How to create a VBC without Script - XML Gateway

Posted on Monday, May 18, 2009 comments ( 6 )

Labels: EAI , Impossible , Integration

This article is a continuation of the Impossible Solutions Poll Results post.

If you have been following this blog, it probably dosnt need any further introduction.

This solution has been contributed by Michael Feng, a respected colleague, who dosnt know the meaning of impossible and is an all round nice guy.

[ Michael's solution ]

Key Points:

Using XML Gateway Business Service to serve the VBC

Using Business Integration Manager (Server Request) as Transport Protocol
Create your own workflow to deal with the logic

Architecture:

VBC trigger XML Gateway: Init(), Query(), etc

XML Gateway generates xml files corresponding to the command. Eg. It generates xml file

<siebel-xmlext-fields-req>
<buscomp id="1">Contact</buscomp>
</siebel-xmlext-fields-req>

Matching Init() command

XML Gateway triggers Business Integration Manager to invoke SendReceive() method

Business Integration Manager sends the xml files generated by XML Gateway to Workflow
Workflow gets the xml file and passes it to external application like MQ Series, MSMQ, HTTP Web Application or processes it inside the Siebel
Workflow gets the result xml file from external application or Siebel Application and passes it back to Business Integration Manager (BIM)
BIM receives the result xml file and passes back to XML Gateway to populate the VBC

Points of configuration:

Create a BC of Class CSSBCVExtern

Configure the above BC with following user properties
Service Name: XML Gateway
Service Parameters: Transport=EAI Business Integration Manager (Server
Request);ProcessName=<Name of WF>;
Create a process property as type of binary/string. Set the default to <Value>. It will hold the xml file generated by XML Gateway
Create a process property as type of binary and named <Value>. It will pass back to BIM and XML Gateway to populate the VBC
Analyse the xml file generated by XML Gateway to determine what action to be taken. (Query, Insert)
Use XSLT to transform the result xml file to the format XML Gateway needs to populate the VBC
Inbound WS Flow :-

The Web Service Inbound Dispatcher is a business service that is called by an inbound transport
server component (or an outbound Web service dispatcher locally). This business service analyzes
input SOAP messages containing XML data, converts the XML data to an XML hierarchy, maps the
XML hierarchy to business service method arguments, and calls the appropriate method for the
appropriate service (business service or process). After the called method finishes its execution, the
Web Service Inbound Dispatcher converts the output arguments to XML data, and returns the XML
embedded in the SOAP envelope. During this process, any errors are returned as SOAP fault
messages.

Workflow:-

Service Flow. A workflow process that runs a set of operations.

Cannot wait for a run-time event or pause for time.
Cannot include a user interact step or a wait step. The Process Designer does not allow you to
add a user interact step or a wait step to a service workflow process.

Interactive Flow. A workflow process that helps the user to navigate Siebel views.
An interactive workflow process is a type of workflow process that assists and controls navigation for
a user across Siebel views and screens. It includes one or more user interact steps and it typically
includes a run-time event.
An interactive workflow process can run only in a user session context.

Long-Running Flow. A workflow process that can last for hours, days, or months.
The Send Order to External workflow process is an example of a long-running
workflow process. It sends an order to a system that is external to Siebel CRM and then waits for a
replyk
7.0 Flow. A workflow process that is compatible with Siebel CRM version 7.7 or earlier.