# Map Rest Connector Object Response into a Process Variable (complex Business Object with MULTIPLE Business OBject, including LISTs)

**URL:** <https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231>\
**Category:** Q&A\
**Created:** [16 June 2020 22:33 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231 "2020-06-16T22:33:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enriiic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@enriiic](https://community.ofelia.com/u/enriiic)\
**Post date:** [16 June 2020 22:33 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/1 "2020-06-16T22:33:06Z")

</div>

I am calling this service I've found in other&nbsp;examples&nbsp;[https://www.metaweather.com/api/location/44418/](https://www.metaweather.com/api/location/44418/),&nbsp;from a REST Connector out and&nbsp;it returns a **complex structure**.

All the examples I've found extract a single STRING from the complex structure (from bodyAsObject) without issues. I could do so also without any problem.&nbsp;

But, when I try to map the **full object to a process variable** , I keep getting parsing or type error messages. Even if I only try to extract a List. In this example, let's say I need to extract&nbsp;bodyAsObject.sources.

In the BDM, I created a New Business Object called: ' **TestService**' that contains a variable called 'sources' that is&nbsp; **Multiple** of type **source** , where source is another Business Object that&nbsp;has 4 elements:

- title (STRING),

- slug (STRING),

- url (STRING)

- crawl\_rate (STRING).

Then I created a process variable called testService of type com.company.model.TestService

Then in the REST Connector / Output operations, I configure:

testService - Use a Java method -&nbsp; setSources(List\<source\>)

With the following script:

return bodyAsObject.sources

When I test it it returns an ArrayList. I tried many things to parse it and no one worked. When I run the process it fails on this Service Task.

Is there anything I am missing?

Thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![romain.bioteau](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ofelia.com/romain.bioteau/32/720_2.png) [@romain.bioteau](https://community.ofelia.com/u/romain.bioteau)\
**Post date:** [20 June 2020 09:05 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/2 "2020-06-20T09:05:18Z")

</div>

Hi, You can write a script in the connector output that look like this:

```auto
//Returns a list of com.company.model.Source 
bodyAsObject.sources.collect{ 
    def source = new com.company.model.Source() 
    source.title = it.title 
    source.slug = it.slug 
    source.url = it.url 
    source.crawl_rate = it.crawl_rate 
    source
}

```

Be aware that Business Object should be used in Business variables and not in Process variables.

HTH  
Romain

Edit: fix typo in script

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enriiic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@enriiic](https://community.ofelia.com/u/enriiic)\
**Post date:** [29 June 2020 19:18 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/3 "2020-06-29T19:18:35Z")

</div>

Thanks for your answer. I tried this and, even though it is not erroring out, it is not returning the four attributes. It only returns the last one. In this case 'crawl\_rate'. And it just returns a list of integers.

> ```
> >(c) ArrayList<E> : [360,480,360,180,360,720,360]
> ```

If I change the order, say I leave title for the last one, it returns a list of strings, containing all the titles from the list.

I tried with all variables and all work the same way.It also works mapping the return to a business variable through the java method 'setSources()'.

I tried adding a line 'source' to return the full object. Having the following script:

> ```
> bodyAsObject.sources.collect{
> def source = new com.company.model.Source()
> source.url = it.url
> source.slug = it.slug
> source.title = it.title
> source.crawl_rate = it.crawl_rate
> source
> }
> ```

But then I'm back to my original issue returning complex objects:

> ```
> java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
> org.bonitasoft.engine.exception.BonitaRuntimeException: Unable to deserialize object <object-stream>
> <map>
> <entry>
> <string>output0</string>
> <list>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>BBC</title>
> <slug>bbc</slug>
> <url>http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/</url>
> <crawl __rate>360</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>Forecast.io</title>
> <slug>forecast-io</slug>
> <url>http://forecast.io/</url>
> <crawl __rate>480</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>HAMweather</title>
> <slug>hamweather</slug>
> <url>http://www.hamweather.com/</url>
> <crawl __rate>360</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>Met Office</title>
> <slug>met-office</slug>
> <url>http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/</url>
> <crawl __rate>180</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>OpenWeatherMap</title>
> <slug>openweathermap</slug>
> <url>http://openweathermap.org/</url>
> <crawl __rate>360</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>Weather Underground</title>
> <slug>wunderground</slug>
> <url>https://www.wunderground.com/?apiref=fc30dc3cd224e19b</url>
> <crawl __rate>720</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> <com.company.model.Source>
> <title>World Weather Online</title>
> <slug>world-weather-online</slug>
> <url>http://www.worldweatheronline.com/</url>
> <crawl __rate>360</crawl__ rate>
> </com.company.model.Source>
> </list>
> </entry>
> </map>
> </object-stream>
> com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.ConversionException:
> ---- Debugging information ----
> cause-exception : com.thoughtworks.xstream.mapper.CannotResolveClassException
> cause-message : com.company.model.Source
> class : java.util.ArrayList
> required-type : java.util.ArrayList
> converter-type : com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.collections.CollectionConverter
> path : /map/entry/list/com.company.model.Source
> line number : 6
> class[1] : java.util.HashMap
> converter-type[1] : com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.collections.MapConverter
> version : 1.4.10
> -------------------------------
> com.thoughtworks.xstream.mapper.CannotResolveClassException: com.company.model.Source
> ```

Full error here:[https://www.heypasteit.com/clip/0IUTUS](https://www.heypasteit.com/clip/0IUTUS)

I am testing it from the **test button** in the **connector wizard**.

For any List of Objects in the BDM, I try to return a List of the same objects in the Script of the connector and I keep getting this message.

I need to return these lists of objects to map them in the UI for both tables and select widgets. Is this the correct way to do so? Using a complex multiple variable in the BDM and trying to map it in the connector output wizard?

Is it possible to do what I am trying? Because it looks to me it should be done this way but Bonita is doing something extra in the engine.

Thanks for the help!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enriiic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@enriiic](https://community.ofelia.com/u/enriiic)\
**Post date:** [29 June 2020 19:33 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/4 "2020-06-29T19:33:05Z")

</div>

&nbsp;

Even when I don't work with lists. Using the java method 'addToSources(Source)' and being the script:

```
def source = new com.company.model.Source()
source.url = "it.url"
source.slug = "it.slug"
source.title = "it.title"
source.crawl_rate = 1

return source
```

I am getting the "Unable to deserialize object" error

![](https://i.imgur.com/UrwG8SN.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![romain.bioteau](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ofelia.com/romain.bioteau/32/720_2.png) [@romain.bioteau](https://community.ofelia.com/u/romain.bioteau)\
**Post date:** [30 June 2020 07:32 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/5 "2020-06-30T07:32:00Z")

</div>

This is an issue only occurring using _Test connector_ as the BDM jar is NOT in the classpath.  
It will work properly in the process.

Generated `bdm-pojo.jar` should be suggested in classpath jar list when testing a connector.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enriiic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@enriiic](https://community.ofelia.com/u/enriiic)\
**Post date:** [1 July 2020 13:22 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/6 "2020-07-01T13:22:28Z")

</div>

It worked thanks!

Now I have:

- Source: {title, slug, url, crawl\_rate}

- Sources: Source Multiple

- InfoTables: {Sources,...} // it contains many lists to be displayed in UI tables

I am mapping infoTables in a task contract but when I try to map it into a table in the UI using, as I do with JSON variables in the UI:

```
InfoTables.Sources
```

Is there an specific way to do it that I am missing?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![romain.bioteau](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ofelia.com/romain.bioteau/32/720_2.png) [@romain.bioteau](https://community.ofelia.com/u/romain.bioteau)\
**Post date:** [1 July 2020 15:33 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/7 "2020-07-01T15:33:45Z")

</div>

I do not understand what you are trying to achieve. Can you be more specific ? If it is a question unrelated with REST connector output mapping, please open a new question.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enriiic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@enriiic](https://community.ofelia.com/u/enriiic)\
**Post date:** [1 July 2020 16:39 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/8 "2020-07-01T16:39:43Z")

</div>

I have 10 different lists of constant values to load in Select and table Widgets. I'd like to have just one variable in the contract for this purpose. I grouped all the lists in a single parent object. My BDM for an example looks like this

| **BDM Model Name** | **Attrubute Name** | **Type** | **Multiple** |
| InformationCombos | 

sources

```
		<p>List2</p>

		<p>...</p>

		<p>List10</p>
		</td>
		<td>
		<p>Sources</p>

		<p>Type2</p>

		<p>...</p>

		<p>Type10</p>
		</td>
		<td>No</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td>Sources</td>
		<td>source</td>
		<td>Source</td>
		<td>Yes</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td>Source</td>
		<td>
		<p>Key</p>

		<p>Value</p>
		</td>
		<td>
		<p>String</p>

		<p>String</p>
		</td>
		<td>No</td>
	</tr>
</tbody>

```

 |

Then in the UI I try to reference this in the Available Values section of a Select Widget but I can't make it show. I tried many things but looks like I'm doing something wrong.

- InformationCombos.Sources
- InformationCombos.Sources.value
- Used generated variable: InformationCombos\_sources\_source
- ...

Nothing works.

My variable is an external API type:

informationCombos&nbsp; ../{{context.informationCombos\_ref.link}}

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![romain.bioteau](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.ofelia.com/romain.bioteau/32/720_2.png) [@romain.bioteau](https://community.ofelia.com/u/romain.bioteau)\
**Post date:** [2 July 2020 07:45 UTC](https://community.ofelia.com/t/map-rest-connector-object-response-into-a-process-variable-complex-business-object-with-multiple-business-object-including-lists/10231/9 "2020-07-02T07:45:50Z")

</div>

If the relation on your BusinessObject are lazy there are not loaded with the parent and an additional request must be performed.

Check the how to use the `[lazyRef` filter in the doc](https://documentation.bonitasoft.com/bonita/7.11/variables).

Or you can use an eager (always load children values) relation if it suits your use case.

HTH

Romain