FME Options: Web Connections

Select Tools > FME Options> Web Connections.

Many web services require you to connect and authenticate in order to make REST calls to them. For example, when you use an HTTPCaller transformer, you may need to authenticate to a web service, such as Google Fusion Tables. The Web Connections page allows you to manage web connections and their associated web services.

Managing Web Services

FME Desktop must be registered to use the web services to which you want to connect. For testing purposes, many of the most common services that authenticate using the OAuth standard are already registered in FME. For production applications, we recommend that you add your own web services.

WARNING: Authorization credentials, such as Client Id and Client Secret, that are included with the pre-registered OAuth services, are subject to service outages outside the control of Safe Software. In a production environment, we recommend using web services that you register using your own credentials. This way, the credentials are restricted to your organization, and you can deal directly with web service providers in the event of outages.

Viewing, Adding, and Removing Web Services

To view the web services that are available in FME, click Manage Services. The Manage Web Services dialog opens, listing the available services.

To add a service, on the Manage Web Services dialog, click the Add Web Service button . In the dropbox, specify the authorization protocol the service uses (OAuth 2.0, Token, or HTTP Authentication). Alternatively, to use an existing service as a template, select Create From. The newly added web service opens. In the list of services, enter a name for the service. Add the service parameters, and click Save.

Tip: Where possible, create new services from existing templates using Create From. In the template, click the links under External Help Links to learn how to obtain authorization credentials, such as Client Id and Client Secret. For example, to create your own Google Drive web service, click the Add Web Service button and select Create From > Google Drive. After specifying a Web Service Name and Description, expand External Help Links, and click Google Drive Help for information on obtaining Google Drive web service credentials.

To remove a service, on the Manage Web Services dialog, select the service you want to remove and click the Remove button .

Note: You cannot edit or remove services that are pre-registered in FME Desktop.

Uploading Web Services to FME Server and Updating Existing Web Services

When you upload a workspace to FME Server, and the workspace contains a web connection, you can choose to upload the connection with the workspace. Doing so also uploads the associated web service. However, you can also upload web services directly from Web Connections, or update a web service that was previously uploaded.

  1. Click Manage Services.
  2. On the Manage Web Services dialog, select the service you want to upload, and click Upload. (You may need to scroll to the bottom of the web service form to see the Upload button.)
  3. On the Upload to FME Server dialog, specify a connection to FME Server, or, to create one and use it right away, select Add Web Connection. (For information about adding a web connection, see Using Web Connections.)
  4. Depending on the protocol of the web service (for example, OAuth 2.0), specify the credentials that you generated when you added the web service, or specify alternative credentials.
  5. Click OK.
  6. (Update only) If the web service is already uploaded to FME Server, the Web Service Exists dialog opens. Click Yes to confirm the update, or No to cancel.

For information about working with web services and web connections in FME Server, see Web Connections in the FME Server Web User Interface help.

Managing Web Connections

Use the Web Services Connections window to manage web connections.

To add a web connection

It is usually more convenient to add a web connection at the time you want to use one in a workspace. However, you can also add a web connection directly in FME Options, and use it later in a workspace.

  1. Click the Add button .
  2. On the Add Web Connection dialog, specify a Web Service.

    3. WARNING: For production purposes, we recommend specifying user-defined web services, rather than the pre-registered services already provided. For more information, see Managing Web Services, above.

  3. Specify a Connection Name.

  4. Visibility: This field applies only if Connection Storage, as specified in Tools > FME Options > Default Paths, is a shared location visible to multiple users. Specify whether the connection is available only to yourself, or to any user of the database (Public). For more information, click Help from the Default Paths window under Tools > FME Options.

  5. Specify the Connection Parameters
  6. Click OK.

Note: The following characters are not allowed in connection names: ^ \ / : * ? " < > | & = ' + % #

To edit a web connection

You can edit the connection parameters of an existing web connection. After you edit, all workspaces that use the web connection will use the new parameters to connect.

  • Double-click the connection you want to edit.

To change the visibility of a web connection

You can specify whether a connection is available only to yourself, or to any user of the web service that it references. You do not have to be the creator of a connection to make this change.

  1. Ensure that Data Path and Public Key File in Tools > FME Options > Default Paths > Connection Storage reference a common, shared location visible to multiple users.
  2. Ensure that you have manually moved the fme_connections.data and fme_publicKey.jceks files referenced by Data Path and Public Key File to the location specified in step 1.
  3. On the Web Connections dialog (Tools > FME Options> Web Connections), check the box under Public that corresponds to the connection you want to make available. Or, to restrict the connection to yourself, clear the box.

To remove a web connection

  • Select the connection and click the Remove button .

To change the storage location of the connections file

You can change the location where the connection configuration file is stored. This change is made in the Tools > FME Options > Default Paths tool.