Creating a Link Between Variables
When you link variables in the pipeline, keep the following points in mind:
The variable that you are linking from is the
source. For example, when you link a variable in
Pipeline In to one in
Service In, the
Pipeline In variable is the source. When you link a variable in
Service Out to one in
Pipeline Out, the
Service Out variable is the source.
The variable you are linking to is the
target. For example, when you link a variable in
Pipeline In to one in
Service In, the
Service In variable is the target. When you link a variable in
Service Out to one in
Pipeline Out, the
Pipeline Out variable is the target.
A
Service In variable can be the target of more than one link only if you use array indexing or if you place conditions on the links to the variable.
Target variables can be connected to only one source variable. After you draw a link to a target variable, you cannot draw another link to the target variable. (Two exceptions to this rule involve array variables and conditional links. For more information about linking array variables, see
Linking to and from Array Variables in the
Pipeline. For more information about placing conditions on links between variables, see
Linking Variables Conditionally.
You cannot create a link to a variable if you already assigned a value to a variable.
After a link executes, both the source and target variables exist in the pipeline. The target variable does not replace the source variable.
You cannot create a link to a variable if the variable has a fixed null or default value assigned to it.
Designer uses the
symbol next to the variable icon to indicate that the variable has a fixed value that you cannot override by linking it to another variable.
To create a link between variables
1. In the flow service editor, select the INVOKE or MAP step containing the variables you want to link.
2. Open the Pipeline view.
3. If you want to create a link between a variable in Pipeline In and one in Service In, do the following:
a. In Pipeline In, click the pipeline variable you want to use as the source variable.
b. In Service In, click the input variable you want to use as the target variable.
c. Click 
on the Pipeline view toolbar. 4. If you want to create a link between a variable in Service Out and one in Pipeline Out, do the following:
a. In Service Out, click the output variable you want to use as the source variable.
b. In Pipeline Out, click the pipeline variable you want to use as the target variable.
c. Click on the toolbar. 5. Click File > Save.
Notes:
If the variable types are incompatible and cannot be linked to one another,
Designer prevents you from creating a link between the variables and displays a message stating that the operation is not allowed.
Do not link variables with different Object constraints. If you link variables with different Object constraints and input/output validation is selected, the run-time result is undefined.
Tip: You can also use your mouse to link variables to one another. To do this, select the source variable and drag your mouse to the appropriate target variable.