Search data service

Search data is a microservice that searches for data in another process.

The new search data microservice enables you to create a process that can perform a search/look for data (using Kafka send / Kafka receive actions) in other processes.

tip

Using elastic search, the new search microservice will be able to search for keys that are indexed in ES, via existing mechanics.

caution

Elastic search indexing must be switched on the FLOWX.AI Engine configuration. You can find more details in the Search data service setup guide.

Using search data

Use case:

• search for data in other processes
• display results about other processes where the search key was found

1. Create a process using Process Designer.

2. From the newly created process where you want to perform the search, add a Task node.

3. Configure a send event via a Kafka send action.

4. Configure the following items:

   • Topic name - the Kafka topic on which the search service listens for requests; ❗️respect the naming pattern

   • Data to send - (key) - used when data is sent from the frontend via an action to validate the data (you can find more information in the User Task configuration section)

   • Headers - required

   • Body message:

     • searchKey - it will hold the result received from the elastic search
     • value - value of the key
     • processDefinitionNames - the process definition names where to perform the search
     • processStartDateAfter - the service will look into process definitions created after the defined date

{
    "searchKey": "application.client.name",
    "value": "12344",
    "processStartDateAfter": "formatDeDataStandard", (opt)
    "processStartDateBefore": "formatDeDataStandard", (opt)
    "processDefinitionNames": [ "processDef1", "processDef2" ],
    "status": ["ANY",...]
}

• Example (dummy values extracted from a process):

5. A custom microservice (a core extension) will receive this event and will search the value of the process in the elastic search.
6. It will respond to the engine via a Kafka topic.

tip

The topic must be defined in the Node config of the User task where you previously added the Kafka Send Action.

The body message of the response will look like this:

❗️If there is no result:

{
    "searchKey": "application.client.name",
    "result": [],
    "processStartDate": date,
    "tooManyResults": true|false
}

• Example (dummy values extracted from a process):

tip

To access the view of your process variables, tokens and subprocesses go to FLOWX.AI Designer > Active process > Process Instances. Here you will find the response.

❗️If there is a list of results:

    "searchKey": "application.client.name"
    "result":[{
            "processInstanceUUID": "UUID",
            "status": "CREATED",
            "processStartDate": date,
            "data" : {"all data in elastic for that process"}
    }],
    "tooManyResults": true|false
}

NOTE: You will receive up to 50 results - if tooManyResults is true.

• Example (dummy values extracted from a process):

Let's go now through the steps needed to deploy and set up the service:

»Search data service setup guide