External Reference (4.2)

Owned by Jenni Wallin
Jun 03, 2024
4 min read

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

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(4.2) .

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.

Setting

Description

Setting

Description

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(4.2) .

  • 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, enter values for needed Database Keys in Desktop.

  • Kubernetes Properties - Use Kubernetes ConfigMap as an External Reference source. For more information, refer to Creating External Reference in Helm Chart(4.2).

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.

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. 

 

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(4.1) .

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.png
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. 

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