A custom reception is a J2EE application that consists of reception processes created by developers, and the custom reception framework itself.

The reception processes and custom reception framework processing in a custom reception are as follows:

Processing in reception processes created by developers

• Processing that receives service component invocation requests from the service requester
• Processing that passes request messages to the custom reception framework
• Processing that passes to the service requester any response messages returned by the custom reception framework

Processing executed by the custom reception framework

• Processing that passes to HCSC message delivery control any request messages received from reception processes
• Processing that returns to the reception processes any response messages received from HCSC message delivery control
• Processing that performs data transformation of request messages and response messages according to HSCS data transformation definitions

The custom reception framework allows users to develop and operate custom receptions. The framework provides APIs for creating custom receptions. For details on these APIs, see A.3 APIs of the custom reception framework.

The custom reception framework provides a mechanism by which custom receptions created by developers can operate as receptions in the execution environment of Service Platform. The following figure shows the flow of custom reception framework operation when a custom reception receives service component invocation requests:

Figure A-1 Flow of custom reception framework operation

1. The reception process receives a request to invoke the service component from the service requester.
2. The reception process passes the request message received from the service requester to the custom reception framework.
3. The custom reception framework performs data transformation of the request message.
4. The custom reception framework invokes HCSC message delivery control.
5. The custom reception framework receives a response message from HCSC message delivery control.
6. The custom reception framework performs data transformation of the response message.
7. The reception process receives the response message from the custom reception framework.
8. The reception process returns the response message to the service requester.

In a custom reception, request and response messages are subjected to data transformation in the custom reception framework. However, in an asynchronous communication model, data transformation of response messages does not occur. In this scenario, a null value is returned to the reception process.

The custom reception framework performs data transformation of the request messages received from the reception process before invoking HCSC message delivery control. The request messages transformed by the data transformation process are passed to the relevant business process via HCSC message delivery control. Response messages returned by the business process are again subjected to data transformation by the custom reception framework before being returned to the reception process. The response messages transformed by the data transformation process are returned to the service requester via the reception process.

The following figure shows the relationship between the data flow and data transformation in a custom reception.

Figure A-2 Relationship between data flow and data transformation in a custom reception

The tables below show the combinations of formats for which data transformation of request messages and response messages is supported.

(a) Format combinations supported for data transformation of request messages

The following table shows the request message formats the custom reception framework can subject to data transformation when a business process is invoked:

Table A-1 Request message formats for which custom reception framework supports data transformation

Request message format		Data transformation supported
Reception message format	Service component message format
Binary	-- (not specified)	Yes
	Binary	Yes
	XML	Yes
XML	-- (not specified)	Yes
	Binary	Yes
	XML	Yes

Legend:

Yes: Can be transformed.

(b) Format combinations supported for data transformation of response messages

The following table shows the response message formats the custom reception framework can subject to data transformation when a business process is invoked:

Table A-2 Response message formats for which the custom reception framework supports data transformation

Response message format		Data transformation supported
Service component message format	Reception message format
Binary	-- (not specified)	Yes
	Binary	Yes
	XML	Yes
XML	-- (not specified)	Yes
	Binary	Yes
	XML	Yes

Legend:

Yes: Can be transformed.