A message is a collection of data elements organized in a tree-like structure (see Messages). A message element is a field within a message having a data type that can be either a simple data type (such as integer or string) or that can be a complex data type that contains further message elements that themselves can be simple types or complex types (see Elements).
Messages are stored in message files (extension .sfmxsd). You can create or modify messages in the flow message editor (see Flow message editor).
| Type of message: | Description: | Where stored: |
|---|---|---|
| Input message | Contains the input parameters passed to the flow by the calling program. | Input message file |
| Output message | Contains the output parameters returned to the calling program by the flow. | Output message file |
| Variable message | Contains the variables used by Extract actions, Insert actions, and recorded loops, as well as other general-purpose variables that you create to manage the data processed by your flow. | Variable message file |
| Type of message: | Description: | Where stored: |
|---|---|---|
| General purpose message | Contains variables used for the general purpose of manipulating data during the flow. | Variable message file |
| Fault message | Contains a set of output parameters returned to the calling program when the flow throws an exception. | Fault message file |
You can have multiple general purpose messages and multiple fault messages:
A general purpose message is typically stored as an additional message in the variable message file along with the variable message (see Table 1).
Each fault message is stored in a separate message file.