Agents and Adapters

Ashutosh Sharma

Introduction
Developing

Agents and Adapters By the end of this session you will be knowing how to develop Simple Agents/Adapters

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Agenda
Introduction Agents Adapters
Synchronous

to Agents and Adapters

Adapters Asynchronous Adapters

Developing
Setting

Adapters

Getters and Setters

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Overview
This

session will let you know what an Agent/Adapter is and how simple Agent/Adapters can be developed to automate a task.
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Vocabulary
Adapter

A Java class that integrates remote, third party classes and actions with SBM. An adapter can automate certain functions and tasks performed by a remote server or other external systems. In SBM, a code that executes as part of the process to perform a work step running internally within SBM, and does not access an external system.

Agent

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Vocabulary Continued

Dataslot A data placeholder that persists through the entire process and defines the information flow of the business process. Dataslots are associated with processes, where they can add information into (Input type) or out of (Output type) worksteps, and appear as editable or read-only fields on a users interface.
Managed Adapter In SBM, a Managed Adapter is an implementation of an adapter interface that facilitates data exchange between SBM processes and external applications.

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Performer

An entity that executes a work

step. Depending on the work step type, the performer can be a human user, a
group of users, an adapter or other external performer, or a script.

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Introduction to Agents/Adapters

Agents and adapters are non-human performers of work steps They are typically a code that connects SBM to databases, third party software or other systems. The primary difference between adapters and agents An adapter runs a remote device or application that is external to SBM. An agent is a self-contained adapter that only runs inside SBM and does not access external systems.

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Agents

Agents are Java objects executed locally; i.e., on the same Java Virtual Machine (JVM) as the BizLogic or the BizSolo application server. The agent requires no knowledge about BizLogic or BizSolo.

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Adapters

Adapters are objects executed remotely; i.e., and run on a separate, external JVM. The communication for a remote adapter in BizLogic is performed using the JNDI protocol. This protocol is specified during the design time on the performer tag of the Adapter work step Adapters can be of two types

Synchronous Adapters Asynchronous Adapters

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Synchronous Adapters

In synchronous Adapter worksteps, the adapter calls the methods in the following sequence

set methods perform method get method.

No matter how long the adapter execution takes, the BizLogic and BizSolo engines wait for the task to finish. Easy to use and create Data slot results are consistent Passing information to others adapters is safe.

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Asynchronous Adapters

In asynchronous adapters, BizLogic calls the adapter but does not wait for the adapter to finish its tasks. It can be used when an adapter takes a long time to complete. Connection is closed between workflow engine and the Adapter Asynchronous Adapters are of two types:

With Output DataSlot:

Behaves like Synchronous Adapters It waits for the asynchronous adapter class to complete the adapter. There is no need to provide output dataslot.

Without Output DataSlot

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Developing Adapters
An

adapter is a piece of Java code that connects SBM to external systems It performs complicated calculations, including
Databases third party software tools hardware devices.

Requirement

for Adapters

External systems must have an API with which the adapter can communicate. This API can be in C, C++, Java, or other languages/formats supported by SBM.

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Setting Getters and Setters

BizLogic

uses the default mapping setX() and getX() methods corresponding to a dataslot named X. One can use setAllInputDatasolots() for setting all the dataslots at once and getAllOutputDataslots() for getting the values of all the dataslots at once.

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Summary
In

this session we have learned how to develop simple adapters.

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Where to Get More Information

The

details of developing adapters are available in

Application

Developer Guide BizLogic Designer Guide BizLogic Developer Guide.

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