External Reference (3.1)

Owned by Jenni Wallin
May 10, 2023
4 min read

The External Reference profile allows you to use configuration values in  that originate from property files or exported environment variables from the Platform's startup shell. 

Required Properties

To use this property the mzonline.host and mzonline.port properties need to be added! 

You can use the values provided by External Reference profiles in workflow and agent profile configurations. 

Note!

For instructions on how to define complex parameters such as lists of brokers, refer to Profiles(3.1).

To create a new External Reference Profile configuration, click the New Configuration button in the upper left part of the  Desktop window, and then select External Reference Profile from the menu.

SettingDescription

External Reference Type

From the drop-down list select the External Reference source type.

The following types are available:

  • S3 Properties File - A file on an Amazon Web Service S3 bucket. For more information, refer to AWS S3 Support for External Reference Profile(3.1).
  • Properties File - A file on the Platform host.
  • Environment Variable -  Exported environment variables from the Platform's startup shell.
  • Properties Database - Use the internal database as an External Reference source. To store values in the internal database, use the web interface and enter values for needed Database Keys.
  • Kubernetes Properties - Use Kubernetes ConfigMap as an External Reference source. For more information, refer to Creating External Reference in Helm Chart(3.1).

Properties File

This field is available when you have selected Properties File in External Reference Type.

Enter the path and the name of the properties file.

Use Custom ConfigMap Name 

This field is available when you have selected Kubernetes Properties in External Reference Type.

By default the ConfigMap name is constructed from the folder name and profile name.

Select this checkbox to set a custom name for the ConfigMap used to set values. 

Local Key

The name to use when referring to this external reference in the workflow table and profiles which allow the use of external references.

Properties File Key

This field is available when you have selected Properties File in External Reference Type.

The name of the External Reference in the properties file or environment variable.

Database Key

This field is available when you have selected Properties Database in External Reference Type.

The name of the External Reference in the Database.

Kubernetes Key

This field is available when you have selected Kubernetes Properties in External Reference Type.

The name of the External Reference in the Kubernetes ConfigMap.

Value Type

The following types are available:

  • String - The value is stored as string
  • List - The value consist of a list of values
  • Map - The value consist of a map of key/values pair
Value

The current value of the External Reference. To update the value from the Properties file, use the Refresh button. If values are not displayed, make sure that a properties file is available in the specified path or that the environment variables are set.

Note!

Environment variables that are set after Platform start are not available in the External Reference profile.

For Properties Database and Kubernetes Properties External Reference types, then the values can be set in the profile itself.

The value can be set direct in the Add External Reference Definition dialog and edited by selecting the specific row and click edit button.

Note!

If External Reference type is set to Kubernetes Profile and the use custom ConfigMap name is selected the values can not be set or updated in the profile itself. 

Note!

The value will be updated direct after push Yes on the Value Dialog after value is edited.

Note!

In Kubernetes deployment it is possible to provision environment specific external reference values for Properties File based External Reference Profiles by defining them as configMaps as part of the Helm value file. For example:

platform:
	configMaps:
	- file: extrefs.txt
   	  data: |
  		parameter1=value1
  		parameter2=value2

YAML tab

A YAML tab is visible when you have selected Kubernetes Properties in External Reference Type and the profile is saved. It shows a YAML definition of the corresponding ConfigMap used to set values.

External Reference Applications

With External Reference Profile and External Reference Values, you can set different type of permissions for saving External Reference Profile keys and values. To know more about these applications, see Access Controller.

Note!

Applicable only if you select Properties Database or Kubernetes Properties from External Reference Type. 

For example, the following screenshot shows an access group with the name as 'Values' and different permission that you can assign to that access group for External Reference Values application.

Access Controller - Applications List

The following permissions are available: 

  • Write -  In order to create a new External Reference profile you must have Write access to the External Reference Profile application, however to be able to edit or set Value, you must have Write access to the External Reference Values application. 

    Note!

    If you try to set or edit Value of an External Reference Profile for which you do not have the write permission the values field in add or edit dialog is not visible. 


  • Execute -  You cannot make any changes to the External Reference Values permission if you have only Execute access. 


Note!

To be able to open an existing External Reference Profile, you must have the Read access for that particular External Reference Profile. Read Browser to know more about the different permission groups pertaining to a configuration.