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"alterOutput"

The JSON Edge API "alterOutput" action modifies a FairCom Edge output

Abstract

"alterOutput" alters, changes, modifies, updates, or configures an existing output connector in FairCom Edge. An output connector delivers data automatically to a device or software system.

The "alterOutput" action alters an existing output connector in FairCom Edge to deliver tags automatically to a device or software system. Before you can change an output, you must use "createOutput" to create it.

Note

A tag is a piece of named data with an associated value. For example, the tag temperature 70 includes both the named data temperature and the value 70. In JSON, a tag is a JSON property, such as "temperature": 70. In a SQL table, a tag is a data field, such as a field named temperature with a value of 70.

Things to know

  • You can change the source field of the integration table that supplies the data for the plugin.

  • You can change the data format of the source field.

  • You can change the settings of an integration.

  • You can change metadata to make the integration easier to locate.

  • You cannot change the plugin or the integration table.

    You will need to create a new integration.

  • An integration connects data in the server to a plugin that delivers data from the server to external systems, such as connecting the integration table populated by OPC UA to the ThingWorx connector.

    Note

    Use "configureTopic" to connect MQTT to an existing integration table.

Request examples

Minimal request example

{
  "api":        "hub",
  "apiVersion": "1.0",
  "requestId":  "00000001",
  "authToken":  "anAuthorizationTokenFromTheServer",
  "action":     "alterOutput",
  "params":     {
    "outputName":      "AcmefactoryLine1Station1AcidbathTelemetryOutput",
    "serviceName":     "THINGWORX",
    "databaseName":    "ctreeSQL",
    "tableName":       "acmefactory_line1_station1_acidbath_telemetry",
    "sourceDataField": "t2"
  }
}

Maximal request example

{
  "api":        "hub",
  "apiVersion": "1.0",
  "requestId":  "00000001",
  "authToken":  "anAuthorizationTokenFromTheServer",
  "action":     "alterOutput",
  "params":     {
    "outputName":       "AcmefactoryLine1Station1AcidbathTelemetryOutput",
    "serviceName":      "THINGWORX",
    "databaseName":     "ctreeSQL",
    "tableName":        "acmefactory_line1_station1_acidbath_telemetry",
    "sourceDataField":  "t2",
    "sourceDataFormat": "JSON",
    "metadata":         { },
    "settings":         { }
  }
}

Response examples

Minimal response example

Response example to the minimal request example goes here.

Successful response example

Failure response example
Failed response can go here if listed.
Maximal response example
Maximal response example goes here.
"params"
The "params" property is an object that contains an action's parameters. Each action defines its own required and optional properties.
Property summary
Table 1. "params" property summaries
Property
Description
Default
Type
Limits (inclusive)
databaseName
specifies the name of a database
Defaults to the "defaultDatabaseName" value that is set during "createSession". If no default is set during "createSession", then "faircom" is used.
string
1 to 64 bytes
metadata
exists primarily for the user interface to find integration information
{}
object
May contain any number and type of user-defined properties
outputName
specifies a unique name for mapping of an integration table to an output plugin to an external system
A FairCom generated name that follows the pattern "Output #n from <databaseName>.<schemaName>.<tableName> to <pluginName>"
string
1 to 64 bytes
serviceName
specifies the name of a service that collects data from an external source and inserts it into an integration table
Required - No default value
string
1 to 64 bytes
settings
contains properties needed to configure the data source of the specified plugin
{}
object
sourceDataField
specifies the field that the MQTT Subscription engine should use as the payload when it sends the payload to subscribers
Required - No default value
string
1 to 256 bytes
sourceDataFormat
specifies the format of the "source_payload" field
"json"
string
One of the following:
"binary"
"jpeg"
"json"
"siemensUdt"
"xml"
tableName
specifies the name of a table
Optional - No default value
string
1 to 64 bytes


"databaseName"
The "databaseName" property is an optional string that specifies the database that contains the tables. It defaults to the database name supplied at login.
Note
In the API Explorer, "defaultDatabaseName" is set to "ctreeSQL" in the "createSession" action that happens at login.
Things to know:
  • A zero-length "databaseName" is invalid.
  • Its limits are from 0 to 64 bytes.
  • If the "databaseName" property is omitted or set to null, the server will use the default database name specified at login.
  • If no default database is specified during "createSession", "defaultDatabaseName" will be set to the "defaultDatabaseName" value that is specified in the services.json file.
"metadata"
The "metadata" property is an optional JSON object. It exists primarily for the user interface to find integration information. By default, it is an empty JSON object.
Things to know:
  • It contains a flexible set of properties.
  • It typically contains tags and description properties.
Example
{
  "description": "",
  "tags": [""],
  "yourOwnProperties": "usage, purpose, notes, location, etc.",
}

"serviceName"
The "serviceName" property contains the name of a FairCom input or output service. This property is required.
See the "params" topic of each specific service for the requirements of this property.
The following services are available as of the V5 release:
  • "MODBUS"
  • "SIEMENSUDT2JSON"
  • "OPCUA"
Note
The SQL, JSON RPC, and REST services can automatically query any integration table in FairCom's servers without requiring configuration.
Note
MQTT always represents both input and output services. This is because once a topic is created and assigned to an integration table, any MQTT client can publish messages to it and subscribe to those messages.
"settings"
Property summary
Table 2. "settings" property summaries
Property
Description
Default
Type
Limits
"host"
contains the IP or hostname of the Rest resource, including the port
Required - No default
string
"uri"
contains the identifier name of the REST resource
Required - No default
string
"headers"
contains additional information about the request. It is a list of elements with the key-value format
Optional
List of strings with the format key: value
"body"
contains information to send to a REST server.
Optional
array of objects
"body"."propertyPath"
specifies the name of data to be defined by "propertyValue".
[Required]
No default
string
"body"."propertyValue"
contains an array of properties that define the data of a named "propertyPath".
[Required]
No default.
object
"threshold"
contains properties that define the threshold for sending a REST command


"tableName"
The "tableName" property is a string containing the name of an integration table. In FairCom Edge, you can use "createInput" to collect data from a device, and FairCom Edge will store the data in the specified integration table. You can also use "createOutput" to connect an integration table to an output so FairCom Edge will push inserted data to external systems, such as REST endpoints and ThingWorx.
Things to know:
  • A table name may contain up to 64 ASCII characters and must not start with a number.
  • You must specify a non-empty string for an integration table name.
  • When creating an integration table, specify a non-empty string for a table name.
  • FairCom Edge and FairCom MQ automatically create an integration table for each new MQTT topic they process. The first characters in the table name are "mqtt_msg_" followed by the topic name. Because an MQTT topic can be 65500 bytes and a table name can be 64 bytes, the server may abbreviate the topic name.
  • To better identify the data it holds, rename an integration using the "tableName" and "newTableName" properties of the "alterIntegrationTable" action.
FairCom APIs typically provide an action to alter an existing item. An "alter" action alters, changes, modifies, updates, and configures an item that was previously created. It returns an error if the item does not exist. For example, you can alter a table in a database, and alter inputs, outputs, and transforms in FairCom Edge. The term "alter" comes from SQL where it is used to modify the properties of a table.
Some FairCom APIs have actions that begin with the term "configure". A "configure" action also alters, changes, modifies, updates, upserts, or configures an existing item. Unlike "alter", "configure" creates an item if it does not already exist. For example, you can configure an MQTT topic and connections to other brokers. If the specified topic or broker connection name does not already exist, the broker creates it.
A database is a set of data that is managed by a database server. A database contains data that is organized into tables, records, and fields. A database is a huge composite data type that represents a group of interconnected objects. A database allows records to be joined together for querying, searching, and processing by users, applications, and services.
A database is a security container that controls which accounts have permissions to access specific data.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a simple format for representing data. It requires very little markup and is flexible enough to represent the majority of data structures. It is self-describing, which makes it ideal for schemaless applications and search. It can optionally be paired with a schema to define an expected structure.