Adding an Integration Rule (VIRTUAL Dataset)

Integration Rules are defined using the VIRTUAL Dataset channel, which is used to create connections between Datasets in order to facilitate communications between systems.

To create a new Integration Rule VIRTUAL Dataset: 

1. Run the Integration Framework Configurator.

2. Click on your Windows Start button to display the list of installed software applications.

3. From the list of software applications, select Integration Framework > Configurator.

   The Integration Framework - Configurator window opens.

4. From the Configured Data Server list, select the Channel Object (the type of the Connector) for the target system.

5. Select the Connector that represents the link with that external system.

6. Right-click on the Integration Rule Group to which you want to add an Integration Rule, and select Add.

7. The Configure Virtual Data Server Source window opens.

   The window contains two tabs:

• Virtual Data Source tab: Contains the main parameters for the dataset. This is the tab you use to define/edit the parameters for the Virutal Dataset.
• Log tab: Allows you to search and display the trace messages generated for the Virtual Connector. Traces/Logs are packed by “executions” or “calls”. This means that a new set of trace/logs messages is created each time a call is invoked for the selected SOA Listener. \See, Search & Display SOA Trace Messages for more detailed information.

6. In the toolbar, click on the  Tree icon to show the list of existing datasets.

   The Tree icon works as a toggle to display and hide the left side Dataset selection pane, allowing you a larger area on the right in which to configure the Integration Rule.

7. Drag a dataset from the left panel into the 'Virtual definition area', (the larger pane on the right).

   A table appears, as shown in the following figure.

   The Virtual definition area on the right is the Integration Rule graphic dashboard where you can draw your integration workflows. You create the workflows by dragging the Datasets and Tools from the tree on the left to inside the graphic dashboard. Once dropped onto the graphic dashboard, the selected item appears as a box. For more details about the boxes see Virtual Definition Representations, following these steps.

8. Continue dragging datasets until you have all that are required to be involved in your the Integration Rule.

9. (Optional) To remove a dataset from the Virtual definition area:

10. Right-click on the Dataset table, to display the list of options.

11. Select Remove the Server Data set.

12. (Optional) To preview the actual results of the Dataset,

13. Right-click on one of the tables to display the list of options.

14. Select Preview results.

    EXAMPLE: Virtual Dataset Results

15. Create the connection between the datasets:

16. Position the cursor over the first dataset (on the left) at a particular row.

17. When a cross symbol appears, drag the cursor over the second dataset.

    Once a connection has been established, a colored arrow appears between the two Datasets, indicating the direction of the connection.

    A connection between two boxes indicates that the results (if any) from the source will be passed to the destination. The receiving Dataset will use the contents arriving from the source as input data. How data is consumed and/or manipulated in the destination Dataset is not known until the Integration Rule is defined. However, it should be configured in the receiving Dataset using its specific business logic.

    For more information on how to graphically define your Integration Rule, please see the sample found under Integration Rule Example.

18. Configure the connection between the two Datasets:

19. Position your mouse over the second Dataset.

20. When the selection icon (cross arrows) appears, double click on it.

    The main configuration window appears.

    At the top of the window are two Asset to synchronize options:

• AF Data Base
• PIPoint Database

13. Select the desired Asset to synchronize option.

    Note: The 'Action Name' is actually the name of the synchronization - it must be unique.

    When selecting 'AF Data Base' option, the tabs in the right side pane are the configurations to Synchronize Elements or Transfers, as shown in Figure 1498.

    The left pane displays a list of the available AF Databases. Select the desired database and the update modality section as shown below:

14. To display the Update modality pane (as shown in Figure 1498) in the list of databases in the left pane, select the desired database.

15. Determine whether to synchronize to elements or transfers.

    Synchronize Elements: When selecting to Synchronize to an Element, the synchronization occurs at the Model level, meaning it is not independent of the case. So, even though it allows synchronization with the AF Database, it is not recommended. Use the Integration Framework Data Reference (Pimsoft IF Data Reference).

    Synchronize Transfers: When selecting to Synchronize Transfers, the synchronization allows updating and/or inserting transfers at the Transfer table level. This means that in order for the transfers to show in the Case level, you must have run the 'Case Runner' "Collect Transfers" step in the Modeler application. \For more information on Case Runner see Working with Case Runner.

    In addition to the above, when you synchronize transfer you also need to do the following on the Synchronize Transfers tab:

16. Click on the Select the template down-arrow and select the template name.

17. Click on the Transfer Name down-arrow and select a transfer name from one of the columns of the result table.

    IMPORTANT: Remember that the name of the transfer must be unique, so when creating the Data set to retrieve the transfers from the source, the name column has to be worked around to define a unique name for it.

18. Click on the Source down-arrow and select the name of the beginning transfer.

19. Click on the Destination down-arrow and select the name of the ending transfer.

20. Click on the Start time down-arrow and select the starting time date type.

21. Click on the End time down-arrow and select the ending time date type.

22. The database columns must be linked with the Attribute name, by selecting the name of the Attribute in the corresponding column:

    If the synchronization is to a PI Point Database, the following window opens.

23. Select the sources of the value and the timestamp.

24. Set the modality of writing to the PI Server.

25. (Optional) To manually run the rule now, click the Run icon.

26. (Optional) To see information about any newly created or existing Integration Rule, click the Info icon.

27. When finished, click the  Save icon to save your settings.

Virtual Definition Representations

When you drag a Dataset or Tool onto the Integration Rule graphic dashboard, a box appears in the display representing the dropped item (Dataset or Tool). There are several box types, therefore, specific color-coding has been used to help identify each Dataset inserted into the Integration Rule. The boxes and their color coded representations are described in the following table.

Integration Rule Dataset and Tool Representations

Color Coded Sample	Item Type	Description and Notes
	PI/AF	This is a Dataset or a Terminator action for PI, AF and Sigmafine Systems. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area:PI/AF Dataset: for reading dataPI/AF System: for Asset Synchronization procedures terminator-action
	OLEDB	This is a Dataset or a Terminator action for OLEDB and ODBC Datasets. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area OLEDB Dataset for reading and writing data from/to OLEDB data sources. The direction can be specified internally by defining the query itself (SELECT from INPUTS and UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE for OUTPUTS)
	SOA Invoker	This is a Dataset-only action for SOA Invoker actions. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area any SOA Invoker Dataset for exchanging data with SOA servers. The direction of the data is inside the logic of the SOA call defined inside the Dataset itself.
	SOA Listener	This is a Dataset-only action for SOA Listener actions. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area any SOA Listener Dataset for getting data from a SOA client. The direction is INPUT-only since this object is used to interface SOAclient side.
	SOA Publisher	Same as SOA Listener
	VIRTUAL	This is a Dataset-only action for other Integration Rules. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area any other Integration Rule, in this way user can create a chain of Integration Rules (Master Rule ® Specific Rule).
	FILE	This is a Dataset or a Terminator action for FILE Datasets. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area FILE Dataset for reading and writing data from/to files. The direction (reading of writing a file) is implicit in the definition of the connection.
	Parameter	This is a Dataset-only action for SOA Invoker actions. This box is created by dragging in the graphical area any SOA Invoker Dataset for exchanging data with SOA servers. The direction of the data is inside the logic of the SOA call defined inside the Dataset itself.
	Script	It sets the default limit of the processed Dataset rows during the Integration Rule (for preview function)