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Express>It V3.3.
5 Help > Technical Overview
About Express>It
Express>It is Ab Initio productivity software for analyst-driven application development.
Express>It helps organizations improve the way they develop business applications by putting control of
application features directly in the hands of subject matter experts. Those experts, who include business and data
analysts, are the people best prepared to decide on an application’s configuration and to respond with timely
updates when conditions change or when additional use cases must be configured.
For example, in a typical organization without Express>It, analysts use spreadsheets or text documents to
collect metadata that describes the applications they need, including inputs and outputs, record formats,
computations, and so on. Next, they pass those documents to developers who must interpret that
information and implement the appropriate application code. Unfortunately, this approach is subject to
misinterpretation and delay, often resulting in applications that are inadequate or delivered late.
With Express>It, analysts can do much of the application development themselves, but in the following
approachable way:
1. Analysts specify the application’s business rules and/or other metadata in Express>It. Business
rules define the processing to perform under different conditions.
2. Analysts test the application with test data in Express>It to ensure that the features are configured
as expected.
3. Analysts continue to make changes to the application in Express>It or they publish the application from
Express>It for promotion or release.
This analyst-driven approach results in higher-quality applications that can be delivered on time and on
target, as well as readily maintained and reused by those experts as needed.
To learn more about Express>It, see “A tour of Express>It” (next).
Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Introduction to the Express>It web application
About the Express>It web application

This section provides an overview of the Express>It web application.
 Features
 Required roles
 Limitations
 Server and client versions
Features
The Express>It web application provides tools for creating, editing, saving, testing, and publishing
application configurations, application templates, and rulesets.
This book explains how to work with application configurations and rulesets. For instructions on working with
application templates, see the Express>It Template Developer’s Guide.
The Express>It web application provides the following:
 Pages for users and developers who are creating application configurations and rulesets.
o The Manager page lists the applications, application configurations, and rulesets in the project. This
page provides a workflow for editing, saving, publishing, and abandoning changes in application
configurations and rulesets, and tabs for examining details about application configurations and
rulesets. For details, see “Manager page”.
o The Edit Configuration page displays the controls for viewing and editing values in an application
configuration. For details, see “Edit Configuration page”.
 Tools for developers who are creating application templates.
o The Application Template Designer provides graphical and source views for developing application
templates.
o The Debugger pane provides a set of detail tabs on the Edit Configuration page for inspecting and
debugging the values that are set in an application configuration.
For details on these tools, see the Express>It Template Developer’s Guide.
Administrators can customize URLs for the Express>It web application to skip the Manager page. In
NOTE:
this situation, users go directly to the Edit Configuration page to work. For details, see your
administrator or “Editing a specified application configuration”.
Required roles
Express>It provides different roles for accessing application configurations, rulesets, and application
templates (if your site is using role-based authorization).
To have minimal access to Express>It, users must be logged in to an account that has the AB_APPCONF_USER
role. That role enables a user to list and view application configurations and rulesets in read-only mode. (All
of the other roles provide these basic capabilities and more.)
To create, save, and publish application configurations and rulesets, users must be logged in to an account with one of
the following roles:
 AB_APPCONF_EDITOR
 AB_APPCONF_DESIGNER (developers)
 AB_APPCONF_ADMINISTRATOR (administrators)
Developers use the editor role when testing templates as a user.

To run application configurations, users must be logged in to an account that has one of the following roles:
 AB_APPCONF_RUNNER
 AB_APPCONF_EDITOR
 AB_APPCONF_DESIGNER (developers)
To develop applications and application templates, developers must be logged in to an account that has one of the
following roles:
 AB_APPCONF_DESIGNER
To administer projects, administrators must be logged in to an account that has the
AB_APPCONF_ADMINISTRATOR role.
For more details on roles, see your administrator or “Setting up roles and permissions”.
Limitations
The Express>It web application does not provide the ability to roll back to a specific checked-in version of an
application configuration or ruleset. Administrators or developers can use the GDE or the EME technical
repository commands to perform this operation on application configurations or rulesets in the project
directory. For more details, see the Technical Repository Administrator’s Guide.
Server and client versions

The capabilities of the Express>It web application (the client) depend on the Co>Operating System version
(the server).
When administrators and developers access an older server version, the client displays a warning
icon on the upper right of the Manager page to indicate that some capabilities are not available. This
icon appears only when you are logged in to an account that has the template developer or administrator
roles. Clicking the icon opens the Express>It Release Notes, which provide information on the features
supported by each Co>Operating System version. For more details, see “Handling warnings about feature
availability”.
For developers, the Application Template Designer also adjusts to offer only the template features and
syntax supported by that Co>Operating System version.

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Manager page
The Manager page consists of the following:
 Toolbar — Access developer tools, documentation, and support. For details, see “Manager toolbar”.
 Template workflow buttons — Open, publish, and abandon changes in application templates (visible
only for developers). For details, see “Template workflow buttons”.
 Application navigator tree — Choose templates and projects from application groups, and display the
associated application configurations and rulesets. For details, see “Application navigator tree”.
 Configuration and ruleset workflow buttons — View, edit, duplicate, save, publish, and abandon
changes in application configurations. For details, see “Configuration and ruleset workflow buttons”.
 Configuration and ruleset list — Choose configurations, choose rulesets, and review their status. For
details, see “Configuration and ruleset list”.
 Detail tabs — Inspect the values that are set for the selected application configuration or ruleset. For
details, see “Detail tabs”.
The following figure shows the Manager page with two applications.
Administrators can customize URLs for the Express>It web application to skip the Manager page. In
NOTE:
this situation, users go directly to the Edit Configuration page to work. For details, see your
administrator or “Editing a specified application configuration”.

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Edit Configuration page
The Edit Configuration page consists of the following:
 Workflow buttons — Save, publish, and close the application configuration. For details, see “Workflow
buttons”.
 Canvases and tabs — Set values in the selected application configuration using controls. For details,
see “Canvases and tabs”.
The following figure shows the Edit Configuration page with a canvas and a control that filters data records.
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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Working with application configurations
Choosing a workspace
Express>It gives you access to the projects you use through the workspace feature. Workspaces are site-
defined, user-selectable project configurations that enable your organization to tailor different sets of project
sandboxes for different needs.
When you log in to Express>It, you can go to the Manager page and use the Workspace drop-down list on
its toolbar to list the workspaces available to you. You can see which workspace is active in this session, and
switch to a different one if appropriate.
If your organization has a simpler project structure, just one workspace might be defined initially (name
optional). In this case, Express>It opens that workspace automatically when you log in, and hides
the Workspace drop-down list.
When opening a workspace, Express>It checks out only the projects specified for that workspace. Then, as
you work, Express>It shows just the objects (such as application templates, application configurations, and
rulesets) that the active workspace contains.
► To choose a workspace:
1. On the Manager page, click the Workspace drop-down list.
2. Select the workspace you want from the list.
Example
In this example, an administrator has set up two workspaces, load_work and rewards_work, for users working
on different projects.
The first workspace, load_work, is opened by default. It contains one project named chocolate with some load-
related application templates and application configurations:
Notice that you can click the Workspace drop-down list to switch to a different workspace.
The workspace rewards_work contains a different project, application template, and application configuration.
It is used to perform rule-related work:
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Creating and deleting application

configurations
This section explains how to create and delete application configurations using the Manager page.
 Creating application configurations
 Deleting application configurations

Administrators and developers can also create and delete application configurations using
TIP:
the ac-appconf utility. For details, see “ac-appconf create” and “ac-appconf delete” in the
Express>It Installation and Administration Guide.
Creating application configurations

► To create application configurations:
1. (Optional) In the application navigator tree (left) on the Manager page, click , , or for the
appropriate application. The configuration and ruleset list (right) displays only the configurations that
are associated with the selected application.
2. In the configurations and rulesets list (right), choose Create... > Application Configuration. The
New Configuration dialog is displayed.
3. Change the settings as appropriate and click OK. See “New Configuration dialog”.
The new application configuration is added to the list with an icon to indicate that it is unpublished.
The Edit Configuration page is displayed for editing the application configuration.
4. Follow the custom workflow to set values in the application configuration using the necessary controls.
For details, see “Navigating workflows”.
5. Save, test, and publish the application configuration according to your site-specific procedures. For
details, see “Saving and publishing application configurations”.
Deleting application configurations

► To delete application configurations:
1. In the application navigator tree (left) on the Manager page, click , , or for the appropriate
application. The configuration and ruleset list displays only the configurations that are associated with
the selected application.
2. In the configurations and rulesets list (right), click , , or for the appropriate configuration,
and then click . Express>It deletes the selected application configuration and its associated files
(including psets and job definitions) from your working area (also called your private sandbox), and if
the application configuration is published, from the EME technical repository.
Administrators can customize projects with additional actions that occur when you delete application
configurations. For details, see your administrator or “Performing custom processing after deleting a
configuration”.

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Opening and closing application

configurations
This section explains how to open and close application configurations using the Manager page and Edit
Configuration page.
 Editing application configurations
 Viewing application configurations
 Closing application configurations

Administrators and developers can also open and save application configurations using
TIP:
the ac-appconf utility. For details, see “ac-appconf refresh” in the Express>It Installation and
Administration Guide.
Editing application configurations

► To edit application configurations:
application. The configuration and ruleset list displays only the configurations that are associated with
2. In the configurations and rulesets list (right), do one of the following:
 Click , , or for the appropriate configuration, and then click .
The Edit Configuration page is displayed for editing. For published configurations, Express>It also
checks out the selected application configuration from the EME technical repository and locks it.
The application configuration displays the locked icon .
 Double-click or for a configuration that is already locked by you.
The Edit Configuration page is displayed for editing.

Your administrator can disable the editing of application configurations. In this situation,
NOTE:
the Save and Save and Publish workflow buttons are not displayed on the Edit Configuration
page. You can view application configurations but not edit, save, or publish them. For details,
see your administrator or “Hiding UI features of the web application”.
3. Follow the custom workflow to set values in the application configuration using the necessary controls.
For details, see “Navigating workflows”.
4. Save, test, and publish the application configuration according to your site-specific procedures. For
details, see “Saving and publishing application configurations”.
Viewing application configurations

► To view application configurations:
application. The Application Configurations list displays only the configurations that are associated with
2. In the Application Configurations list (right), do one of the following:
 Click or for a configuration that is published or locked by another user, and then click .
 Double-click or for a configuration that is published or locked by another user.

The Edit Configuration page is displayed for viewing, with configuration-name (Read-Only) at the top.
Note that clicking for a configuration that is new (unpublished) or locked by you opens that
configuration for editing.
3. Follow the custom workflow to view values in the application configuration using the necessary
controls. For details, see “Navigating workflows”.
Closing application configurations

► To close application configurations:
 In the toolbar on the Edit Configuration page, click Close.

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Navigating workflows
This section explains how to navigate the workflow on the Edit Configuration page.
 About workflows
 Navigating canvases
 Navigating boxes
 Canvas navigation controls and keys
About workflows
When creating an application configuration, you navigate through a workflow, which is a series of canvases
and/or tabs on the Edit Configuration page:
 With tabs, you set values directly in the forms or controls on the tab, or open dialogs that contain the
forms or controls.
 With canvases, you navigate through a series of boxes, which open dialogs that contain the forms or
controls where you set values.
Every workflow is different and depends on the features of the application template created by the
developer. The workflow can include controls for choosing, formatting, and editing data. For details,
see “Setting values in application configurations”.
Navigating canvases
You can navigate the boxes in a canvas in the following ways, depending on your custom workflow:
 Sequential steps — Each box contains a major step in the configuration workflow. The steps flow from
left to right or from top to bottom, depending on the layout of the canvas.
 Data flow — Data sources are mapped to data targets. Each box represents a phase of the data flow for
the application.
For canvases that contain a large number of boxes, use the canvas navigational controls to zoom and pan.
For details, see “Canvas navigation controls and keys”.
► To navigate a canvas with sequential steps:
1. Configure the values in the left or top box.
2. Configure the values in each middle box in sequence, going from left to right or top to bottom.
3. Configure the values in the right or bottom box.
► To navigate a canvas with a data flow:
1. Configure the values for the data sources in the left or top box.
2. Configure the values for the data targets in the right or bottom box.
3. Configure the values for mapping or processing data sources into data targets (middle boxes).
Navigating boxes
► To navigate each box on the canvas:
1. Click to expand the box and display its contents. For example:
2. For each link in the box, do the following:

a. Click the link. A separate dialog window containing one or more controls is displayed. For
example:
Pressing Esc in a dialog prompts you to save any changes and then closes the dialog.
b. Set the values in the control. For details, see:
Filling out forms

Entering passwords
Choosing data and metadata
Formatting data
Editing data
Creating rulesets in an application configuration

Creating data profiles
c. Click to collapse the box and hide its contents.
Canvas navigation controls and keys

Canvases provide the following set of navigation controls, which are useful for navigating large workflows.
You can use the following keys to navigate the canvas when configuring an application:
Function Navigation keys
Pan down Down Arrow or Mouse Wheel Up
Pan up Up Arrow or Mouse Wheel Down
Pan left Left Arrow or Shift-Mouse Wheel Up
Pan right Right Arrow or Shift-Mouse Wheel Down
Pan in small increments Shift+arrow key
Pan in large increments Ctrl+arrow key
Drag pan Click-Drag
Zoom in Ctrl-Mouse Wheel Up (while mouse pointer is over any object)
Zoom out Ctrl-Mouse Wheel Down (while mouse pointer is over any object)

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Saving and publishing application
configurations
This section explains how to save and publish application configurations.
 About saving and publishing
 Saving application configurations
 Publishing application configurations
 Using autosaved files
 Managing shared files

Administrators and developers can also open and save application configurations using
TIP:
the ac-appconf utility. For details, see “ac-appconf refresh” in the Express>It Installation and
Administration Guide.
About saving and publishing

To save and publish an application configuration, you must:
 Have sufficient privileges to edit the application configuration. Administrators can disable the editing of
application configurations so the Save and Save and Publish buttons don’t appear on the Edit
Configuration page. For more details, see your administrator or “Hiding UI features of the web
application”.
 Click on the Manager page or the Edit button on the Edit Configuration page to edit the application
configuration.
When you publish an application configuration, you also publish:
 Its associated files, including psets, shared files, and job definitions.
 (For developers and administrators only) Its associated application template. Express>It displays a
dialog asking you to confirm before it publishes the template.
Administrators can customize projects with additional actions that occur when you publish application
configurations. For details, see your administrator or “Performing custom processing after deleting a
configuration”.
Saving application configurations

► To save application configurations:
 On the Edit Configuration page, click Save.

Express>It saves the application configuration as well as its psets and shared files in your working area
(private sandbox). The Manager page displays an icon to show that the application configuration is
locked by you, in your working area.
Express>It automatically saves application configurations as you edit them. For more details, see “Using
autosaved files”.
Publishing application configurations
► To publish application configurations:
1. In your private working area (private sandbox), inspect and test the saved application configuration’s
psets according to your site’s procedures.
2. Do one of the following:
 On the Edit Configuration page, click Save and Publish.
 On the Manager page, click in the configurations and rulesets list.
The Publish Comment dialog is displayed.
3. Change the settings as appropriate and click OK. See “Publish Changes dialog”.
Express>It checks in the application configuration, its associated application template (for developers and
administrators only), and its associated psets and shared files to the EME technical repository and unlocks them.
The Manager page displays an icon to show that the application configuration is published.
4. Inspect and test the published application configuration’s psets according to your site’s procedures. If
the application configuration provides a Run button , this can include running the application
configuration with the published pset and validating the outputs. For details, see “Running psets”.
Using autosaved files

Express>It periodically performs an automatic save (autosave) of your application configuration while you
edit it:
 Each time you set values in a control and click OK or Apply Changes, Express>It creates an
autosaved file.
 For controls that do not have an OK or Apply Changes button, Express>It performs an automatic save
whenever the control loses focus. Typically, the control loses focus whenever you switch to a different
window or dialog on your client computer.
When you click Save or Save and Publish, Express>It saves a copy of the application configuration and
removes the autosaved file.
When you edit and lock an application configuration, Express>It checks to see if the autosaved file is more
recent than the saved file. If the autosaved file is more recent than the saved file, the Load Autosave File
dialog asks if you want to use the autosaved file instead:
 Click Apply to load the application configuration from the autosaved file.
 Click Discard to remove the autosaved file.

Keep in mind the following about autosaved files:
 When you use the autosaved file, Express>It loads the application configuration in the Edit
Configuration page, but does not save it. You must click Save or Save and Publish to save the
application configuration.
 When you abandon changes in an application configuration, Express>It also removes the autosaved
file.
For more information on the autosave feature, see your administrator or “Autosave storage”.
Managing shared files

Express>It provides tools for you to manage shared files. This section discusses the following aspects of
shared files:
 Locks
 Changes
Locks
When you manually change the contents of a shared file using a control in the application configuration, you
lock it, as described in “Locking shared files”. When you make changes to shared files that are locked by
you, they are saved and published with application configurations.
In rare situations, an application configuration tries to automatically lock and change the contents of a shared
file that is used by multiple application configurations. If the application configuration is unable to lock the
file, the Edit Configuration page (instead of a control) provides buttons for managing the lock on that file.
When saving or publishing the application configuration in this situation, you must manage this lock in one
of the following ways:
 If another user has locked the shared file (preventing you from locking it):
o You can click Recheck Locks to see if you can lock the shared file. (After the file is unlocked, you
can click Lock to lock it.)
o You can save the application configuration, but it won’t include the changes in progress to the
shared file by the other user.
o You cannot publish the application configuration.
 If the shared file is currently unlocked, click Lock. After you have locked the shared file, Express>It can
save and publish it when you save and publish the application configuration.
Changes
The Manager page provides the Shared Resources tab for managing the changes to shared files. In most
situations, you don’t need to use this tab because you publish and abandon changes in the shared file when
you publish and abandon changes in the application configuration. The only reason to use this tab is if you
want to abandon changes or publish the shared file without abandoning changes or publishing the application
configuration.
The tab shows all the shared files in the currently selected application configuration. You can do the following:
 Publish the changes to one or more shared files without publishing the application configuration.
 Abandon the most recent set of changes to one or more shared files without abandoning the changes to the
application configuration. When you abandon the changes, Express>It reverts the shared file to its last
published version.

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Copying and renaming application
configurations
This section explains how to copy and rename application configurations using the Manager page.
 Copying application configurations
 Renaming application configurations
When copying and renaming application configurations, please note the following:
 These procedures are for copying and renaming application configurations within the same project sandbox. To
perform these operations across sandboxes, see “Moving and copying configurations between private
projects” in the Express>It Template Developer’s Guide.
 Administrators and developers can also copy and rename application configurations within the same
sandbox using the ac-appconf utility. For details, see “ac-appconf duplicate” and “ac-appconf rename” in
the Express>It Installation and Administration Guide.
 When you copy and rename application configurations, some initial values set automatically by the
developer in the original application configuration might not get set in the copy. If a copied or renamed
application configuration does not behave like the original, see your developer or administrator.
 With Co>Operating System Version 3.3.2 or later, when you copy an application configuration,
Express>It assigns new GUIDs (globally unique identifiers) to all embedded rulesets in the
new .appconf file. For more information, see “Ruleset unique identifiers (GUIDs)” in the
Express>It Ruleset Configuration Guide.
 After you make a copy, it is generally good practice to refresh (edit and save) the resulting new
application configuration. Depending on your template, this may generate other related files that are
not copied, such as certain psets or shared files.
Copying application configurations

► To copy an application configuration (within the same sandbox):
1. Set any values in the original application configuration that you also want in all copies. For details on
setting values, see “Setting values in application configurations”.
2. On the Manager page, select the application configuration in the configuration and ruleset list.
3. Click . The Copy Configuration dialog is displayed.
4. Type a name for the copy that conforms to the following requirements:
 The name must be unique within the project that contains the application configuration. (You
cannot have two application configurations with the same name in the same project.)
 The name cannot contain the following special characters (unless your site overrides the default
behavior):
\/:*?<>|"&@
An administrator can customize the list of disallowed characters as needed, depending on site
requirements (see the AB_APPCONF_CONFIGURATION_DISALLOWED_CHARACTERS configuration
variable). Consult your site support staff for details if this applies to you.
5. Click OK.
The Manager page adds an entry for the new unpublished application configuration.
Renaming application configurations
► To rename an application configuration:
1. Follow the steps in “Copying application configurations” to copy the application configuration under a
new name.
2. Use EME technical repository commands to remove the application configuration with the old name.
For details, see the Technical Repository Administrator’s Guide.

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Running psets
This section explains how to run psets:
 About the Run button
 Running a pset from the toolbar
 Running a pset from a box, popup, or tab
 Stopping a run
About the Run button

If your developer provides an optional button , you can run a pset to do the following:
 Prepare data before you set values in the application configuration.
 Test the application’s behavior with your application configuration.
Depending on how your developer sets up the button , you can run psets in the following contexts:
 Express>It — Run the graph and pset on the Ab Initio server software host.
 Control>Center — Run a job in a Control>Center runtime environment.

You can start and monitor a run using the following pages:
 Manager page
 Edit Configuration page
Manager page
The Manager page provides the following controls for starting and monitoring runs:
 The Run button starts running the pset.
 An LED status indicator (running , success , failed , or not started ) shows the current run
state.
 The Details tab displays the status, time, and error output (if any) from the current run.
Edit Configuration page

The Edit Configuration page provides the following controls for starting and monitoring runs:
 The button may be displayed in two different locations:
o The Run button in the toolbar starts running the pset.
o The button in a popup dialog or tab (as shown below) starts running the pset. This button has a
custom label that varies with the task in the popup or tab.
 An animated rotating icon is displayed during the run.
 A status message indicates whether the job is running, succeeded, failed, or aborted.
 The Details link displays a dialog with status details about the job, such as the start time, finish time,
and execution or error output.
Running a pset from the toolbar
► To run a pset from the toolbar:
1. Set all the necessary values in the application configuration. For details, see “Setting values in
application configurations”.
2. Save and publish the application configuration. For details, see “Saving and publishing application
configurations”.
In some cases, your developer can set up the button so that you don’t need to save and
NOTE:
publish before a run.
3. On the Manager page or Edit Configuration page, click .

NOTE: On the Edit Configuration page, the Run button changes to a Stop button. To stop the
run before it completes, see “Stopping a run”.
4. Check the following indicators to see if the run was successful.
 Manager page — LED indicator of success , Last Run field on Details tab, and Standard Error
Output field on Details tab
 Edit Configuration page — Status message to the left of the Details link.
 If the run failed, contact your developer or administrator and report the error text (if any). Check
the Standard Error Output field on the Manager page or click the Details link on the Edit
Configuration page to see the error text.
 If the run succeeded, check the outputs of the application to determine if the application
configuration produced the results that you expect.
Running a pset from a box, popup, or tab

► To run a pset from a box, popup, or tab:
1. Edit the application configuration.
2. Set any the necessary values for the popup or tab that contains the button.
3. On the popup or tab, click . The button changes to a Stop button. To stop the run before it
completes, see “Stopping a run”.
You must stay logged in to Express>It while the pset is running.

4. Check the status message (left of the Details link) to see if the run was successful.
 If the run failed, click the Details link to view the error text and report it to your developer or
administrator.
 If the run succeeded, continue setting the rest of the values in the application configuration.
Stopping a run
If you are currently running a pset from the Edit Configuration page, you can stop the run before it
completes.
► To stop the execution of a pset:
 Click Stop. The Run Status message changes from “Stopping” to “Aborted”.
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Sorting and filtering application

configurations
To assist with managing large numbers of application configurations, the Manager page provides ways to
sort and filter them.
► To sort application configurations:
1. In the Application Configurations list on the Manager page, click a column heading to sort application
configurations in ascending order by:
 Published/locked status — Click the empty column heading for the application configuration
icons.
 Run status — Click the empty column heading for the LED indicator icons.
 Name of application configuration — Click Name.
 Name of application template — Click Application.
 Account that locks the configuration — Click Locked By.
2. Click the column heading again to sort application configurations in descending order.
► To filter application configurations, application templates, and account names:
 In the Application Configurations toolbar on the Manager page, type part of the name in the Filter text
box. The configuration and ruleset list only includes the application configurations (Name column),
application templates (Application column), and account names (Locked By column) with matching
text in their names. With this feature, you can find configurations, templates, and accounts faster when
there are a large numbers of them.
► To remove or clear a filter:
 On the right side of the Filter text box, click .

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Setting values in application configurations
Filling out forms
When setting values in application configurations, you often fill out simple forms that contain one or more of
the following:
 Text fields
 Checkboxes
 Radio buttons
 Drop-down lists
 Scrollable lists
 Ordered lists
 Date choosers
You fill out the form as appropriate and click OK to save the values in the application configuration.
Some forms contain a text field and a button or a drop-down list that opens another control. When you set
the value with the control and close it, the value is displayed in the form’s text field. For example, the
following form contains:
 A checkbox.
 A text field and a Select Fields button that launches the Field Picker control. After you pick fields,
save, and close the Field Picker control, the value is displayed in the text field.
 A toolbar that allows you to choose, modify, or create a record format. After you edit and save the
record format, the value is displayed in the grid. You can then click the View button to see your sample
data in the specified record format.
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Locking shared files

When you set values in the application configuration, Express>It saves most of them as runtime values for
the application. We refer to these runtime values as parameters, parameter sets, or psets. In some cases,
however, Express>It saves one or more values in a shared file. A shared file is stored in the filesystem,
edited by either a single user or more than one user, and published with the application configuration. For
example, you can edit sample data or create a new record format in a shared file.
If the shared file is owned by the application configuration that you are editing, you are the only user that
can edit the shared file. In this case, Express>It takes care of locking, saving, publishing, abandoning
changes, and deleting the shared file when you perform those same operations on the application
configuration.
If multiple application configurations own the shared file, multiple users can edit the shared file. In this case,
you must obtain the lock on the shared file before you can edit it. When you open a control to edit a shared
file, the control displays one of the following lock states:
 Unlocked — The control provides a Lock button and allows you to view the file contents but not edit
it. After you click the Lock button, you can edit the file contents.
 Locked by another user — The control allows you to view the file contents but not edit it. You cannot
lock the file until the locking user publishes the application configuration.
 Locked by you — The control allows you to edit the file contents.
In rare situations, the application configuration (not the control) displays the lock status on the Edit
NOTE:
Configuration page. For details on handling this situation, see “Managing shared files”.
When you publish the application configuration, Express>It releases the lock on the shared file. When the
shared file is unlocked, another user can lock and edit it.

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Entering passwords
When setting values in application configurations, you may be prompted to enter a password when choosing
data and metadata. For example, you may be required to enter a database password when choosing
database tables in an application configuration.
► To enter a password:
1. Click the Set button. The password input dialog is displayed.

2. Type your password in the input field.
3. (If applicable) Type your password again in the second input field.
4. Click OK to close the dialog.

5. (If applicable) Click OK to save the password in the application configuration.
To clear your password instead of set it, click Clear.

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Choosing data and metadata

When editing an application configuration, you choose the data and metadata sources and targets for
processing by the application. For example, you can choose source datasets and target database tables. You
choose data and metadata with the following controls:
 File Browser control and Directory Browser control — for files, directories, and Ab Initio queues in
filesystems
 Database Browser control — for tables, views, and stored procedures in databases
 EME Browser control — for EME datasets and logical entities in EME technical repositories
 Metadata Hub Browser control — for business, technical, and operational metadata in Metadata Hubs

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Formatting data
After you choose data to be processed by the application, you prepare it for processing by formatting it. A
record format describes how data should be interpreted. An accurate description of record structure is
required in order to use and access fields of that structure. When you create record formats, it is good
practice to give your fields descriptive names so others will know what they contain.
The following example shows a basic record format displayed within the Record Format Editor.
For more information about formatting data in Express>It, see “Working with record formats”.

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Editing data
After you choose and format data for processing, some custom workflows allow you to edit the data.
Express>It provides two different controls for editing data:
 Edit Data control — You can edit sample data or shared files that have been formatted with a record
format. The record format dictates the columns and rows in the control. For details, see “Guide to View
Data and Edit Data”.
 Data Grid control — You can edit and create tabular data in a grid of columns and rows. Each custom
workflow defines the format of the columns and rows in the grid. For details, see “Data Grid control”.
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Creating rulesets in an application

configuration
This section explains how to configure rulesets in a workflow. Rulesets map fields from a source dataset to a
target dataset, and use expressions and rules to calculate the values of target fields. After you choose
source data and target data in your workflow, you can configure the ruleset to process the data.
For complete details on creating and using rulesets, see the Express>It Ruleset Development Guide.
NOTE:
► To create a ruleset:
1. In the box on the canvas, click the pop-up link for the Rulesets page. Each custom workflow has a
unique name for the link. The following example has a link named Edit Mapping Rules, which opens
the Rulesets page when you click it.
Each custom workflow determines whether the Rulesets page initially displays the mapping of inputs to
outputs, primary rule, or primary rule group in the ruleset. The following example shows the mapping
of inputs to outputs for a customer record in a dataset in a ruleset:
2. Click Help to learn how to use specific ruleset features. Lists of inputs, outputs, lookup files,
parameters, keywords, functions, grids for expressing rule cases and mappings, and tools for
examining the rule lineage and testing computed values are provided.
3. Click OK to save the ruleset in the application configuration.

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This section explains how to examine the characteristics and quality of data with data profiles. When
choosing data for processing by an application, you can create data profiles for the dataset or examine
existing legacy profiles. This section contains the following subsections:
 Creating data profiles
 Viewing legacy profiles

For complete details on viewing data profiles, see “Guide to the Profile Viewer”.
NOTE:

You can create a data profile for a dataset from Express>It.
► To create a data profile:
1. In the box on the canvas, click the pop-up link for the data profile. The following example has a link
for Run Data Profile:
The Create a New Data Profile dialog is displayed.

2. Change the settings as appropriate. See “Create a new data profile dialog”.
3. Click the Run Profile button .
The Data Profile window is displayed. For example:

4. (Optional) To display statistics about that particular field (or column) in the dataset — a field profile —
click the Field List (or Column List) tab, and then click the name of the field or column whose profile
you want to display.
5. (Optional) To export the profile results to a report, click the Export Profile icon in the upper-right
corner of the profile window.
6. Click Close.
For profile help, including instructions on navigating profiles, exporting profile results, getting information
about statistics, and interpreting special characters, click the Help button in the upper-right
corner of the profile window. For context-sensitive help on a particular section of a profile, hover over its
question mark icon and then click More.
Viewing legacy profiles

Developers or administrators can provide a pop-up link in the workflow to display a legacy profile.
► To view a legacy profile:
1. In the box on the canvas, click the pop-up link for the legacy profile. The following example has a link
for EME Data Profiles:
The Data Profile window is displayed. For example:

2. Click Close.

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Working with record formats > About record formats in
Express>It
About records and record formats
A record is one complete entry in a file or a database table. For example, a record about a customer might
contain fields for account number, account type, name, address, and telephone number.
A record format describes how data — the bytes in a record — should be interpreted. A record structure
requires an accurate description in order for you to access and use fields of that structure.
For example, you might have a table of employees in a database where each record contains four fields:
 Six characters for the employee’s first name
 Ten characters for the employee’s last name
 Three characters for the employee’s age
 Six characters for the employee’s date of hire
One employee’s record might look like this (where each cell represents one character or byte in the record):
The record format for this record needs to describe the following characteristics so that the data can be
interpreted correctly:
Field name Type of data Length
first_name string 6 characters
last_name string 10 characters
age number 3 digits
date_of_hire date 6 digits, in MMDDYY format

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Express>It
About DML data types

The Data Manipulation Language (DML) is the Ab Initio language for describing record formats. DML
specifies the characteristics of records and their fields. It supports a variety of data types for fields, including
the following:
Data type Definition
integer A binary number
real A binary floating-point number
decimal A character-based, packed, or scaled binary decimal number

Data type Definition
void An unspecified fixed-length or length-prefixed type
string A fixed-length, variable, or delimited text
date A calendar date
datetime A calendar date and time of day
Below is an example of DML syntax appropriate for describing the format of a simple record containing an
employee's name, age, and date of hire.
For more information about DML data types, see “Data types in DML” in the Co>Operating System DML
Guide and Reference.

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Express>It
Kinds of record formats

Express>It supports two different categories of record formats:
 Simple formats — Those that can be described by standard DML syntax
 Complex formats — Those formats whose descriptions require additional information beyond standard
DML syntax, known as enhanced DML
In Express>It, you can use the Record Format control to work with both simple and complex record formats.
This control features a Record Format Wizard that is especially helpful for working with complex record
formats (see "Using the Record Format Wizard") as well as a full Record Format Editor for more detailed
record format editing (see "Choosing, modifying, and creating record formats").
The remainder of this section takes a closer look at examples of simple and complex record formats.
Simple formats
Examples of simple record formats include the following:
 Single delimiter
 Fixed length
Single delimiter
To demarcate fields within a record, and the ends of individual records, records formatted with a single
delimiter use a particular character that does not appear in the data itself. For example, a single-delimiter
record format might use commas to signal fields and the end of a record. The following sample data file uses
the vertical bar character as its single delimiter:
Fixed length
In records formatted with a fixed length, fields are delimited by a static number of characters. Below is a
sample data file where each record consists of seven fixed-length fields:
Complex formats
Examples of complex record formats include the following:
 Separated text
 Multiple delimiter
 XML
 Excel
 Header/body/trailer
Separated text
In records formatted with separated text, fields are demarcated by a common delimiter. Usually the
delimiter character does not appear in the data itself; however, in some cases the delimiter can appear in
the data. Below is an example of a sample data file where commas delimit the fields but also occur in some
field values:
Multiple delimiter
In records formatted with multiple delimiters, fields are demarcated by different delimiters. Below is an
example of a sample data file using a semicolon, slash, and vertical bar as field delimiters:
XML
In records formatted in XML, fields and records are parsed by base elements. XML data can be hierarchical,
depending on the specified base elements. Below is an example of an XML data file with elements such as
<custid> and <fname> used to demarcate the fields of each <customer> record:
Excel
In records that are formatted in Excel, fields and records are parsed by rows and cells. Below is an example
of customer data displayed in Excel:
Header/body/trailer
In header/body/trailer (HBT) data — also known as header/detail/trailer or header/body/footer data — Informative
data precedes and follows the body record. For example, a header might contain field names, and a trailer
might contain the number of records within a file, as shown below:
You can include headers and trailers in data in the following record formats:
 Single-delimiter
 Multiple-delimiter
 Fixed-length
 Separated-text
In Express>It, you can process HBT data by skipping the header and trailer records.

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Express>It > Kinds of record formats

Simple formats
 Fixed length
Single delimiter
Fixed length
Complex formats
 Separated text
 XML
 Excel
Separated text
field values:
Multiple delimiter
XML
Excel
Header/body/trailer
 Fixed-length
 Separated-text

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Express>It > Kinds of record formats

Simple formats
 Fixed length
Single delimiter
Fixed length
Complex formats
 Separated text
 XML
 Excel
Separated text
field values:
Multiple delimiter
XML
Excel
Header/body/trailer
 Fixed-length
 Separated-text

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Working with record formats
Choosing, modifying, and creating record

formats
Typically, you use the File Browser and Record Format controls together in the same dialog when choosing
record formats. The File Browser shows the path of the data to be formatted. By default, the Record Format
control automatically searches for a record format that matches the data to be formatted and shows the
name, type, and size of each field in the selected record format. Clicking the View button in the Record
Format control displays the View Data control, allowing you to see the sample data in the selected record
format and providing immediate visual feedback to indicate how well the record format matches the data.
► To choose, modify, or create record formats:
1. Do the following to determine whether the displayed record format matches your selected data:
a. Examine the record format (if any) that is displayed in the Record Format control. This displayed
format is the one in your project that best matches the selected data. The following example
shows a record format:
b. Click the View button to examine the formatted sample data with the View Data control. The
following example shows a selected record format that exactly matches the sample data:
If the displayed format matches or closely matches the selected data, click Close to close the
View Data control and OK to close the Record Format popup. Skip the rest of this procedure. For
details on using the View Data control, see “Examining data”.
2. If the displayed format does not match the data or is empty, choose an option from the Record Format
toolbar. The following example shows a record format that does not match the sample data:
The View Data control shows that the data specified in the File Browser control spans field boundaries:
In this situation, choose one of the following options from the Record Format toolbar:
 Browse — Browse existing record formats.
 Create — Create a new record format with the Record Format Wizard. For details, see “Using the
Record Format Wizard”.
In some custom workflows, this button creates the record format with Grid Mode of the
NOTE:
Record Format Editor instead of the Record Format Wizard. For details, see “Grid Mode” in
the Web Page Reference.
 Match — Search for existing record formats that match your data with the Record Format Wizard.
For details, see “Using the Record Format Wizard”.
 Clear — Clear the selected record format.
 Edit — Modify an existing record format with one of the following modes of the Record Format
Editor:
o Grid Mode — (Default) Displays a grid that has a full graphical editor with buttons and
dialogs for editing fields and field attributes. For details, see “Grid Mode” in the Web Page
Reference.
o Text Mode — Displays a text editor that has autocompletion and validation of DML syntax.
This mode is intended for advanced users with knowledge of the DML language. For details,
see “Text Mode” in the Web Page Reference.
3. Click OK to close the Record Format popup.

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Using the Record Format Wizard
The Record Format control includes the Record Format Wizard, which helps you define a record format for a
specified data file. You can match your data with an existing record format, or create a new record format.
This section explains how to define a record format using the Record Format Wizard. It covers the following
topics:
 Creating a new record format
 Matching data with an existing record format
 Data formats supported by the Record Format Wizard
 DML data types supported by the Record Format Wizard
 Diagnosing problems in the Record Format Wizard

For details on developing application templates that include the Record Format Wizard,
see “RecordFormat” in the Template Language Reference.
Video: Record Format Wizard

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > User’s Guide > Working with record formats > Using the Record
Format Wizard
Creating a new record format

This section is an overview of the steps necessary to create a record format from scratch for your data:
1. Define the overall structure of the record format.

When you create a new record format for your data, the Record Format Wizard initially displays a
record format whose overall structure — including its character set, record delimiter, and data format
— is based on the wizard’s best analysis of your data. You then go on to modify the structure of the
record format as needed so that it better matches your data.
2. Define the record and field structure of the record format.
After creating the basic structure of the record format, you specify characteristics of the data and its
fields. These characteristics include field delimiters, field lengths, quote and escape characters, and
type-specific settings.
3. Supply details for the record format’s fields.

After you have defined the record and field structure of the data, you supply details for each field,
such as the field’s name, type, and type-specific attributes.
At each step, the Record Format Wizard displays the data in the specified format, providing immediate visual
feedback on how well the record format matches your data. The image below displays a record format in the
Record Format Wizard.
► To create a new record format:
1. On the Record Format control toolbar, click Create.

2. On the Create format: Global options page, specify options for the record format’s overall structure,
and then click Apply.
If the record format appears to match your data, click Next. Otherwise, repeat this step.
3. On the Create format: Record and field structure page, specify options for the characteristics of
your data and its fields, and then click Apply.
4. On the Create Format: Edit field details page, specify details for each field, and then click Apply.
5. On the Create format: Review format page, determine whether you need to make changes to the
record format.
If you need to make changes, click Previous to return to earlier pages. If no changes are needed,
click Finish.

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Format Wizard
Matching data with an existing record format

To match your data with an existing record format, the Record Format Wizard searches your project for
record formats that describe your data. The wizard then displays a list of possible matches in descending
order of confidence — the probability that a given record format describes your data. Record formats higher in
the list are more likely to match your data than those lower in the list.
When you select a record format, the wizard displays your data in the selected format as shown below,
providing immediate visual feedback on how well the record format matches the data. Try examining your
data in several different formats to determine which one best describes your data.
If you cannot find a record format that describes your data, you can create a new record format.
See “Creating a new record format”.
► To match data with an existing record format:
1. On the Record Format control toolbar, click Match. The Record formats matching data page is
displayed.
2. Record formats (.dml files) that are potential matches for your data are listed in the Matches section.
Select a record format from the list.
If the data matches the record format, click Next to review the record format. Otherwise, repeat this
step.
3. On the Use matching format: Review format: Matched record format page, determine whether
you need to make changes to the record format.
If you need to make changes, click Previous to return to the last page. If no changes are needed,
click Finish.
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Format Wizard
Data formats supported by the Record Format Wizard

The Record Format Wizard currently supports data in the following formats:
 Single-delimiter string
 Excel
 Fixed-length string
 Multiple-delimiter string
 XML

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Format Wizard
DML data types supported by the Record Format

Wizard
The Record Format Wizard currently supports data of the following DML types:
 String
 Decimal
 Date
 Datetime

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Format Wizard
Diagnosing problems in the Record Format Wizard
When a problem occurs in a record format or in the data for which you want to define a record format, the
Record Format Wizard displays a warning icon, along with a description of the problem. For example:
In this situation, you can click the Create issue package button to generate a package containing
information that will help your Express>It template developer troubleshoot the record format issue. By
default, this package is called problemPackage.zip.
The information the package includes depends on whether a new record format is being created, or an
existing record format is being matched with your data:
Always included
 info.txt — Provides information about your environment, including:
o The hostname of your application server

o The value of the AB_HOME configuration variable
o The path of the data file for which you want to define a record format
o What step in the record format definition process the Record Format Wizard was at when the issue
occurred
 problemnumber_error-text.txt — Provides the following information:
o The error code ID

o The error code name
o A description of the error
Included when a new record format is being created
 sampleData.dat — Contains a subset of the data for which you want to create a record format.
 headerRows.dat — Included only when the header rows of your data contain field names. Contains the
relevant header rows from your data.
 trailerRows.dat — Included only when the trailer rows of your data contain field names. Contains the
relevant trailer rows from your data.
Included when an existing record format is being matched with your data
 recordFormat.dml — The record format that caused the issue, in text format
 problemMatchResult.txt — Provides the following information:

o dmlFile — The name of the record format (.dml) file
o formatFamily — The type of record format
o Score — A number used in the calculation of the record format’s confidence level
o recordCount — The number of records found during the matching of the format to the sample data
file
o fieldCount — The number of fields per record multiplied by the total number of records
o failedField — The number of fields that contain invalid data
o failedRecords — The number of records that contain invalid data
o A description of the problem; for example:

errorRecord 1, field "newline": TRUNCATED

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Adding business information to record

formats
You can annotate the fields in record formats with business names, business comments, and named
constants. These annotations improve usability in the following ways:
 The business name is displayed in parentheses after a field name.
 The business name, technical comment, and business comment are displayed in a tooltip when you
hover the mouse pointer over a field name.
 Named constants are displayed when you edit rulesets.
You can use the following methods to add business information to record formats:
 When modifying existing record formats in the Record Format Editor
 When creating new record formats using the Record Format Wizard
Using the Record Format Editor
This section describes how to add business names, business comments, and named constants to record
formats using the Record Format Editor.
► To add business information to a record format in the Record Format Editor:
1. On the Record Format control, choose Edit > Grid Mode to open the Record Format Editor in Grid
Mode.
2. For each field that you want to annotate with business information, do the following:
a. Click on the field.
b. Click the Edit button . The Edit Field dialog is displayed.

c. On the Field tab, supply one or more of the following: Business Name, Technical Comment,
and Business Comment.
d. On the Constants tab, click the Add button , type a name, and choose a type for each named
constant.
e. Click OK.
3. Click OK.
Using the Record Format Wizard
This section describes how to add business names and business comments to record formats using the
Record Format Wizard.
► To add business information to a record format in the Record Format Wizard:
1. On the Record Format control, click Create to open the Record Format Wizard.
2. Follow the prompts to the Create format: Edit field details page.
3. For each field that you want to annotate with business information, do the following:
a. Click on the field.

b. Supply one or more of the following: Business Name and Business comment.
c. Click Apply.

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Examining data
Use the View Data control to examine data and determine whether to edit the record format or choose a
different one. Each custom workflow determines the kind of data that you can examine with the View Data
control. The kinds of data include the following:
 Sample data — A small sample of the actual data processed by the application
 Runtime data — Data generated by the running application at different points in its processing
 Data file — A flat serial file
 Multifile — Two or more parallel files
 Database tables
 Database query results
 Ab Initio queues
The View Data control shows a finite set of records from the data, and you can iteratively get more records
to spot check or examine all records.
► To examine data:
1. Click a link in a box on the canvas, or click a tab. The View button, which displays the View Data
control, is displayed on a Record Format control.
2. Check the records displayed in the View Data control to see whether they are formatted correctly. For
details on using the control, see “Guide to View Data and Edit Data” in the View Data and Edit Data
Help.
3. (Optional) Click the More Records button to get the next set of records from the data source. If
necessary, see “Changing the set of displayed records”.
4. If the records are not formatted correctly, change the record format. See “Choosing, modifying, and
creating record formats”.
5. When you are finished examining the records, click OK.

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Filtering records
To reduce the number of records processed by the application, create a record filter with the Expression
Editor control. Use the Expression Editor and View Data controls together to examine the effect of the filter
on the data and change the filter as needed.

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > Web Page Reference > Application configuration controls
Field Picker control

The Field Picker control lists the available fields that you can choose in a data source. Each custom workflow
does one of the following:
 Directly open the Field Picker control
 Provide a text field for typing fields and a button for opening the Field Picker control
This control has the following features:
 Text field
 Select Fields button
 Record description
 Buttons
 Selected fields
► To display this control:
 On the Edit Configuration page, click a link in a box on the canvas, or click a tab.
Text field
(Displayed if the workflow does not directly open the Field Picker control) The names of the selected fields.
If the fields are record keys, you must be specify them with key specifier syntax. See “Key specifiers and
their syntax” in the DML Guide and Reference. If you don’t know the names of the fields, click Select
Fields to choose them from a list.
Select Fields button

(Displayed if the workflow does not directly open the Field Picker control) Displays the Field Picker control.
Record description
Lists the fields in the record format for a data source. Click a field to select it, and then click Add to add it to
the list of Selected fields.
To filter the list, type one or more characters in the Filter text box. The list displays only those field names
that contain that sequence of characters.
In some cases, the field names include a business name in parentheses. If the field includes comments
about its purpose or use, you can hover over the field to display the comments in a tooltip.
Buttons
Add
Adds a field from the Record description to the list of Selected fields.
Add All
Adds all fields from the Record description to the list of Selected fields.
Remove
Removes a field from the list of Selected fields.

Remove All
Removes all fields from the list of Selected fields.

Move Up
Moves a field up in the list of Selected fields.

Move Down
Moves a field down in the list of Selected fields.
Selected fields
List the selected fields for the data source. Each custom workflow determines the minimum and maximum
number of fields that you can choose.
In some cases, the field names include a business name in parentheses. If the field includes comments
about its purpose or use, you can hover over the field to display the comments in a tooltip.
You can filter the selection list when necessary to see a subset of it. In the Filter text box, type part of the
name you want to match. Filtering does not affect the actual selection. Note that any change you make to
the selection list clears the selection filter.

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Express>It V3.3.5 Help > Web Page Reference > Application configuration controls
Key Picker control
The Key Picker control lists the available fields in a data source that you can choose as record keys for
sorting, joining, or rolling up data. Each custom workflow does one of the following:
 Directly open the Key Picker control
 Provide a text field for typing record keys with a Select Fields button for opening the Key Picker
control
This control has the following features:
 Text field
 Select Fields button
 Record description
 Buttons
 Selected fields
► To display this dialog:
 On the Edit Configuration page, click a link in a box on the canvas, or click a tab.
Text field
(Displayed if the workflow does not directly open the Key Picker control) The names of the selected record
keys, which must be specified with key specifier syntax. See “Key specifiers and their syntax” in the DML
Guide and Reference. If you don’t know the names of the record keys, click Select Fields to choose them
from a list.
Select Fields button

(Displayed if the workflow does not directly open the Key Picker control) Displays the Key Picker control.
Record description
Lists the fields in the record format for a data source. Click a field to select it, and then click Add to add it as
a record key in the list of Selected fields.
To filter the list, type one or more characters in the Filter text box. The list displays only those field names
that contain that sequence of characters.
Buttons
Add
Adds a field from the Record description as a record key in the list of Selected fields.
Add All
Adds all fields from the Record description as record keys in the list of Selected fields.
Remove
Removes a record key from the list of Selected fields.

Remove All
Removes all record keys from the list of Selected fields.
Move Up
Moves a record key up in the list of Selected fields.

Move Down
Moves a record key down in the list of Selected fields.
Selected fields
List the selected record keys for the data source. Each custom workflow determines the minimum and
maximum number of keys that you can choose. Each record key may have up to three of the following drop-
down lists for setting options on it:
 Sort direction: Ascending or Descending.
 Sort sequence: Machine, Phonebook, Index, or Foldcase. For details on each value, see “Predefined
sort sequence modifiers” in the DML Guide and Reference.
 Modifiers for interval lookups. Interval lookups can be used in rulesets and have the following modifiers:
o Exact
o Interval
o Interval and exclusive
o Interval_bottom
o Interval_bottom and exclusive

o Interval_bottom and overlapping
o Interval_bottom, exclusive and overlapping

o Interval_top
o Interval_top and exclusive
o Regex
For details on each value, see “Specifying an interval lookup key” in the Lookup Data and Operations
Guide.
You can filter the selection list when necessary to see a subset of it. In the Filter text box, type part of the
name you want to match. Filtering does not affect the actual selection. Note that any change you make to
the selection list clears the selection filter.

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Express>It V3.3.

5 Help > Technical Overview

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

About the Express>It web application

 Server and client versions

The Express>It web application provides the following:

 Tools for developers who are creating application templates.

Developers use the editor role when testing templates as a user.

Server and client versions

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

1. On the Manager page, click the Workspace drop-down list.

2. Select the workspace you want from the list.

Creating and deleting application

 Creating application configurations

 Deleting application configurations

Creating application configurations

Deleting application configurations

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

Opening and closing application

 Editing application configurations

 Viewing application configurations

 Closing application configurations

Editing application configurations

2. In the configurations and rulesets list (right), do one of the following:

 Click , , or for the appropriate configuration, and then click .

 Double-click or for a configuration that is already locked by you.

The Edit Configuration page is displayed for editing.

Viewing application configurations

2. In the Application Configurations list (right), do one of the following:

 Double-click or for a configuration that is published or locked by another user.

Closing application configurations

 In the toolbar on the Edit Configuration page, click Close.

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

 Canvas navigation controls and keys

1. Configure the values in the left or top box.

3. Configure the values in the right or bottom box.

► To navigate a canvas with a data flow:

2. For each link in the box, do the following:

b. Set the values in the control. For details, see:

Filling out forms

Creating rulesets in an application configuration

c. Click to collapse the box and hide its contents.

Canvas navigation controls and keys

Function Navigation keys

Pan down Down Arrow or Mouse Wheel Up

Pan up Up Arrow or Mouse Wheel Down

Pan left Left Arrow or Shift-Mouse Wheel Up

Pan right Right Arrow or Shift-Mouse Wheel Down

Pan in small increments Shift+arrow key

Pan in large increments Ctrl+arrow key

Drag pan Click-Drag

Zoom in Ctrl-Mouse Wheel Up (while mouse pointer is over any object)

Copyright © 1997-2018, Ab Initio, Confidential and Proprietary. All rights

 About saving and publishing

 Saving application configurations

 Publishing application configurations

 Using autosaved files

 Managing shared files

About saving and publishing

When you publish an application configuration, you also publish:

Saving application configurations

 On the Edit Configuration page, click Save.