ProductsMapForceVisual Function Builder

MapForce® 2008 includes the powerful visual function builder for defining and saving complex functions quickly and easily.

The visual function builder allows you to combine multiple separate functions into one function that returns a single result. For instance, performing string manipulations, mathematical operations, and database lookups often involves stringing multiple functions and operations together to achieve the desired result. With the visual function builder, you can combine the various functions required to perform a particular data manipulation into one function, and then save it for use in all future integration projects.

MapForce allows you to design user-defined functions from scratch or combine functions already utilized in an existing mapping design. Functions are defined with the same intuitive user interface and drag and drop functionality used to create data mappings. To build a new function, simply drag functions from the available libraries onto the design pane and arrange them as required. Then select the functions that will comprise your user-defined function.

You will be prompted to name your new function, and it will be saved to the function library for use in other mapping projects.

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 View a Flash demo of the visual function builder

The visual function builder also supports the ability to create complex, sophisticated functions that operate on entire trees as input and/or output values. This feature not only allows you to create more effective user-defined functions, it also allows multiple users to collaborate by designing individual mappings as functions that can then be combined into larger, comprehensive mapping projects.

As a result, it is now possible to use filters and other functions that operate on entire XML elements inside user-defined functions. This increases the flexibility and usefulness of these functions to modularize complex mappings, thereby providing an environment that facilitates understanding of such mappings by other users and provides for easy maintenance of mappings when the underlying data model evolves.

This easy-to-use visual function builder enables the efficient reuse of functions and saves a considerable amount of time by allowing you to automate repetitive tasks. The visual function builder all but eliminates the need to write functions in other programming languages.

Experience the power of the visual function builder for simplifying and optimizing the use of data processing functions in your next mapping project. Download a free trial of MapForce® 2008 today!