AzureServiceBusConnector

Connects to Azure Service Bus to send and receive messages.

Typical Uses

Sending and receiving messages from a queue or topic

How does it work?

The AzureServiceBusConnector uses your account credentials to connect to Azure Service Bus and perform various tasks:

Action	Task
Count Messages	Count available messages in a queue or subscription.
Receive from Queue	Receive messages from a queue.
Receive from Subscription	Receive messages from a subscription.
Send to Queue	Send messages to a queue.
Send to Topic	Send messages to a topic.

Optional Input Port

This transformer has two modes, depending on whether a connector is attached to the Input port or not:

Input-driven: When input features are connected, the transformer runs once for each feature it receives in the Input port.
Run Once: When no input features are connected, the transformer runs one time.

When the Input port is in use, the Initiator output port is also enabled.

Heartbeat

When Action is Receive from Queue or Receive from Subscription and the connection is still alive (Receive Mode is Stream or a batch is not yet complete), heartbeat features are output at a specified interval after a period of non-activity.

Heartbeat features have two 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.

Usage Notes

See Azure Service Bus Messaging documentation for further information about the service.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Output

Features with added attributes, as specified in parameters and according to Action:

Action	Output - Input-Driven	Output - Run Once
Count Messages	Input feature with a message count.	One new feature with a message count.
Receive from Queue	Multiple features, one for each message received, with details about the message.	Multiple features, one for each message received, with details about the message.
Receive from Subscription	Multiple features, one for each message received, with details about the message.	Multiple features, one for each message received, with details about the message.
Send to Queue	Input feature with details about the sent message.	New feature with details about the sent message.
Send to Topic	Input feature with details about the sent message.	New feature with details about the sent message.

Parameters

Authentication

Credential Source

Select the type of credentials to use:

Web Connection (Recommended): Use an Azure Service Bus web connection.
Embedded: Embed a Service Bus Connection String as a transformer parameter.
Default Azure Credential: Obtain credentials from Microsoft Entra ID, Managed Identity, or Azure CLI.

Account

When Credential Source is Web Connection, select or create a Web Connection connecting to a Azure Service Bus Web Service.

See Using Web Connections.

Namespace

When Credential Source is Default Azure Credential, provide the Service Bus Namespace containing Queues or Topics.

The value is typically a hostname under servicebus.windows.net.

Embedded Credentials

When Credential Source is Embedded:

Service Bus Connection String

Provide the connection string, found in the Azure Portal Service Bus Namespace under Shared Access Policies.

Request

Action

Select an operation to perform. Choices include:

Receive from Queue
Receive from Subscription
Send to Queue
Send to Topic

Event Hubs

Specify the event hub to connect to.

Action > Count Messages

Count Messages Options

Resource	Select the resource type to count available messages on: Queue Subscription
Resource	When Resource is Subscription, provide the message topic.
Resource	When Resource is Subscription, provide the subscription name.
Resource	When Resource is Queue , provide the queue name.

Output Attributes

Attributes to Add

Select any available attributes to be included on the output features:

_count

The number of messages.

Action > Receive from Queue

Receive Options

Queue	Specify the queue to receive from.
Delete on Receive	Select a message deletion option: Yes: Delete messages as soon as they are received from the queue. No: The message is retrieved but stays in the queue. The message will be available to receive after the lockout period.
Receive Mode	Select a message receiving method: Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation must be terminated to stop receiving. Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.
Batch Size	When Receive Mode is Batch, specify the number of messages to read per batch.

Heartbeat

Interval

Specify the duration of a period of inactivity before a heartbeat feature is emitted, in Time Units.

Default is 1.

Time Unit

Select the Interval unit:

Seconds
Minutes
Hours (default)
Days

Output Attributes

Attributes to Add

Select any available attributes to be included on the output features:

_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.
_payload	The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric.
_properties	A key, value pair of message properties.
_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.

Action > Receive from Subscription

Receive Options

Topic	Specify the topic to receive from.
Subscription	Specify the subscription to receive from.
Delete on Receive	Select a message deletion option: Yes: Delete messages as soon as they are received from the subscription. No: The message is retrieved but stays in the subscription. The message will be available to receive after the lockout period.
Receive Mode	Select a message receiving method: Stream: The connector continues to receive messages indefinitely. The translation must be terminated to stop receiving. Batch: Only a given number of messages are received before the connection is closed.
Batch Size	When Receive Mode is Batch, specify the number of messages to read per batch.

Heartbeat

Interval

Specify the duration of a period of inactivity before a heartbeat feature is emitted, in Time Units.

Default is 1.

Time Unit

Select the Interval unit:

Seconds
Minutes
Hours (default)
Days

Output Attributes

Attributes to Add

Select any available attributes to be included on the output features:

_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.
_payload	The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric.
_properties	A key, value pair of message properties.
_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.

Action > Send to Queue

Send Options

Queue	Specify the queue to send messages to.
Create Queue	If the specified Queue does not exist, select an action: Yes: Create a queue with the specified Queue name. No: Output features via the <Rejected> port.
Payload	Provide the message content. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value.
Message Properties	(Optional) Set any additional properties. Any key value can be used, however, the following keys are mapped to their respective message attributes: session_id message_id content_type correlation_id to reply_to reply_to_session_id subject scheduled_enqueue_time_utc time_to_live partition_key

Output Attributes

Attributes to Add

Select any available attributes to be included on the output features:

_payload

The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric.

Action > Send to Topic

Send Options

Topic	Specify the topic to send messages to.
Create Topic	If the specified Topic does not exist, select an action: Yes: Create a queue with the specified Topic name. No: Output features via the <Rejected> port.
Payload	Provide the message content. This is often JSON, but can be any string, binary, integer or floating-point value.
Message Properties	(Optional) Set any additional properties. Any key value can be used, however, the following keys are mapped to their respective message attributes: session_id message_id content_type correlation_id to reply_to reply_to_session_id subject scheduled_enqueue_time_utc time_to_live partition_key

Output Attributes

Attributes to Add

Select any available attributes to be included on the output features:

_payload

The message payload. UTF-8 string if possible to decode, otherwise binary or numeric.

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	Microsoft Azure Account with the Service Bus Service
Aliases
History	Released FME 2019.2

FME Online Resources

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Search for all results about the AzureServiceBusConnector on the FME Community.

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