Announcement: Azure Logic Apps' New Data Mapper for Visual Studio Code (Preview)

SwapnilBankar Thank you for the details.

I can work with you off-line with custom function definition to achieve creating unique ID. 

When we clear our backlog work-item, this will be an OOB capability.

(just to note, once you create a custom function, use model will be identical to as if it was an OOB capability)

It's my pleasure SanjivGupta.

Thank you for considering the requirement. Will look forward to have it in upcoming release.

Coming back to our unique ID requirement,

Here is one of the use-cases,

We are processing thousands of customer records and send them to backend system one by one.

Below is the respective payload where you can see timestamp and id which are getting generated dynamically based on backend system need,

At the moment, since data mapper does not support guid(), we are enforced to define the payload schema statically instead of collating it within xslt.

Whereas in another scenario, where json payload schema is also dynamic, it is bit challenging to populate this "id" field value.

And thank you for sharing pointers for "custom function", will definitely give a try and keep you posted.

Thanx,

-Swapnil

SwapnilBankar - thank you for your perseverance and providing me with all the information.

I suspect an issue with the underlying compiler/engine code (and possibly front-end anomaly related to null v/s $null).

I am submitting an investigation request internally and will triage this issue for upcoming refresh.

Interacting with you helped me to take a much deeper look at null value support for JSON outputs in Data Mapper and I thank you very much for bringing this use-case to us.

Regards,

Sanjiv Gupta

Thank you @SanjivGupta for quick turnaround.

Here are the details at my end,

1.

OS

The Std Logic app extension version that I am using in VS Code,

2.

I did try the scenario (XML2JSON) with suggested logic but issue persists. By the way, this time no exception in the console,

['shiporder.xsd' referenced from https://www.w3schools.com/XML/schema_example.asp with small change for our scenario,

<xs:element name="orderperson" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" nillable="true"/>]

3.

Test :

4.

I also did try the scenario (JSON2JSON) with suggested logic but issue persists. This time also no exception in the console,

5.

Test:

Hope this helps.

If you still need specific inputs do let me know, we will catchup as suggested.

Thanx,

-Swapnil

SwapnilBankar - thanks for quickly trying it out. 

Just to narrow down a little bit, I need your help.

1) Please let me know the logic app extension version that you are using in VS Code

2) Please try the scenario with "If" function (instead of If Else). Something like "if (isNull(surname)) Surname = $null" kind of a map. Make sure to use the construct that shows $null in the code view. Let me know if this generates the right transformation for you. This will help us narrowing down the issue you are having. 

3) Help us understand what the unique ID requirement is? Is the incoming message XML? Do you want to generate unique ID for each node? Do the IDs need to be unique for a session or for the eternity?

4) Here are a few links on custom extensibility

Data Mapper for Azure Logic Apps (Standard) reaches General Availability - Microsoft Community Hub

Create maps for data transformation - Azure Logic Apps | Microsoft Learn (Checkout "Create a custom function" section)

5) If need be, we can set-up some time to talk. (I have sent you a DM here, please check)

Thank you SanjivGupta for addressing my concern.

I already tried the solution you did mention and then only I put my concern to initiate this thread.  

I did try populating the value as null in the properties pane but it reflects as is (i.e. null) in the code view as shown below,

I mean it did not change to $null as mentioned by you in your snap.....or am I missing any step here?

Then post save & XSLT generation, if I test the xslt using below two payloads,

I get below exception for both cases (even for happy path scenario, I mean "Surname": "Bankar" it fails),

500 - ActionFailed: An error occurred while transforming the given input with the provided map. Details: 'An empty sequence is not allowed as the second argument of dm:if_then_else()'.

If I missed anything then do let me know.

wrt your inputs on UUID, I am still looking for documentations.

If you have any pointers on how to use custom functions and inline XSLT in Data Mapper then please do share.

Thanx,

-Swapnil

SwapnilBankar good question regarding null value in JSON output. I know part of the answer and I will have to get back with the remaining part. 

The map code that you see when you save the map (.lml file) has reserved keywords - one of them is $null. When you wish to assign the value of an output node to null in case of JSON, it could be assigned to $null. In case of XML, the equivalent is $nil. 

I think any function that takes a constant value input, you can type the value to be null in the properties pane. One scenario could be to use If or If-else function. Based upon the condition evaluation, you may want to assign the output to null in case of a JSON output. (nil in case of XML). For user convenience, we do internal check as well and convert null/nil to match the JSON and XML requirements. As a user you can use either null or nil across JSON and XML if that is more convenient for you. Just type the value to be null or nill and you can validate the code view to see $null or $nil in the side by side view. 

The picture below may help. Specifically look for red-boxed elements:

SwapnilBankar for guid and uuid, you seem to be editing the generated XSLT. This is not a good idea. 

The support for uuid's OOB availability is in our backlog. We, however, have support available for custom functions and inline XSLT - so in the interim, one of those will be a recommended approach to using uuid. 

Another difficulty I am facing is in Json to Json mapping,

Source json has following payload [just cleared other elements for clarity],

Hello Team,

Can anybody tell me how to map function guid() or uuid() to target element?

I tried to map it explicitly since OOTB it is not available (for ex. current-date time())

Getting below exception,

[2023-11-29T10:19:47.406Z] Static error in {{guid()}} at char 1 (in expression on line 25) of
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.407Z] XPST0017 Cannot find a 0-argument function named Q{http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions}guid()
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.407Z] Static error in {{guid()}} at char 1 (in expression on line 25) of
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.407Z] XPST0017 Cannot find a 0-argument function named Q{http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions}guid()
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] Executed 'Functions.XsltNetFxLanguageWorkerFunction' (Failed, Id=6060fa82-d8e1-4749-aa78-7167024ba939, Duration=253ms)
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] System.Private.CoreLib: Exception while executing function: Functions.XsltNetFxLanguageWorkerFunction. System.Private.CoreLib: Result: Failure
Exception: System.AggregateException: One or more errors occurred. ---> Saxon.Api.StaticError: Cannot find a 0-argument function named Q{http://www.w3.org/2005/xpath-functions}guid()
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at Saxon.Api.XsltCompiler.Compile(Stream input)
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.BuiltIn.Xslt.Common.Utilities.XsltTransform.TransformUsingSaxonica(XsltInput input, XsltMapContent mapContent) in C:\__w\1\s\src\netStandard\BuiltIn.Xslt.Common\Utilities\XsltTransform.cs:line 249
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.BuiltIn.Xslt.NetFx.Providers.XsltNetFxBuiltInOperationsProvider.<TransformUsingSaxonica>d__18.MoveNext() in C:\__w\1\s\src\functionWorkers\builtIn\BuiltIn.Xslt.NetFx\Providers\XsltNetFxBuiltInOperationsProvider.cs:line 315
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] --- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
[2023-11-29T10:19:47.439Z] at Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.BuiltIn.Xslt.NetFx.Providers.XsltNetFxBuiltInOperationsProvider.<InvokeBuiltInOperation>d__14.MoveNext() in C:\__w\1\s\src\functionWorkers\builtIn\BuiltIn.Xslt.NetFx\Providers\XsltNetFxBuiltInOperationsProvider.cs:line 96

Solution/workaround will be highly appreciated.

Thanx,

-Swapnil