Entity types in YAML configuration

Learn how entity types are described in a YAML configuration.

2 minute read

The _types.yaml located under the META-INF directory of a YAML configuration contains the definition of all the entity types in the Entity Store model. An entity type is a description of an entity in the Entity Store.

The YAML Entity Store supports all entity types but custom types.

Simple type

name: JMSSession                       # name used in YAML entity file
version: 5
constants:
  descriptorClass:
    type: string
    value: com.vordel.client.manager.filter.jms.JMSTransportDescriptor
fields:
  cloneCount:
    type: integer
    defaultValues:
    - data: 1                          # an example a defaulted field (mandatory but having a default value)
    cardinality: 1
  duplicatesOK:
    type: boolean
    defaultValues:                     # this is an optional field.
    - {}
    cardinality: '?'
  messageRemovalPolicy:
    type: string
    defaultValues:
    - data: UNLESS_EXCEPTION           # if you do specify this field in you YAML file, value will be 'UNLESS_EXCEPTION'
    cardinality: 1
  messageRemovalProperty:
    type: string
    defaultValues:
    - data: jms.message.remove
    cardinality: '?'
  name:                                # this one a mandatory field -- it is actually a key field
    type: string
    defaultValues:
    - {}
    cardinality: 1
  servicePK:                           # this fields must contain a reference to another entity of type 'JMSService'
    type: '@JMSService'                # '@' char tells it is a reference
    cardinality: 1
components:
  JMSConsumer: '?'                     # an entity of this type JSMSession can have 1 children of type JMSConsumer
keyFields:
- name
class: com.vordel.dwe.jms.JMSSession
loadorder: 1000100

{} is YAML syntax for an empty list.

Types with inheritance

name: Process
version: 0
abstract: true                 # abstract means you cannot use it in YAML entity file
keyFields:
- name
fields:
  name:                        # only field the type
    type: string
    defaultValues:
    - {}
    cardinality: 1
children:
- name: JavaProcess            # JavaProcess inherits from Process hence its key field "name"
  version: 0
  abstract: true
  children:
  - name: NetService           # NetService inherits from JavaProcess hence its key field "name"
    version: 5
    constants:
      executableImage:        # this an immutable field user cannot change.
        type: string
        value: vshell
    components:               # NetService is a concrete type, with other fields than "name (key field)
      LoadableModule: '?'     # It is a container for a LoadableModule or ClassLoader entity
      ClassLoader: '?'

Cardinality

Symbol Min Max Mandatory
1 1 1 Yes (if no default value)
+ 1 ∞ Yes (if no default value)
? 0 1 No
* 0 ∞ No

Navigate in _types.yaml

To create a ‘NetService’ type

  • Search for "name: NetService"
  • In order to know what fields can can used, move up the type hierarchy.
  • Search for components (note that some can be defined in the ancestor).
  • NetService has two components.
    • Search for "name: LoadableModule" and/or for "name: ClassLoader".
    • Do first steps again to get all required and optional fields for each entity type.

Last modified November 30, 2020: 7.7 November 20 Merge Develop branch into master (#1464) (8a858c38)