Distributing parameters to remote AEs

[Charles Proefrock <cw...@hotmail.com>]

I would like to be able to pass runtime parameters from my main application to distributed AEs.  Some parameters might be one-time overrides while others may be per-CAS. I'm not sure if using a Feature Structure is the right approach.  
 
For example, the pipeline may have a database connection string parameter, and the user will be asked for the username and password to use along the way.  Passing these parameters as FS with each CAS would guarantee that any distributed AE would see them, but passwords sent this way may be exposed via a CAS/XMI writer.  Other parameters, such as a run mode for the pipeline (debug, logging level, dump intermediate results, etc.) are also candidates for distributing from the main pipeline controller (e.g., SimpleRunCPE) to remote AEs.
 
Besides the FS collection is there another mechanism for distributing parameters?  I've read enough to know that extending the DocumentAnnotation is not recommended for JCas.
 
Thanks!
 
Chuck

Re: Distributing parameters to remote AEs

[Eddie Epstein <ea...@gmail.com>]

The DocumentAnnotation is just another Feature Structure in the CAS,
so it would have the same security issues you describe. Putting
runtime parameters in FS is the only way to do this using UIMA
mechanisms. Perhaps you could encrypt any sensitive strings before
putting them into the CAS?

Eddie

On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 6:07 PM, Charles Proefrock <cw...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I would like to be able to pass runtime parameters from my main application to distributed AEs.  Some parameters might be one-time overrides while others may be per-CAS. I'm not sure if using a Feature Structure is the right approach.
>
>  For example, the pipeline may have a database connection string parameter, and the user will be asked for the username and password to use along the way.  Passing these parameters as FS with each CAS would guarantee that any distributed AE would see them, but passwords sent this way may be exposed via a CAS/XMI writer.  Other parameters, such as a run mode for the pipeline (debug, logging level, dump intermediate results, etc.) are also candidates for distributing from the main pipeline controller (e.g., SimpleRunCPE) to remote AEs.
>
>  Besides the FS collection is there another mechanism for distributing parameters?  I've read enough to know that extending the DocumentAnnotation is not recommended for JCas.
>
>  Thanks!
>
>  Chuck