FME Transformers: 2024.2
FME Transformers: 2024.2
AzureServiceBusConnector
Connects to Microsoft Azure Service Bus.
Typical Uses
-
Receive and send messages from a queue or topic
- Interoperability with Big Data analytics platforms
How does it work?
The AzureServiceBusConnector connects to Microsoft Azure Service Bus. It supports sending and receiving messages with Queues and Topics.
More information about Service Bus can be found in the official Microsoft documentation.
Configuration
Input Ports

This transformer accepts any feature.
Output Ports

The output of this transformer will vary depending on the action performed. Message data and metadata are presented as feature attributes.
-
After a Receive from Queue action, output features represent messages received from an Azure Service Bus Queue.
-
After a Receive from Subscription action, output features represent messages received from an Azure Service Bus Subscription.

On a Receive from Queue or Receive from Subscription action, heartbeat features will be output through this port. Heartbeat features will have two output attributes:
- _heartbeat_id: Integer starting at 0. This is a unique identifier for each heartbeat feature output from this port.
- _heartbeat_counter: Integer starting at 0 that resets whenever the connector receives a new message and a new period of inactivity begins. This counter represents the number of consecutive heartbeat features.
See Heartbeat for more details.

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 AzureServiceBusConnector 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.
Parameters

Credential Source |
Required for authentication. Using a web connection integrates best with FME, but in some cases, you may wish to use one of the other sources.
|
Account |
Available when Credential Source is Web Connection. To create an Azure Service Bus connection, click the 'Account' drop-down box and select 'Add Web Connection...'. The connection can then be managed via Tools -> FME Options... -> Web Connections. |
Namespace |
Available when Credential Source is Default Azure Credential. This is the Service Bus Namespace containing Queues or Topics. The value is typically a hostname under servicebus.windows.net. |
Embedded Credentials
Service Bus Connection String |
Available when Credential Source is Embedded. The connection string is found in the Azure Portal Service Bus Namespace under Shared Access Policies. |

Action |
The type of operation to perform. Choices are:
|
Event Hubs |
The event hub to connect to. |
The remaining parameters available depend on the value of the Request > Action parameter. Parameters for each Action are detailed below.

Receive from Queue Options
Receive Mode |
Two message receiving options are available:
|
Delete on Receive |
If Yes, deletes the message from the queue upon receiving. If No, the message is retrieved but stays in the queue. The message will be available to receive after the lockout period. |
Batch Size |
In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch. Default is 1. |
Heartbeat
When Action is set to Receive from Queue, a heartbeat feature is output through the Heartbeat port after a period of inactivity. The length of this period is determined by the following parameters:
Interval |
The period of inactivity before a heartbeat feature is emitted, in units specified by the Time Unit parameter. Defaults to 1. |
Time Unit |
The unit for Interval.
Defaults to Hours. |

Receive from Subscription Options
Receive Mode |
Two message receiving options are available:
|
Delete on Receive |
If Yes, deletes the message from the subscription upon receiving. If No, the message is retrieved but stays in the subscription. The message will be available to receive after the lockout period. |
Batch Size |
In Batch mode, specifies the number of messages to read per batch. Default is 1. |
Heartbeat
When Action is set to Receive from Subscription, a heartbeat feature is output through the Heartbeat port after a period of inactivity. The length of this period is determined by the following parameters:
Interval |
The period of inactivity before a heartbeat feature is emitted, in units specified by the Time Unit parameter. Defaults to 1. |
Time Unit |
The unit for Interval.
Defaults to Hours. |

Send to Queue Options
Queue |
The Queue to send messages to. |
Create Queue |
If Yes, create the queue with the given name. A message will be logged if the queue already exists. If No, use the available queue. |
Payload |
The content of the message. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value. |
Message Properties |
Custom settable message properties. Any key value can be used, however the following keys are mapped to the respective attributes on the message.
|

Send to Topic Options
Topic |
The Topic to send messages to. |
Create Topic |
If Yes, create the topic with the given name. A message will be logged if the queue already exists. If No, use the available topic . |
Payload |
The content of the message. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value. |
Message Properties |
Custom settable message properties. Any key value can be used, however the following keys are mapped to the respective attributes on the message.
|

Count Messages Options
Resource |
The resource to count available messages. Either Queue or Subscription. |

The following attributes can be selected for inclusion on the output features. Each output feature represents a message that was either sent or received.
_payload |
The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric. |
_properties |
A key, value pair of message properties. |
_content_type |
The settable content type of the message. |
_correlation_id |
The settable correlation id of the message. |
_enqueued_sequence_number |
The position of the message in the queue/subscription. |
_enqueued_time |
The FME timestamp of when a message was added to the queue/subscription. |
_expires_at |
The FME timestamp when the message expires. |
_lock_tocken |
A uuid used to indicate the message has been received but not completed or deleted. It prevents other receivers from receiving the message |
_locked_until |
The FME timestamp when the message will be unlocked so it can be received again. |
_message_id |
The settable id of a message. |
_partition_key |
The key of the partition the message is in. |
_reply_to |
The settable reply to of a message. |
_sequence_number |
The sequence number of a message. |
_subject |
The settable subject of a message. |
_time_to_live |
The FME timestamp of how long the message will stay in the queue/subscription. |
_to |
The settable to of a message. |
Editing Transformer Parameters
Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

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.
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.
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.

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

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:
|
Cut, Copy, and Paste
|
Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
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.
For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.
Reference
Processing Behavior |
|
Feature Holding |
No |
Dependencies | Microsoft Azure Account with the Service Bus Service |
Aliases | |
History | Released FME 2019.2 |
FME Community
The FME Community has a wealth of FME knowledge with over 20,000 active members worldwide. Get help with FME, share knowledge, and connect with users globally.
Search for all results about the AzureServiceBusConnector on the FME Community.
Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.