New Adapters available for HTTP / HTTPS REST API and JSON

Release notes for version 4.3.3 on May 20, 2023

HTTP/HTTPS REST API Adapter (BETA)

The REST API Adapter permits access to http/https REST WebServices and queries with methods "GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE".
In order to use the Adapter, you need to have Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 installed. For all other components, except the FlowHeater Server (see below), version 4.5 of the .NET Framework suffices. Warning: This Adapter is currently in the beta phase of development!

JSON Adapter (ALPHA)

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a compact data format in the form of a plain text file with which structured data can be passed or processed. The JSON format can now also be processed automatically with FlowHeater using the JSON Adapter.

Take care: This JSON Adapter is still in alpha phase of development! Only simple JSON files can be processed at present.

New LastKnown Heater

The LastKnown Heater returns the last non-empty value processed. This means that for groupings where only the first introductory record is set, the values that follow can be padded with these previous values. Until now some fairly complicated individual scripts using the .NET Script Heater had to be used to achieve this.

Read field contents as FlowHeater Parameter

This version introduces a new and simple possibility to provide the content of the fields on the READ side as FlowHeater Parameters in the Definition. If the "ProvideAsParameter" property is checked in the field properties in the Designer (= set to TRUE), the content of each field is automatically available as a FlowHeater Parameter. The content of each Parameter is accessed using $FieldName$. This eliminates the need to use a Set Parameter Heater for each field to achieve this. FlowHeater Definitions can be designed more elegantly this way.

Min-Max Heaters also effective with “First parameter signals grouping”

The Min and Max Heaters can now also determine the minimum or maximum values of various groups. When the option "Equal incoming parameters" is selected in the Heater configuration, a signal value is supplied in the first input parameter. Each time the Heater is invoked, if this signal value is new then it starts a new group, otherwise the minimum or maximum value for an existing group accumulates for the other incoming values.

Note: The output minimum or maximum value is always whatever has been accumulated so far, from the beginning of processing to the current record. Subsequent data processed may result in the output of different values.

Database Adapters – DateTime fields now supports milliseconds

All database Adapters now support milliseconds for Date and DateTime fields.

Database Adapters – optimized queries for SQL and Lookup Heaters

As of this version, database Adapters for the SQL Heater and Lookup Heater can only be included in the connection configuration. For example, it is possible to execute database queries during processing steps that have no direct reference to the database being processed. No modifying action (Insert / Update / Delete) is performed on database Adapters added this way, they are purely used to execute an SQL or Lookup query.

Note: No tables or fields may be selected for the database Adapters added in this way !

FlowHeater Server – upgraded to .NET Framework 4.8

Henceforth, FlowHeater Server requires the installation of .NET Framework 4.8. This measure was necessary to support higher security standards such as TLS 1.3. All other components of FlowHeater will continue to operate with .NET Framework 4.5.

Corrections (bug fixes)

• Oracle Adapter: Error message when no connection could be established
  
  
• FlowHeater Server: When importing tasks, not all properties were set
  
  
• FlowHeater Server: The formatting of dates in Server Manager corrected
  
  
• Multiple Adapter Definitions: Only the first adapter was reinitialized each time
  
  
• Designer Debugging: Breakpoints were occasionally not triggered for empty fields
  
  
• TextFile Adapter: When the result was empty in Test Mode, the previous run’s result was displayed instead

Release notes for version 4.3.4 on June 17, 2023

• Updated third party database drivers
• Corrections REST API adapter
• Corrections FlowHeater Server and online activation

Release notes for version 4.3.5 on October 14, 2023

• XML Adapter improvements
• JSON Adapter improvements
• REST Api Adapter improvements
• BugFix: String Replace Heater
• BugFix: AutoID Heater
• BugFix: Parameter Heater
• BugFix: SqlServer Adapter