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LNK APIs
The LNK programming interface includes language-specific methods and objects that provide common functionality across multiple environments.
C API
The C API enables applications to invoke maps and to develop adapters to use with HCL Link.
Custom adapters
The custom adapters interface makes it possible for users to develop adapters with as much functionality as those provided with the product.
Adapter registration file
The adapters.xml registration file contains a single tag for each adapter, including a number of attributes to provide information about the adapter.

LNK APIs
The LNK programming interface includes language-specific methods and objects that provide common functionality across multiple environments.
- Link programming interface overview
  The Link programming interface is an object-oriented approach that enables applications to invoke HCL Link maps, thus removing reliance on command lines.
- C API
  The C API enables applications to invoke maps and to develop adapters to use with HCL Link.
  - C API interface methods overview
    The map, card, and adapter object properties define the properties that can be set for each object. Use the C API interface methods to GET or SET the adapter object properties.
  - Object methods
  - Loading, running, and controlling maps
    There are various methods you can use to load, run, and control maps when you use APIs with HCL Link.
  - Custom adapters
    The custom adapters interface makes it possible for users to develop adapters with as much functionality as those provided with the product.
    - Developing custom adapters
      The custom adapters interface makes it possible for users to develop adapters with as much functionality as those provided with the product.
    - Adapter registration and the library virtual table
      The first step required to develop an adapter is to add the adapter to the adapters.xml registration file.
    - Initializing the adapter
      InitializeLibrary provides an entry point by which any global structures, critical sections, or lists that are required by the adapter can be initialized.
    - Point to adapter methods
      After your adapter is loaded, you call the virtual table (vtable) structure to obtain pointers to the methods.
    - Adapter registration file
      The adapters.xml registration file contains a single tag for each adapter, including a number of attributes to provide information about the adapter.
    - Vtable adapter library
    - Methods provided by adapter
    - Additional adapter methods
      There are a number of additional methods that are part of the HIP Programming Interface library that are of particular relevance to adapter developers.
    - Passing data to and from maps
      Data is passed between adapters and the engine through stream objects. From the adapter perspective, there is no need to create these stream objects; they are already created when either the Get or Put method is called.
    - Threads, connections, and transactions overview
      It is important to understand how threads, connections, and transactions interact.
- Python API
  Use the Python API to create, edit, and run maps and schemas from a Python program. For details, see the documentation installed in install_dir/python/api/hip/docs/html/index.html. Examples of the Python API are installed in install_dir/python/api/examples. Documentation for the Python API examples is available in install_dir/python/api/docs/html/examples.html.
- Java API
  The Java API interfaces enable you to create, edit, and run maps and schemas from a Java™ program.
- Java Tools
  The Java™ Tools provide objects and JNI utilities that you can use to get information about your map instances.

Adapter registration file

The adapters.xml registration file contains a single tag for each adapter, including a number of attributes to provide information about the adapter.

<UserAdapter name="File Sample"  alias="SFILE"  id="201"  type="file"  
			library="filesamp"  vendor="abc"/>


Attribute	Description
name	Name of the adapter used in the adapter list in the Map Designer and Information Flow Designer (for example, Database or MQSeries® (server)).
alias	Abbreviated name of the adapter that is used in GET and PUT functions as well as command line overrides (for example, DB for database or MQS for MQSeries®).
id	Identification type of the adapter. For adapters developed by IBM®, these numbers are between 0 and 200. For external, user-developed adapters, the id numbers should be >= 200.
type	Class type of the adapter. For example, database (db) or messaging (msg).
library	Name of the DLL or shared library. The DLL/SO/SL file extension should not be provided. In addition, for UNIX™ adapters, the name should not be prefixed with lib. This will be added when accessing the adapter.
vendor	Name of the adapter manufacturer. The vendor name is displayed along with the adapter name in the Map Designer.

Adapters.xml example

<Adapters>
  <M4Adapters>
    <M4Adapter name="File"          alias="FILE"  id="0"   type="file" 
			library="m4file"/>
    <M4Adapter name="Buffer"        alias="BUF"   id="4"   type="buff" /> 
    <M4Adapter name="Database"      alias="DB"    id="5"   type="db"   
			library="dbutil"/>
    <M4Adapter name="Application"   alias="APP"   id="6"   type="app" />
  </M4Adapters>
  <UserAdapters>
    <UserAdapter name="File Sample" alias="SFILE" id="201" type="file" 
			library="filesamp" vendor="abc"/>
  </UserAdapters>
</Adapters>