Broadway Actor

Actor Overview

A Broadway Actor represents an action that is executed on a Stage of the Broadway flow to get input parameters and return output parameters. For example, reading a file, creating a table, parsing an object or concatenating a string.

Broadway offers a number of built-in Actors which address a wide range of predefined activities that can be added to Broadway flows.

When a flow requires business logic that is not supported by a built-in Actor, a JavaScript Actor can be used which executes the JavaScript code provided in the script Input parameter. Alternatively, you can use the LuFunction Actor to invoke Java functions or build your own Java Actor.

This article describes the following options for working with Actors:

To learn about more complex scenarios, such as creating or editing an Actor, refer to the Actor Editor article.

How Do I Add Actor to Stage?

To add an Actor to a Stage in a Broadway flow:

  1. Click anywhere in the Stage area to open the Add Actors to [Stage Name] window which displays a list of categories on the left and the built-in Actors of each categories on the right.
  2. Click Submit to finish the action and to add the Actor to the Stage.

Note that you can add a call to an inner flow by switching the radio button from Actor to Flow in the popup screen and selecting a flow from it. An InnerFlow Actor is then added to the flow and it includes the selected flow. Click for more information about Inner Flows.

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How Do I Save a Flow as an Actor?

A flow can be packaged and then reused as an inner flow in another flow. For example, an inner flow that handles errors. This is an excellent solution for reusing business logic and for avoiding complex flows with many steps.

To save a flow as an Actor, click Actions > Save as Actor in the Main menu of the Broadway flow window.

How Do I Export an Actor?

An Actor can be exported to create another Actor that inherits the current Actor’s logic. By doing so, specific business logic can be reused in different places in the flow. Once exported, the new Actor is added to the list of built-in Actors.

To export an Actor, click Export Actor in the Actor's context menu.

Dynamic Logic Actors

Dynamic Logic Actors include dynamic logic as one of their input parameters. The most frequently used Actors include:

  • JavaScript Actor, which executes the JavaScript code provided in the script parameter and returns the value of the last expression.
  • DbCommand Actor, which executes the SQL command provided in the sql parameter.

Actor Description and Remarks

The description of the Actor is part of the Actor's file. A remark is a user's comment added during the flow implementation.

When exporting an Actor, the Actor's remarks are copied to the description of the new Actor type.

Click image in the right corner of the Actor to open the Actor's context menu and select Description to view the description of the Actor type. The Description window is displayed in a read-only mode.

To add your own remark to an Actor, select Remark in the Actor's context menu.

Once there is a remark you can pull it up by clicking the green asterisk . To delete a remark, remove its text and close the remark.

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Broadway Actor

Actor Overview

A Broadway Actor represents an action that is executed on a Stage of the Broadway flow to get input parameters and return output parameters. For example, reading a file, creating a table, parsing an object or concatenating a string.

Broadway offers a number of built-in Actors which address a wide range of predefined activities that can be added to Broadway flows.

When a flow requires business logic that is not supported by a built-in Actor, a JavaScript Actor can be used which executes the JavaScript code provided in the script Input parameter. Alternatively, you can use the LuFunction Actor to invoke Java functions or build your own Java Actor.

This article describes the following options for working with Actors:

To learn about more complex scenarios, such as creating or editing an Actor, refer to the Actor Editor article.

How Do I Add Actor to Stage?

To add an Actor to a Stage in a Broadway flow:

  1. Click anywhere in the Stage area to open the Add Actors to [Stage Name] window which displays a list of categories on the left and the built-in Actors of each categories on the right.
  2. Click Submit to finish the action and to add the Actor to the Stage.

Note that you can add a call to an inner flow by switching the radio button from Actor to Flow in the popup screen and selecting a flow from it. An InnerFlow Actor is then added to the flow and it includes the selected flow. Click for more information about Inner Flows.

image

How Do I Save a Flow as an Actor?

A flow can be packaged and then reused as an inner flow in another flow. For example, an inner flow that handles errors. This is an excellent solution for reusing business logic and for avoiding complex flows with many steps.

To save a flow as an Actor, click Actions > Save as Actor in the Main menu of the Broadway flow window.

How Do I Export an Actor?

An Actor can be exported to create another Actor that inherits the current Actor’s logic. By doing so, specific business logic can be reused in different places in the flow. Once exported, the new Actor is added to the list of built-in Actors.

To export an Actor, click Export Actor in the Actor's context menu.

Dynamic Logic Actors

Dynamic Logic Actors include dynamic logic as one of their input parameters. The most frequently used Actors include:

  • JavaScript Actor, which executes the JavaScript code provided in the script parameter and returns the value of the last expression.
  • DbCommand Actor, which executes the SQL command provided in the sql parameter.

Actor Description and Remarks

The description of the Actor is part of the Actor's file. A remark is a user's comment added during the flow implementation.

When exporting an Actor, the Actor's remarks are copied to the description of the new Actor type.

Click image in the right corner of the Actor to open the Actor's context menu and select Description to view the description of the Actor type. The Description window is displayed in a read-only mode.

To add your own remark to an Actor, select Remark in the Actor's context menu.

Once there is a remark you can pull it up by clicking the green asterisk . To delete a remark, remove its text and close the remark.

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