AzureQueueStorageConnector

Accesses the Azure Queue Storage service to send or receive messages.

Typical Uses

Aggregation of data from queues and other message streams
Trigger an action from a message

How does it work?

The AzureQueueStorageConnector uses your Azure Storage account credentials (either via a previously defined FME web connection, or by setting up a new FME web connection right from the transformer) to access the queue storage service.

Usage Notes

The queue storage service xml encodes and decodes messages in utf-8 by default

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

Authentication

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.

Web Connection - use an Azure Storage web connection stored in the FME web connections database
SAS - use a Shared Account Signature instead of an access key
Embedded - embed an account name and access key as parameters in the transformer
Default Azure Credential - Obtain credentials from Microsoft Entra ID, Managed Identity, or Azure CLI.
Environment Variables - use credentials already configured on the system, in the environment variables AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT and AZURE_STORAGE_ACCESS_KEY

Account

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

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

Embedded Credentials

Account Name	Available when the credential source is SAS or Embedded. An account name and either an account key or a shared access signature can be specified directly in the transformer.
Account Key	Available when the credential source is Embedded. An account name and access key can be specified directly in the transformer instead of in a web connection.
Shared Access Signature (SAS)	Available when the credential source is SAS. An account name and shared access signature can be specified directly in the transformer.

The remaining parameters available depend on the value of the Action > Action parameter. Parameters for each Action are detailed below.

Parameters - Delete Action

Deletes messages from the queue.

Delete Messages Options

Queue	The queue to delete messages from. A queue can be entered manually, or selected interactively by clicking the ellipses.
Delete all Messages	If Yes, all messages in the queue will be cleared. If No, the message with the specified ID and pop receipt will be deleted.
Message ID	Required for deleting a message. Retrieved from a previous receive operation.
Pop Receipt	Required for deleting a message. Retrieved from a previous receive operation.
Server Timeout (seconds)	The maximum time to wait for the server to complete the requested operation.

Parameters - Peek Action

Receives messages from the front of the queue without altering the visibility of the messages.

Peek Messages Options

Queue	The queue to peek at messages from. A queue can be entered manually, or selected interactively by clicking the ellipses.
Number of Messages	The number of messages to peek from the queue.
Server Timeout (seconds)	The maximum time to wait for the server to complete the requested operation.

Parameters - Receive Action

Receives messages from the front of the queue.

Receive Messages Options

Queue	The queue to receive messages from. A queue can be entered manually, or selected interactively by clicking the ellipses.
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: Receive a specified number of messages before the connection is closed.
Number of Messages	Specifies the number of messages to read for the operation. For Stream mode, this is the number retrieved per poll interval. For Batch mode, this is the total number retrieved.
Poll Interval (seconds)	When Mode is Stream, the period to wait between requests for messages.
Delete on Receive	If Yes, then delete the messages as soon as they are received from the queue. If No, the messages can be received again after the visibility timeout.
Visibility Timeout (seconds)	The time the message is invisible. After the timeout expires, the message is visible. The service default is 30 seconds.
Server Timeout (seconds)	The maximum time to wait for the server to complete the requested operation.

Parameters - Send Action

Send Messages Options

Queue	The queue to send messages from. A queue can be entered manually, or selected interactively by clicking the ellipses.
Content	An encoded message. The default encoding is a xml unicode string.
Update Message	If Yes, update a message in the queue service. This operation can be useful to “lease” a message if the workspace has not finished processing. The invisibility of a message can be extended by updating the visibility timeout.
Message ID	Required for updating a message. Retrieved from a previous receive operation.
Pop Receipt	Required for updating a message. Retrieved from a previous receive operation.
Time to Live Expiry	If Yes, set the time that the message lives for. If No, the message never expires.
Time to Live (seconds)	How long the message lives. The default and maximum is 7 days. After the specified time, the message is permanently removed from the queue.
Visibility Timeout (seconds)	The time the message is invisible. After the timeout expires, the message is visible. The default is 0 seconds.
Server Timeout (seconds)	The maximum time to wait for the server to complete the requested operation.

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.

_id	The id of a message. Required for updating and deleting.
_value	The message content.
_dequeue_count	The number of times a message has been retrieved by a receive operation.
_expiration_time	The time the message expires in unix time.
_pop_receipt	The pop receipt of a message, obtained from a receive operation. Required for updating and deleting. Not applicable to peek operations.
_time_next_visible	The time the message is next visible in unix time. Not applicable to peek operations.
_timestamp	The time the message was created in unix time.

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.

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.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Reference

Processing Behavior	Feature-Based
Feature Holding	No
Dependencies	Azure Storage account
Aliases	MicrosoftAzureQueueStorageConnector
History	Released FME 2019.0

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