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spring-integration/spring-integration-reference/src/filter.xml
2009-07-18 17:23:03 +00:00

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd">
<chapter id="filter">
<title>Filter</title>
<section id="filter-introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
<para>
Message Filters are used to decide whether a Message should be passed along or dropped based on some criteria
such as a Message Header value or even content within the Message itself. Therefore, a Message Filter is similar
to a router, except that for each Message received from the filter's input channel, that same Message may or may
not be sent to the filter's output channel. Unlike the router, it makes no decision regarding
<emphasis>which</emphasis> Message Channel to send to but only decides <emphasis>whether</emphasis> to send.
<note>
As you will see momentarily, the Filter does also support a discard channel, so in certain cases it
<emphasis>can</emphasis> play the role of a very simple router (or "switch") based on a boolean condition.
</note>
</para>
<para>
In Spring Integration, a Message Filter may be configured as a Message Endpoint that delegates to some
implementation of the <interfacename>MessageSelector</interfacename> interface. That interface is itself quite
simple: <programlisting language="java"><![CDATA[ public interface MessageSelector {
boolean accept(Message<?> message);
}]]></programlisting>
The <classname>MessageFilter</classname> constructor accepts a selector instance:
<programlisting language="java"><![CDATA[ MessageFilter filter = new MessageFilter(someSelector);]]></programlisting>
</para>
</section>
<section id="filter-namespace">
<title>The &lt;filter&gt; Element</title>
<para>
The &lt;filter&gt; element is used to create a Message-selecting endpoint. In addition to "input-channel"
and "output-channel" attributes, it requires a "ref". The "ref" may point to a MessageSelector implementation:
<programlisting language="xml"><![CDATA[ <filter input-channel="input" ref="selector" output-channel="output"/>
<bean id="selector" class="example.MessageSelectorImpl"/>]]></programlisting>
</para>
<para>
Alternatively, the "method" attribute can be added at which point the "ref" may refer to any object.
The referenced method may expect either the <interfacename>Message</interfacename> type or the payload type of
inbound Messages. The return value of the method must be a boolean value. Any time the method returns 'true',
the Message <emphasis>will</emphasis> be passed along to the output-channel.
<programlisting language="xml"><![CDATA[ <filter input-channel="input" output-channel="output"
ref="exampleObject" method="someBooleanReturningMethod"/>
<bean id="exampleObject" class="example.SomeObject"/>]]></programlisting>
</para>
<para>
If the selector or adapted POJO method returns <code>false</code>, there are a few settings that control the
fate of the rejected Message. By default (if configured like the example above), the rejected Messages will
be silently dropped. If rejection should instead indicate an error condition, then set the
'throw-exception-on-rejection' flag to <code>true</code>:
<programlisting language="xml"><![CDATA[ <filter input-channel="input" ref="selector"
output-channel="output" throw-exception-on-rejection="true"/> ]]></programlisting>
If you want the rejected messages to go to a specific channel, provide that reference as the 'discard-channel':
<programlisting language="xml"><![CDATA[ <filter input-channel="input" ref="selector"
output-channel="output" discard-channel="rejectedMessages"/> ]]></programlisting>
</para>
<note>
A common usage for Message Filters is in conjunction with a Publish Subscribe Channel. Many filter endpoints may
be subscribed to the same channel, and they decide whether or not to pass the Message for the next endpoint which
could be any of the supported types (e.g. Service Activator). This provides a <emphasis>reactive</emphasis>
alternative to the more <emphasis>proactive</emphasis> approach of using a Message Router with a single
Point-to-Point input channel and multiple output channels.
</note>
<para>
Using a "ref" attribute is generally recommended if the custom filter implementation can be reused in other
<code>&lt;filter&gt;</code> definitions. However if the custom filter implementation should be scoped to a
single <code>&lt;filter&gt;</code> element, provide an inner bean definition:
<programlisting language="xml"><![CDATA[<filter method="someMethod" input-channel="inChannel" output-channel="outChannel">
<beans:bean class="org.foo.MyCustomFilter"/>
</filter>]]></programlisting>
</para>
<note>
<para>
Using both the "ref" attribute and an inner handler definition in the same <code>&lt;filter&gt;</code> configuration
is not allowed, as it creates an ambiguous condition, and it will therefore result in an Exception being thrown.
</para>
</note>
</section>
</chapter>