Sorting

You can use sort criteria to specify the order in which data will be delivered to the subsequent Processes. If no sort criteria is used, data will be delivered in the same order as it arrives. Performance will be less affected if data is sorted at Event level, compared to sorting at Process level.

You specify the sort criteria by assigning priorities to blocks. Data associated with blocks with the highest priority will be delivered first, and so on. You can specify sort criteria for all main blocks and sub-blocks in the XMLIN configuration.

To specify sort criteria for the main blocks

1	Select the Message node in the Message tree. The Message properties are displayed in the Properties view.

2	Set Use block sort priority to Yes.

3	Select the first main block. The Block properties are displayed in the Properties view.

4	Set the Block sort priority level. The lower the number, the higher the priority.

5	Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all main blocks.

To specify sort criteria for sub-blocks within a block

1	Select the block. The block properties are displayed in the Properties view.

2	Set Use block sort priority to Yes.

3	Select the first sub-block. The Block properties are displayed in the Properties view.

4	Set the Block sort priority level. The lower the number, the higher the priority.

5	Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all sub-blocks.

Sorting examples

The following examples illustrate how the order in which data will be delivered changes when sort criteria is specified for the blocks.

Example 10

No sort criteria is used

All blocks have sort priority set to 0. Output is delivered in the same order as it arrived.

 

Example 11

Sort criteria is used

The blocks have sort priority set to 1, 2, and 3. Output is delivered in this order.