ServiceMix VFS

The ServiceMix VFS component provides support for reading from and writing to virtual file systems via the enterprise service bus by using the Apache commons-vfs library.

Maven Archetype

You can use Maven servicemix-vfs-service-unit archetype to create a VFS service unit:

mvn archetype:create \
  -DarchetypeGroupId=org.apache.servicemix.tooling \
  -DarchetypeArtifactId=servicemix-vfs-service-unit \
  -DarchetypeVersion=2010.01 \
  -DgroupId=your.group.id \
  -DartifactId=your.artifact.id \
  -Dversion=your-version

Once you've customized the service unit, simply install the SU:

mvn install

Remember that to be deployable in ServiceMix, the ServiceUnit has to be embedded in a Service Assembly: only the Service Assembly zip file can be deployed in ServiceMix.
To add your SU in a SA, you need to define it in the dependency sets:

<dependency>
  <groupId>your.group.id</groupId>
  <artifactId>your.artifact.id</artifactId>
  <version>your-version</version>
</dependency>

Endpoints Configuration

Poller Endpoint

The VFS Poller endpoint polls a VFS path, read the VFS file using the marshaler and send the file content to the NMR.

The VFS Poller endpoint generates an InOnly exchange.

<vfs:poller service="replaceMe:serviceName"
            endpoint="vfs-poller"
            path="file:///vfs/path/input/"
            targetService="replaceMe:serviceName"
            targetEndpoint="target-endpoint"
            period="10000"
            deleteFile="true" 
            recursive="true" >

   <property name="marshaler">
      <bean class="org.apache.servicemix.components.util.BinaryFileMarshaler" />
   </property>

</vfs:poller>

Name	Type	Description	Default
service	QName	the service name of the endpoint	required to be spec'd
endpoint	string	the endpoint name of the endpoint	required to be spec'd
interfaceName	QName	the interface name of the endpoint
targetService	QName	the service name of the target endpoint
targetEndPoint	string	the endpoint name of the target endpoint
targetInterface	QName	the interface name of the target endpoint
targetUri	string	the uri of the target endpoint
firstTime	date	datetime before first poll can take place	null (first poll right after start)
delay	long	amount of time first polling is delayed after start	0
period	long	amount of time between polls	5000
path	string	sets the vfs path to poll	null (must be spec'd)
deleteFile	boolean	delete file when it is processed	true
recursive	boolean	process sub directories	true
marshaler	class	org.apache.servicemix.components.util.FileMarshaler	DefaultFileMarshaler
lockManager	class	org.apache.servicemix.locks.LockManager	SimpleLockManager
selector	class	import org.apache.commons.vfs.FileSelector	null - no selector
comparator	class	implementation of java.util.Comparator to order file process	null - no comparator
fileSystemManager	class	sets the vfs file system manager object	null (using VFS.getManager() )

Sender Endpoint

The VFS Sender endpoint expects messages coming from the NMR, converts it using the marshaler and send it to the VFS path.

<vfs:sender  service="replaceMe:serviceName"
             endpoint="vfs-sender"
             path="file:///vfs/path/output/">

   <property name="marshaler">
      <bean class="org.apache.servicemix.components.util.BinaryFileMarshaler" />
   </property>
    
</vfs:sender>

Name	Type	Description	Default
service	QName	the service name of the endpoint	required to be spec'd
endpoint	string	the endpoint name of the endpoint	required to be spec'd
path	string	sets the vfs path to poll	null (must be spec'd)
marshaler	class	org.apache.servicemix.components.util.FileMarshaler	DefaultFileMarshaler
fileSystemManager	class	sets the vfs file system manager object	null (using VFS.getManager() )

Marshalers

By default, poller endpoints expect the content of the file to be in XML format.

Below is an example of a non-XML file marshaler that moves a file from an inbox to an outbox directory. The binary marshaler sends a message with the file attached. This allows any file to be processed.

The contents below were used in an xbean.xml file for a service unit named filemover

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<beans xmlns:vfs="http://servicemix.apache.org/vfs/1.0"
       xmlns:proj="http://servicemix.apache.org/samples/filemover"
       xmlns:sm="http://servicemix.apache.org/config/1.0">

<vfs:poller service="proj:vfsPoller"
            endpoint="pollerEndpoint"
            path="file:///C:/opensrc/test/myInbox"
            targetService="proj:vfsSender"
            period="10000"
            deleteFile="true" 
            recursive="true" >

   <property name="marshaler">
      <bean class="org.apache.servicemix.components.util.BinaryFileMarshaler" />
   </property>

</vfs:poller>

<vfs:sender  service="proj:vfsSender"
             endpoint="senderEndpoint"
             path="file:///C:/opensrc/test/myOutbox/">

   <property name="marshaler">
      <bean class="org.apache.servicemix.components.util.BinaryFileMarshaler" />
   </property>
    
</vfs:sender>
</beans>

The path attribute

Have a look at the Apache Commons-VFS Supported File Systems page.

Some of the VFS are accessed read-only. Those file system types can't be used for sender endpoints and will
throw Exceptions when trying to do so. Have a look at the comments on the above linked page. It is stated what kind
of access is provided by which system.