IBMIoTConnector

Input

This transformer accepts any feature.

Output

The output of this transformer will vary depending on the action performed. Message data and metadata are presented as feature attributes.

After a Subscribe action, output features represent messages received from IBM Watson IoT Platform.
After a Publish action, output features represent messages sent to IBM Watson IoT Platform.

Initiator

The incoming feature is output through this port.

Features that cause the operation to fail are output through this port. An fme_rejection_code attribute, having the value ERROR_DURING_PROCESSING, will be added, along with a more descriptive fme_rejection_message attribute which contains more specific details as to the reason for the failure.

Note If a feature comes in to the IBMIoTConnector already having a value for fme_rejection_code, this value will be removed.

Rejected Feature Handling: can be set to either terminate the translation or continue running when it encounters a rejected feature. This setting is available both as a default FME option and as a workspace parameter.

Authentication

Credential Source

Using a web connection integrates best with FME, but in some cases, you may wish to use one of the other sources.

Web Connection - use an IBM IoT web connection stored in the FME web connections database
Embedded - embed organization ID, API key, and Authentication token as parameters in the transformer

Account

Available when the credential source is Web Connection. To create an IBM IoT connection, click the 'Account' drop-down box and select 'Add Web Connection...'.

The connection can then be managed via Tools -> FME Options... -> Web Connections.

Certificates

CA Certificate

Root CA certificate for broker.

Optional.

Client Certificate

Certificate for client authentication.

Optional.

Client Private Key

Private key for client authentication.

Optional.

Request

Action

The type of operation to perform. Choices are:

Publish command to device
Publish event as device
Subscribe to application status
Subscribe to commands
Subscribe to device status
Subscribe to events

QoS Level

The MQTT protocol allows a Quality of Service (QoS) level to be set. The following levels are available:

At most once (level 0)
At least once (level 1)
Exactly once (level 2)

The QoS guarantees are achieved by performing differing levels of client-server handshake. As a result, higher QoS levels are expected to lower throughput.

Parameters - Publish command to device Action

Send Options

Device type	The type of device to publish command to. The device type is used to identify and group devices with similar characteristics.
Device ID	The ID of the device to publish command to. The device ID is used to uniquely identify a device within a particular device type.
Command ID	The ID of the command to publish to a device. The command ID can be any valid string accepted in the MQTT protocol. The device subscribing to the command can either subscribe to the command with the same string or the wildcard value `+`.
Format string	A string to identify the content type of the payload. Most commonly `json` but can be any string that is valid in MQTT.
Payload	The content of the message. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value.

Parameters - Publish event as a device Action

Send Options

Device type	The type of device to publish an event as. The device type is used to identify and group devices with similar characteristics.
Device ID	The specific device to publish an event as. The device ID is used to uniquely identify a device within a particular device type.
Event ID	The ID of the event to publish as a device. The event ID can be any valid string accepted in the MQTT protocol.
Format string	A string to identify the content type of the payload. Most commonly `json` but can be any string that is valid in MQTT.
Payload	The content of the message. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value.

Parameters - Subscribe to application status Action

Subscription Options

App ID

The ID of the application to monitor the status of. To subscribe to the status of all applications, set the app ID to the wildcard value `+`.

Receive Mode

Two message receiving options are available:

Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation needs to be terminated in order to stop reception.
Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.

Batch Size

In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch.

Parameters - Subscribe to commands Action

Subscription Options

Device type	The type of device to subscribe to commands to. The device type is used to identify and group devices with similar characteristics. To subscribe to commands for all device types use the wildcard value `+`.
Device ID	The specific device to subscribe to commands to. The device ID is used to uniquely identify a device within a particular device type. To subscribe to commands for more than a single device, use the wildcard value `+`.
Command ID	The ID of the command to subscribe to. The command ID can be any valid string accepted in the MQTT protocol. The device or application subscribing to the command can either subscribe to the command with the same string or the wildcard value `+`.
Format string	A string to identify the content type of the payload. Most commonly `json` but can be any string that is valid in MQTT. To subscribe to multiple formats, use the wildcard value `+`.
Receive Mode	Two message receiving options are available: Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation needs to be terminated in order to stop reception. Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.
Batch Size	In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch.

Parameters - Subscribe to device status Action

Subscription Options

Device type	The type of device to monitor the status of. The device type is used to identify and group devices with similar characteristics. To subscribe to the status for all device types use the wildcard value `+`.
Device ID	The specific device to monitor the status of. The device ID is used to uniquely identify a device within a particular device type. To subscribe to the status for more than a single device, use the wildcard value `+`.
Receive Mode	Two message receiving options are available: Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation needs to be terminated in order to stop reception. Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.
Batch Size	In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch.

Parameters - Subscribe to events Action

Subscription Options

Device type	The type of device to subscribe to events to. The device type is used to identify and group devices with similar characteristics. To subscribe to events for all device types use the wildcard value `+`.
Device ID	The specific device to subscribe to events to. The device ID is used to uniquely identify a device within a particular device type. To subscribe to events for more than a single device, use the wildcard value `+`.
Event ID	The ID of the event to subscribe to. The event ID can be any valid string accepted in the MQTT protocol. The device or application subscribing to the event can either subscribe to the event with the same string or the wildcard value `+`.
Format string	A string to identify the content type of the payload. Most commonly `json` but can be any string that is valid in MQTT. To subscribe to multiple formats, use the wildcard value `+`.
Receive Mode	Two message receiving options are available: Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation needs to be terminated in order to stop reception. Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.
Batch Size	In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch.

Output Attributes

The following attributes can be selected for inclusion on the output features. Each output feature represents a message that was either sent or received.

_message_id	The sequential identifier for the message.
_payload	The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric.
_topic	The topic the message received from or sent to.
_qos	The quality of service level with which the message was sent or received.

How to Set Parameter Values

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters.

Using the Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Text Editor

Using the Arithmetic Editor

The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Arithmetic Editor

Conditional Values

Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.

Parameter Condition Definition Dialog

Content

Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.

When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.

Content Types

String Functions	These functions manipulate and format strings.
Special Characters	A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.
Math Functions	Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions	Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.
Math Operators	These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.
FME Feature Functions	These return primarily feature-specific values.
FME Parameters	FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters	Create your own editable parameters.

Dialog Options - Tables

Table Tools

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Row Reordering

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Add a row
Remove a row
Move current row up one
Move current row down one
Move current row to top
Move current row to bottom

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard
Copy a row to the clipboard
Paste a row from the clipboard

Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.

Filter

Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output.

Import

Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.

Reset/Refresh

Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers.

Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.

Organization ID	Available when the credential source is Embedded. The organization ID to use when connecting to IBM Watson IoT Platform. This is a globally unique ID assigned when first registering for IBM Watson IoT Platform.
API Key, Authentication Token	Available when the credential source is Embedded. The API key and Authentication token to use when connecting to IBM Watson IoT Platform. The API key has the form a-{orgId}-{apiKeySuffix}

Processing Behavior	Feature-Based
Feature Holding	No
Dependencies
Aliases
History	Released FME 2019.0

IBMIoTConnector

Typical Uses

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

Editing Transformer Parameters

Reference

FME Community