-reference column for a single value or multiple values corresponding to a value in a reference column.

Signature:

xref:lookupPopulatedColumns(tableName,columnName,value,needAnException)

Arguments:

xrefTableName: The name of the reference table.
xrefColumnName: The name of the reference column.
xrefValue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
needAnException: If this value is set to true, then an exception is thrown when no value is found in the referenced column. Otherwise, an empty node set is returned.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

B.14.2 lookupXRef

This function looks up a cross-reference column for a value that corresponds to a value in a reference column.

Signature:

xref:lookupXRef(tableName,referenceColumnName,referenceValue,columnName,needAnException)

Arguments:

xrefLocation: The cross-reference URI.
xrefReferenceColumnName: The name of the reference column.
xrefReferenceValue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefColumnName: The name of the column to be looked up for the value.
needAnException: When the value is set to true, an exception is thrown if the value is not found. Otherwise, an empty value is returned.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

For more information, see About the xref:lookupXRef Function.

B.14.3 lookupXRef1M

This function looks up a cross-reference column for multiple values corresponding to a value in a reference column.

Signature:

xref:lookupXRef1M(tableName,referenceColumnName,referenceValue,columnName,needAnException)

Arguments:

xrefLocation: The cross-reference URI.
xrefReferenceColumnName: The name of the reference column.
xrefReferenceValue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefColumnName: The name of the column to be looked up for the value.
needAnException: If this value is set to true, then an exception is thrown when the referenced value is not found. Otherwise, an empty node set is returned.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

For more information, see About the xref:lookupXRef1M Function.

B.14.4 markForDelete

This function deletes a value in a cross-reference table. The row, containing the column value passed to the function, is deleted from the XREF_DATA table and moved to the XREF_DELETED_DATA table. This function returns true if the deletion is successful. Otherwise, it returns false.

Signature:

xref:markForDelete(tableName,columnName,value)

Arguments:

xrefTableName: The cross-reference table name.
xrefColumnName: The name of the column that contains the value to be deleted.
xrefValueToDelete: The value to be deleted.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

For more information, see How to Delete a Cross Reference Table Value.

B.14.5 populateLookupXRefRow

This function populates the column value in the cross-reference table (XREF) in which the reference column has the reference value. Depending on the mode, the reference value may also be populated. Unlike the xref:populateXRefRow function, the xref:populateLookupXRefRow function does not throw a unique constraint violation error when records with the same ID are added simultaneously. Instead, it behaves as a lookup and returns the existing source value that caused the error and does not stop the processing flow. Use this function to resolve any concurrency issues that can arise when using the xref:populateXRefRow function.

Signature:

xref:populateLookupXRefRow(xrefLocation as string, referenceColumnName as string, referenceValue as string, columnName as string, value as string, mode as string)

For example:

xref:populateLookupXRefRow("C:\xrefs\customer-id.xref", "Oracle System" , "ORCL_100", "SAP System", "SAP_001", "ADD")

B.14.6 populateXRefRow

This function populates the column name in the cross-reference table (XREF) in which the reference column has the reference value.

Signature:

xref:populateXRefRow(tableName,referenceColumnName,referenceValue,columnName,value,mode)

Arguments:

xrefLocation: The cross-reference URI.
xrefReferenceColumnName: The name of the reference column.
xrefReferenceValue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefColumnName: The name of the column to be looked up for the value.
xrefvalue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefmode: The name of the XREF population mode.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

For more information, see About the xref:populateXRefRow Function.

B.14.7 populateXRefRow1M

This function populates the column with multiple values in the cross-reference table (XREF) in which the reference column has the reference value.

Signature:

xref:populateXRefRow1M(tableName,referenceColumnName,referenceValue,columnName,value,mode)

Arguments:

xrefLocation: The cross-reference URI.
xrefReferenceColumnName: The name of the reference column.
xrefReferenceValue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefColumnName: The name of the column to be looked up for the value.
xrefvalue: The value corresponding to the reference column name.
xrefmode: The name of the XREF population mode.

Property IDs:

namespace-uri:http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/oracle.tip.xref.xpath.XRefXPathFunctions
namespace-prefix: xref

For more information, see About the xref:populateXRefRow1M Function.

B.15 Building XPath Expressions in the Expression Builder in Oracle JDeveloper

You can use the Expression Builder dialog and the XPath Building Assistant to create XPath expressions. You can visually design XPath expressions in a BPEL process, human workflow, or Oracle Mediator service component in the Expression Builder dialog.

B.15.1 How to Use the Expression Builder

To use the Expression Builder:

In the Functions list, select the function category to use (for example, Identity Service Functions).
Select the function (for example, getManager).
Click Insert Into Expression, as shown in Figure B-1.

Figure B-1 Expression Builder Dialog

Description of "Figure B-1 Expression Builder Dialog"

This inserts the function into the Expression field at the top.
In the Expression field, place the cursor between the parentheses of the function, as shown in Figure B-2.

Figure B-2 Placement of Cursor

Description of "Figure B-2 Placement of Cursor"
In the Schema section, expand the schema path to make your selection, as shown in Figure B-3.

Figure B-3 Selection of Schema

Description of "Figure B-3 Selection of Schema"
Click Insert Into Expression.

The expression is inserted into the function, as shown in Figure B-4.

Figure B-4 XPath Expression Creation

Description of "Figure B-4 XPath Expression Creation"

B.15.2 Introduction to the XPath Building Assistant

Several dialogs enable you to specify XPath expressions with the XPath Building Assistant, including:

Expression field of the Expression Builder dialog
Expression field of the Initialize tab of the Create Variable dialog in BPEL 2.0
Edit XPath Expression and Edit Function dialogs of the XSLT Map Editor

Manually specifying long and complex expressions is supported, but can be a cumbersome and error-prone process. The XPath Building Assistant provides the following set of features that simplify this process:

Automatic completion of the following:
- Elements and attributes
- Functions
- BPEL variables and parts
Function parameter tool tips
Syntactic and semantic validation of XPaths

B.15.3 How to Use the XPath Building Assistant

This section provides an example of using the XPath Building Assistant to build an expression in the Expression field of the Expression Builder dialog.

To use the XPath Building Assistant:

Click inside the Expression field and press Ctrl and then the space bar. The menu of available selections is displayed.
Make a selection from the list in either of the following ways:
- Scroll down the list and double-click a function.
- Enter the beginning letter (for example, c) to display only items starting with that letter, and double-click the appropriate function.
Figure B-5 provides details.

Figure B-5 List of Values for Building an Expression

Description of "Figure B-5 List of Values for Building an Expression"

This value is added to the Expression field. The list automatically displays again with different options and prompts you to enter the next portion of the XPath expression.
Select and double-click the next portion. Figure B-6 provides details.

Figure B-6 Invocation of Next Portion of Function

Description of "Figure B-6 Invocation of Next Portion of Function"

This value is added to the Expression field. The list automatically displays again and prompts you to enter the next portion of the XPath expression.
Continue this process to build the remaining parts of the XPath expression.
Manually add text as appropriate. Figure B-7 provides details.

Figure B-7 Manual Addition of Text

Description of "Figure B-7 Manual Addition of Text"

Note:

Instead of double-clicking selections in the XPath Building Assistant popups, you can also use the Enter key to make the selection. If your expression is complete, but you are still being prompted to enter information, press Esc. This closes the list.

B.15.4 Using the XPath Building Assistant in the XSLT Mapper

This section provides an example of using the XPath Building Assistant to build an expression in the Edit XPath Expression dialog of the XSLT Mapper.

To use the XPath Building Assistant in the XSLT Mapper:

Go to the XSLT Map Editor.
From the Component Palette list, select Advanced Functions.
Scroll down the list to the xpath-expression function.
Drag and drop the xpath-expression function into the XSLT Map Editor, as shown in Figure B-8.

Figure B-8 xpath-expression

Description of "Figure B-8 xpath-expression"
Double-click the function to display the Edit XPath Expression dialog.
Click the cursor inside the XPath Expression field.
Press Ctrl and then the space bar to display a list of values for building an expression, as shown in Figure B-9.

Figure B-9 List of Values for Building an Expression

Description of "Figure B-9 List of Values for Building an Expression"
Make a selection from the list (for this example, concat(String) as String) in either of the following ways:
- Scroll down the list and double-click concat(String) as String.
- Enter the letter c to display only items starting with that letter, then select and double-click concat(String) as String.
Figure B-10 provides details.

Figure B-10 Expression List Selection

Description of "Figure B-10 Expression List Selection"

This selection is added to the XPath Expression field. The list automatically displays again with different options and prompts you to enter the next portion of the XPath expression.
Continue this process to build the remaining parts of the XPath expression.
Click OK to close the Edit XPath Expression dialog when complete.

B.15.5 Function Parameter Tool Tips

Function parameter tool tips display the expected arguments of a chosen XPath function. For example, if you manually enter the function concat, and then enter (, the parameter tool tip appears and displays the expected arguments of the concat function. The current argument name of the function is highlighted in bold. Figure B-11 provides details.

Figure B-11 Current Argument Name of the Function

Description of "Figure B-11 Current Argument Name of the Function"

Once you finish specifying one argument, and enter a comma to move to the next argument, the tool tip updates itself to highlight the second argument name in bold, and so on. While editing existing XPaths that contain functions, you can re-invoke parameter tool tips by positioning the cursor within the function and then pressing a combination of the Ctrl, Shift, and space bar keys.

B.15.6 Syntactic and Semantic Validation

Within Oracle JDeveloper, an XPath expression is considered syntactically valid if it conforms to the XPath 1.0 specification. The XPath Building Assistant warns you about syntactically incorrect XPath functions (for example, a missing parenthesis or apostrophe) by underlining the erroneous area in red. Drag the mouse pointer over this area. The error message displays as a tool tip. The red underlining error disappears after you make corrections. Figure B-12 provides details.

Figure B-12 Syntactically Incorrect XPaths

Description of "Figure B-12 Syntactically Incorrect XPaths"

Syntactically valid XPath functions may be semantically invalid. This can cause unexpected errors at runtime. For example, you can misspell the name of an element, variable, function, or part. The XPath Building Assistant warns you about semantic errors by underlining the erroneous area in blue. Drag the mouse pointer over this area. The error message displays as a tool tip. The blue underlining error disappears after you make corrections. Figure B-13 provides details.

Figure B-13 Semantically Incorrect XPaths

Description of "Figure B-13 Semantically Incorrect XPaths"

B.15.7 Creating Expressions with Free Form Text and XPath Expressions

You can mix free form text with XPath expressions in some dialogs.

Place your cursor over the field to display a popup message that describes this functionality. Figure B-14 provides details.

Figure B-14 Functionality Description Menu

Description of "Figure B-14 Functionality Description Menu"
Enter free form text (in this example, 'Hello, your telephone number'). Figure B-15 provides details.

Figure B-15 Free Form Text

Description of "Figure B-15 Free Form Text"
Enter <% when you are ready to invoke the XPath Building Assistant. Figure B-16 provides details.

Figure B-16 XPath Building Assistant Invocation Preparation

Description of "Figure B-16 XPath Building Assistant Invocation Preparation"

A red underline appears, which indicates that you are being prompted to add information.
Press Ctrl and then the space bar to invoke the XPath Building Assistant. Figure B-17 provides details.

Figure B-17 XPath Building Assistant Invocation

Description of "Figure B-17 XPath Building Assistant Invocation"
Scroll down the list and double-click the value you want.
Continue this process to build the remaining parts of the expression.

B.15.8 Using Double Slashes for Directory Paths in XPath Functions on Windows Can Cause Errors

The use of slashes to represent directory paths in XPath extension functions on Windows operating systems can be interpreted in two ways:

With double slashes. For example, file://c:/Ftab.txt.
With single slashes. For example, file:/c:/Ftab.txt.

If you specify double slashes and receive an error message, try specifying single slashes.

For example, the following use of double slashes does not work:

oraext:get-content-from-file-function("file://c:/Ftab.txt","file:
//c:/Ftab_1.xsd","root")

Whereas, the following use of single slashes works correctly:

oraext:get-content-from-file-function("file:/c:/Ftab.txt","file:
/c:/Ftab_1.xsd","root")

B.16 Creating User-Defined XPath Extension Functions

You can create user-defined (custom) XPath extension functions for use in Oracle SOA Suite. These functions can be created for the following components:

Oracle BPEL Process Manager
Oracle Mediator
XSLT Mapper
Human workflow
Shared by all of these components

XPath extension functions in Oracle SOA Suite adhere to the following standards:

A single schema defines the configuration syntax for both system functions and user-defined functions.
XPath functions are categorized based on usage (Oracle BPEL Process Manager, Oracle Mediator, human workflow, XSLT Mapper, and those commonly used by all).
System functions are separated from user-defined functions.
A repository hosts both system function configuration files and user-defined function configuration files.
A repository hosts user-defined function implementation JAR files and automatically makes them available for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) (class loaders).

As a best practice, follow these conventions for creating functions:

If possible, write functions that can be shared across all components. Functions shared by all components can be created in a configuration file named ext-soa-xpath-functions-config.xml. You must implement XSLT Mapper functions differently than Oracle BPEL Process Manager, Oracle Mediator, and human workflow functions.

For more information about these implementation differences, see How to Implement User-Defined XPath Extension Functions.
If you create a function for one component that cannot be used by others (for example, a function for Oracle BPEL Process Manager that cannot be used by Oracle Mediator or human workflow), then create that function in the configuration file specific to that component. For this example, the Oracle BPEL Process Manager function must be created in a configuration file named ext-bpel-xpath-functions-config.xml.

The following example shows the function schema used by system and user-defined functions:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<schema xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
 xmlns:tns="http://xmlns.oracle.com/soa/config/xpath" 
 targetNamespace="http://xmlns.oracle.com/soa/config/xpath"
 elementFormDefault="qualified">
      <element name="soa-xpath-functions" type="tns:XpathFunctionsConfig"/>
      <element name="function" type="tns:XpathFunction"/>
      <complexType name="XpathFunctionsConfig">
            <sequence>
               <element ref="tns:function" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
            </sequence>
            <attribute name="resourceBundle" type="string"/>
            <attribute name="version" type="string"/>
      </complexType>

      <complexType name="XpathFunction">
            <sequence>
                 <element name="className" type="string"/>
                 <element name="return">
                         <complexType>
                                 <attribute name="type" type="tns:XpathType"
                                     use="required"/>
                         </complexType>
                 </element>
                 <element name="params" type="tns:Params" minOccurs="0"
                         maxOccurs="1"/>
                 <element name="desc">
                         <complexType>
                                 <simpleContent>
                                         <extension base="string">
                                                 <attribute name="resourceKey"
                                                     type="string"/>
                                         </extension>
                                 </simpleContent>
                         </complexType>
                 </element>
                 <element name="detail" minOccurs="0">
                         <complexType>
                                 <simpleContent>
                                         <extension base="string">
                                                 <attribute name="resourceKey"
                                                      type="string"/>
                                         </extension>
                                 </simpleContent>
                         </complexType>
                 </element>
                 <element name="icon" minOccurs="0">
            <complexType>
                     <simpleContent>
                              <extension base="string">
                                    <attribute name="resourceKey"
                                       type="string"/>
                              </extension>
                     </simpleContent>
             </complexType>
        </element>
                      <element name="helpURL" minOccurs="0">
             <complexType>
                      <simpleContent>
                              <extension base="string">
                                    <attribute name="resourceKey"  
                                       type="string"/>
                              </extension>
                      </simpleContent>
              </complexType>
        </element>
        <element name="group" minOccurs="0">
              <complexType>
                      <simpleContent>
                              <extension base="string">
                                   <attribute name="resourceKey" type="string"/>
                              </extension>
                      </simpleContent>
              </complexType>
        </element>
        <element name="wizardClass" type="string" minOccurs="0"/> 
</sequence>
<attribute name="name" type="string" use="required"/>
               <attribute name="deprecated" type="boolean" use="optional"/>
</complexType>

      <complexType name="Params">
      <sequence>
              <element name="param" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                      <complexType>
                           <attribute name="name" type="string" use="required"/>
                           <attribute name="type" type="tns:XpathType"
                                 use="required"/>
                           <attribute name="minOccurs" type="string"
                                 default="1"/>
                           <attribute name="maxOccurs" type="string"
                                 default="1"/>
                           <attribute name="wizardEnabled" type="boolean"
                                 default="false"/>
                      </complexType>
              </element>
       </sequence>
  </complexType>
  <simpleType name="XpathType">
       <restriction base="string">
               <enumeration value="string"/>
               <enumeration value="boolean"/>
               <enumeration value="number"/>
               <enumeration value="node-set"/>
               <enumeration value="tree"/>
       </restriction>
  </simpleType>
</schema>

B.16.1 How to Implement User-Defined XPath Extension Functions

This section describes how to implement user-defined XPath extension functions for Oracle SOA Suite components.

B.16.1.1 How to Implement Functions for the XSLT Mapper

Implementation of user-defined XPath extension functions for the XSLT Map Editor is different than for other components:

Each XSLT Map Editor function requires a corresponding public static method from a public static class. The function name and method name must match.
XSLT Map Editor function namespaces must take the form http://www.oracle.com/XSL/Transform/java/mypackage.MyFunctionClass, where mypackage.MyFunctionClass is the fully-qualified class name of the public static class containing the public static methods for the functions.

B.16.1.2 How to Implement Functions for All Other Components

For Oracle BPEL Process Manager, Oracle Mediator, and human workflow functions, you must implement either the oracle.fabric.common.xml.xpath.IXPathFunction interface (defined in the fabric-runtime.jar file) or javax.xml.xpath.XPathFunction.

To implement functions for all other components:

Implement the oracle.fabric.common.xml.xpath.IXPathFunction interface for your XPath function. The IXPathFunction interface has one method named call(context, args). The signature of this method is as shown in the following example:

 package oracle.fabric.common.xml.xpath;
 public interface IXPathFunction
 {
    /** Call this function.
    *
    *  @param context The context at the point in the
    *         expression when the function is called.
    *  @param args List of arguments provided during
    *         the call of the function.
    */
    public Object call(IXPathContext context, List args) throws
 XPathFunctionException;
 }

where:

context: The context at the point in the expression when the function is called.
args: The list of arguments provided during the call of the function.

For the following example, a function named getNodeValue(arg1) is implemented that gets a value of w3c node:

package com.collaxa.cube.xml.xpath.dom.functions;
 import oracle.fabric.common.xml.xpath.IXPathFunction;
 import oracle.fabric.common.xml.xpath.IXPathFunction
 . . .

 public class GetNodeValue implements IXPathFunction {
    Object call(IXPathContext context, List args) throws XPathFunctionException
 {
        org.w3c.dom.Node node = (org.w3c.dom.Node) args.get(0);
        return node.getNodeValue()
    }
 }

B.16.2 How to Configure User-Defined XPath Extension Functions

This section describes how to configure user-defined XPath extension functions.

To configure user-defined XPath extension functions:

Create an XPath extension configuration file in which to define the function. The following example shows a sample configuration file that follows the function schema shown in Creating User-Defined XPath Extension Functions. In this example, two functions are created: mf:myFunction1 and mf:myFunction2.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<soa-xpath-functions resourceBundle="myPackage.myResourceBundle"
 xmlns="http://xmlns.oracle.com/soa/config/xpath"
 xmlns:mf="http://www.my-functions.com">
  <function name="mf:myFunction1">
    <className>myPackage.myFunctionClass1</className>
    <return type="node-set"/>
    <params>
      <param name="p1" type="node-set" wizardEnabled="true"/>
      <param name="p2" type="string"/>
      <param name="p3" type="number" minOccurs="0"/>
      <param name="p4" type="boolean" minOccurs="0"  maxOccurs="3"/>
    </params>
    <desc resourceKey="func1-desc-key">this is my first function</desc>
    <detail resourceKey="func2-long-desc-key">my first function does ... </detail>
    <icon>myPackage/resource/image/myFunction1.png</icon>
    <group resourceKey="func-group-key">My Function Group</group>
    <wizardClass>myPackage.myWizardClass1</wizardClass>
  </function>
  <function name="mf:myFunction2">
    <className>myPackage.myFunctionClass2</className>
    <return type="string"/>
    <params>
      <param name="p1" type="node-set" wizardEnabled="true"/>
      <param name="p2" type="string"/>
      <param name="p3" type="number" minOccurs="0"/>
      <param name="p4" type="boolean" minOccurs="0"  maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
    </params>
    <desc resourceKey="func2-desc-key">this is my second function</desc>
    <detail resourceKey="func2-long-desc-key">my second function does ...</detail>
    <icon>myPackage/resource/image/myFunction2.png</icon>
    <group resourceKey="func-group-key">My Function Group</group>
    <wizardClass>myPackage.myWizardClass2</wizardClass>
  </function>
</soa-xpath-functions>

Table B-3 describes the elements of the configuration file. Each function configuration file uses soa-xpath-functions as its root element. The root element has an optional resourceBundle attribute. The resourceBundle value is the fully qualified class name of the resource bundle class providing national language support (NLS) for all function configurations.

Table B-3 Function Schema Elements

Element	Description
`className`	The fully qualified class name of the function implementation class.
`return`	The return type of the function. This can be one of the following types supported by XPath and XSLT: string, number, boolean, node set, and tree.
`params`	The parameters of the function. A function can have no parameters. A parameter has the following attributes: `name`: The name of the parameter. `type`: The type of the parameter. This can be one of the following types supported by XPath and XSLT: string, number, boolean, node set, and tree. `minOccurs`: The minimum occurrences of the parameter. If set to `0`, the parameter is optional. If set to `1`, the parameter is required. The current restriction is that this attribute must only take a value of either `0` or `1` and that optional parameters must be defined after the required parameters. The default value is `1` if this attribute is absent. `maxOccurs`: The maximum occurrences of the parameter. If set to `unbounded`, the parameter can repeat anytime. This can support functions such as XPath 1.0 function `concat()`, which can take unlimited parameters. The current restriction is that no parameters except the last parameter of the function can have `maxOccurs` greater than `1` or `unbounded`. The default value is `1` if this attribute is absent. `wizardEnabled`: Indicates whether to enable a wizard to enter the parameter value. This supports a user interface where the parameter value must be entered. If set to `true`, a wizard launch button is rendered next to the parameter value field. The wizard launch button, when pressed, launches a popup wizard to help the user enter the parameter value. The wizard class must be specified later. The default value is `false` if this attribute is absent, meaning there is no wizard support for the parameter by default.
`desc`	An optional description of the function. If the `resourceKey` is present, the description is retrieved from the resource bundle specified earlier on the root element.
`detail`	An optional longer (detailed) description of the function. If the `resourceKey` is present, the description is retrieved from the resource bundle specified earlier on the root element.
`icon`	An optional icon URL of the function. If the `resourceKey` is present, the icon URL is retrieved from the resource bundle specified earlier on the root element. This is to support a user interface in which the function must be displayed.
`helpURL`	An optional help HTML URL of the function. If the `resourceKey` is present, the help URL is retrieved from the resource bundle specified earlier on the root element. This is to support a user interface in which the function help link must be displayed.
`group`	An optional group name of the function. If the `resourceKey` is present, the group name is retrieved from the resource bundle specified earlier on the root element. This is to support a user interface where functions must be grouped. If no group name is specified, the function falls into a built-in advanced functions group when being grouped in a user interface.
`wizardClass`	The fully qualified class name of the wizard class for all parameters that are wizard-enabled. This is to support a user interface in which parameter values must be entered. This wizard class is invoked by wizard launch buttons to help you enter parameter values. If there is no wizard-enabled parameter, this element must be absent. Note: This element is not supported for user-defined functions. Only system functions currently support this feature.

Name your user-defined XPath extension configuration file based on the component type with which to use the function. Table B-4 describes the naming conventions to use for user-defined configuration files.

Table B-4 User-Defined Configuration Files

To Use with This Component...	Use This Configuration File Name...
Oracle BPEL Process Manager	`ext-bpel-xpath-functions-config.xml`
Oracle Mediator	`ext-mediator-xpath-functions-config.xml`
XSLT Mapper	`ext-mapper-xpath-functions-config.xml`
Human workflow	`ext-wf-xpath-functions-config.xml`
All components	`ext-soa-xpath-functions-config.xml`

Place the configuration file inside a JAR file along with the compiled classes. Within the JAR file, the configuration file must be located in the META-INF directory. The JAR file does not need to reside in a specific directory.

Note:

The customXpathFunction JAR must be added explicitly as it is not part of the SOA composite.
In Oracle JDeveloper, go to Tools > Preferences > SOA.
Click the Add button and select your JAR file.
Restart Oracle JDeveloper for the changes to take effect.

The JAR file is automatically added to the JVM's class path to make it available for use.

B.16.3 How to Deploy User-Defined Functions to Runtime

The soa/modules/oracle.soa.ext_11.1.1 directory is provided for adding custom JAR files and classes. For information, see Adding Custom Classes and JAR Files.