Using the DataSense Explorer

Anypoint Studio includes a DataSense Explorer that surfaces information about the Mule message as it passes through your flow. The DataSense explorer lists information about the message payload, flow variables, session variables, inbound properties, and outbound properties of your message, relative to the building block you currently have selected on the canvas.

Use the DataSense Explorer at design-time to:

Get quick insight into the contents of your payload and all of its metadata to ensure your message carries the information that later processing steps in your flow require
Understand how message processors act upon your message by comparing the state of the message before and after each building block processes it
Work with DataWeave to confirm that the input and output values of your transformed data match the expected values
Work with a message enricher scope to verify your enricher has successfully added the expected data to your message

Prerequisites

This document assumes you are familiar with Mule and the Studio interface. Further, it assumes you have read the Mule Message Structure document to understand the contents of a Mule message. To increase your familiarity with Studio, consider reading Anypoint Studio Essentials.

Basic Anatomy

The DataSense Explorer is a panel that appears in the lower right corner of the default Mule perspective in Anypoint Studio. You can toggle it on and off using the icon.

As you select the building blocks on the Message Flow canvas, the DataSense Explorer displays information on the In tab about the payload, flow variables, session variables, inbound properties, and outbound properties that Mule detects as the message arrives at that building block.

Observe, for example, how the outbound properties differ from the moment when the message arrives at a Property Transformer to the moment when the message leaves the Property Transformer (see images below).

Before:

A diagram illustrates the message flow within a data sense explorer and enumerates the inbound and outbound properties of a payload

After:

A dialog box with details about the timestamp flow variable

Example

This simple example illustrates how, when you manipulate your message using enrichers and transformers, the DataSense Explorer tracks the effects of the message processors on the payload and metadata of your message as it passes through your flow.

Studio Visual Editor

A diagram illustrating the data flow between two systems, orderTshirt and listInventory

XML Editor

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<mule xmlns:tracking="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/ee/tracking" xmlns:http="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http" xmlns="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core" xmlns:doc="http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/documentation"
    xmlns:spring="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-current.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/core/current/mule.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/http/current/mule-http.xsd
http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/ee/tracking http://www.mulesoft.org/schema/mule/ee/tracking/current/mule-tracking-ee.xsd">

     <http:listener-config name="listener-config" host="localhost" port="8081" doc:name="HTTP Listener Configuration"/>
    <flow name="datasense-explorerFlow1" >
        <http:listener config-ref="listener-config" path="/" doc:name="HTTP Connector"/>
        <set-payload value="#[[&quot;Hello&quot;, &quot;World&quot;]]" doc:name="Set Payload"/>
        <set-variable variableName="timestamp" value="#[server.dateTime]" doc:name="SetTimestamp"/>
        <enricher  doc:name="Message Enricher" source="#[message.payload.color]" target="#[flowVars['colorchoice']]">
            <processor-chain doc:name="Processor Chain">
                <flow-ref name="datasense-explorerFlow2" doc:name="Flow Reference"/>
                <logger level="INFO" doc:name="Logger 2"/>
            </processor-chain>
        </enricher>
        <logger level="INFO" doc:name="Logger 3"/>
    </flow>
    <flow name="datasense-explorerFlow2" >
        <set-payload value="#[[&quot;type&quot;:&quot;shoe&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:20,&quot;color&quot;:&quot;blue&quot;]]" doc:name="Set New Payload"/>
        <logger level="INFO" doc:name="Logger 1"/>
    </flow>
</mule>

The table below tracks the message state as it arrives at each building block shown on the canvas.

When the message arrives at the…

The message state is…

Because…

A globe inside a circle with arrows, labeled HTTP Connector

A list of variables, including flow, session, inbound, outbound, and record variables

At the point that the message arrives at the HTTP inbound connector, Mule does not yet have any information about the payload or its metadata.

A circle with a list icon inside, labeled

A list of inbound properties, including the listener path, method, and version

The message leaves the inbound connector with a set of inbound properties that are set by the message source (HTTP) and one outbound property reflecting the default encoding type.

A circle with an arrow icon and the text

A list of inbound and outbound properties for a Mule application, including details like the listener path, method, query parameters, and request URI

The previous message processor set a payload of type List, which DataSense Explorer now reflects as the message arrives at the following message processor.

A circle with a line icon and text that reads

Code listing showing data types for timestamp, date, and time

In the previous step, the Variable Transformer set a flow variable called timestamp, which is now visible in the DataSense explorer as the message reaches this flow reference building block.

A circle with a pencil icon and the text

A list of inbound and outbound properties and variables

Note that you can expand the timestamp variable to view all the components accessible via the #[server.dateTime] expression used for this variable.

A flow chart showing a message enricher processor chain that flows from a flow reference to a logger

A list of variables with their types

The flow reference in the previous step sent the message to a new flow.

Code showing source and target variables for a color choice

A list of properties, including listener path, method, query parameters, remote address, request path, and request URI

The Set Payload transformer in the previous step set the payload as a map with three elements. DataSense Explorer shows the map keys and types.

A list of properties, including listener path, method, query parameters, remote address, request path, and request URI

When processing finishes in the flow referenced by the flow reference element, the message returns to the original flow with its newly set payload.

A code listing displaying properties for payload, flow variables, inbound properties, outbound properties, and record variables

The Enricher acts on the message after processing within its scope is completed. Click the Message Enricher header bar to view the message as it is about to be enriched. Note that the Payload is once again a List, because the Enricher inputs and outputs the payload from the message processor before its scope, not from the contents of its scope. However, the configuration of the enricher acts upon the contents of its scope. In this case, the enricher extracts the key "color" from the map and sets it as a flow variable, "colorchoice": The results are visible in the DataSense Explorer in the next building block.