Web Mapper
Web Mapper is a visual, browser-based tool in the Adeptia platform that lets you define how data from one or more source schemas maps to one or more target schemas, without writing transformation code by hand. It is the central workspace for building, editing, and testing the data mapping rules that drive your integrations.
What Web Mapper does
When you integrate systems that use different data formats or structures, you need to specify how each field in the incoming data corresponds to a field in the outgoing data, and how values should be transformed along the way. Web Mapper provides a graphical canvas where you load source and target schemas side by side, draw connections between fields, and apply transformation logic.
The mapping canvas
The canvas displays your source schema on the left and your target schema on the right, each as an expandable tree of fields. A line appears on the canvas representing that connection. You can map multiple source fields to a single target field, and you can load multiple source or target schemas at the same time.
As you work, the canvas tracks every connection you make. You can undo and redo changes using the Undo and Redo controls in the toolbar.
Mapping expression panel
Selecting a target field opens the mapping expression panel at the bottom of the canvas. This panel is where you define the rule that produces the value for that target field. You can work in two modes:
- Graphical mode provides a graphical canvas for building mapping expressions.
- Textual mode lets you type or edit the mapping expression directly as text.
You switch between modes using the floating menu icons available in the expression panel. The panel also provides a toolbar of operators and conditional constructs, including comparison operators, logical operators, conditional expressions, and an append operator, which you can insert into your expression with a click.
A Comments area lets you annotate the selected target field with notes about the mapping rule you have applied.
Functions and parameters
A Parameters panel on the right side of the canvas gives you access to reusable building blocks you can use in your mapping expressions:
| Category | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Variables | Global variables, context variables, connection variables, and local variables scoped to a specific target field |
| Templates | Reusable XSL templates, including locally defined templates and shared templates |
| Value Maps | Named lookup tables that translate one value to another |
| External Functions | Custom Java methods you have registered for use in mappings |
| Key Functions | XSL key definitions for advanced lookups |
| Custom Auto Maps | Named field-matching rules for automated mapping |
| Stored Procedures | Database stored procedures available for use in expressions |
| Global Methods | Shared Java class methods available across mappings |
You can add, edit, and remove entries in each category directly from the Parameters panel. Local variables and sorting rules are scoped to individual target fields and are managed through the mapping expression panel.
Mapping properties
For any target field you can configure additional properties beyond the core expression:
- For Each specifies an iteration path, useful when mapping repeating elements.
- Sorting defines sort rules applied to the data before mapping.
- Disable Output Escaping controls how special characters are written to the output.
- Filters can be applied to target fields to control which nodes are included in the output.
- Clone controls let you duplicate a repeating target node to represent multiple occurrences of a structure.
Applying functions and operators
The mapping function toolbar across the top of the expression panel lists categories of built-in functions. Clicking a category opens a menu of available functions. Selecting a function inserts it into the expression at the cursor position. The operators toolbar at the bottom of the panel provides one-click access to common conditional constructs such as When Condition, If Condition, comparison operators, logical operators, and arithmetic operators.
Data Viewer
The Data Viewer tab in the mapping panel lets you test your mapping against real or sample data without leaving the canvas. You attach a sample input file for your source schema, and the Data Viewer runs the mapping and shows you the resulting output. Both the input and output can be viewed as a tree or, for flat structures, as a grid. An error view highlights any validation or transformation errors. This lets you verify that your mapping rules produce the expected results before saving or deploying.
XSL view and debugger
In addition to the graphical canvas, Web Mapper provides two advanced views:
- The XSL view shows the generated transformation stylesheet that corresponds to your mapping rules. You can inspect it to understand exactly what transformation will be applied. If needed, you can switch the mapping to a custom stylesheet mode and edit the XSL directly.
- The Debugger view provides an interactive environment where you supply input XML, click Generate Output, and see the transformed result alongside any errors. This is useful for diagnosing complex transformation issues.
Namespaces and schema settings
Web Mapper processes XML namespaces from your loaded schemas. You can also define additional namespaces manually through the Preferences dialog. The Preferences dialog also exposes output settings, XSL settings, XML schema settings, and miscellaneous settings that control how the mapping stylesheet is generated and how the output is formatted.
Saving and auto-save
You save your mapping using the save control in the toolbar. Web Mapper also supports auto-save, which periodically saves your work in the background. The toolbar shows the name of the mapping and the time it was last saved. You can toggle auto-save on or off using the Autosave switch in the toolbar.
Importing and reusing mappings
You can import mapping rules from another existing mapping into the one you are currently editing. This makes it straightforward to reuse mapping logic across similar integrations.
AI-assisted mapping
Web Mapper includes an AI mapping feature that analyzes your source and target schemas and suggests field connections automatically. When you open the AI mapping panel, it evaluates the schemas and presents high-confidence and lower-confidence suggestions, along with a count of target fields covered. You can review the suggestions, accept or reject them individually or in bulk, and apply the ones you want. This can significantly reduce the manual effort required when mapping large or complex schemas.