The Studio Interface

The Studio IDE serves as the all-purpose interface for Mule ESB. Within the Studio environment, you can model, develop, configure, test, debug, and deploy your Mule applications. Studio provides a pair of editing options:

You can write code the traditional way with Studio’s XML editor, which has been enhanced by an nifty, automatic code-completion feature
+
You can let Studio write XML code for you by arranging Mule building blocks on a graphical "canvas," then configuring each building block through convenient text entry boxes or drop down menus. Studio guides you through this process by providing:
- context-sensitive help balloons that pop up whenever you hover over a configuration field
- drop-down menus that list only valid options for the field you are configuring

This page introduces the major elements of the Studio application window. For details on using specific features of the Studio interface, please consult:

About the Studio Interface

The application window displays the Studio application menu, toolbars, and project information displayed in various formats. You can customize this default view to match your preferences.

The screenshot and table that follow introduce the default layout of key interface elements:

Default Interface Elements

	Interface Element	Description
❶	Menu	Provides traditional menu access to Studio features.
❷	Toolbar	Displays icons that launch various actions ranging from printing to searching to debugging.
❸	Package Explorer	Displays project folders and files in a tree format. One section lists graphical-display files (.mflow), while another lists the files (.xml) that record Mule Flow details in code form. The Type Heirarchy tab provides an alternative view of project components.
❹	Canvas	The large area at the center of the Studio application window is known as "the canvas." It can display three different views, depending on which tab you select from the bar immediately below the canvas. The Message Flow tab provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface that facilitates arrangement of Studio components into Mule Flows (See: below, upper left). Double-clicking a building block arranged on the Canvas pops up a Property pane that facilitates entry of component details (See: below, lower left). The Global Elements tab provides an interface for creating or editing resuable templates for the different Mule building blocks. (See: below, upper right). The Configuration XML tab provides a listing of XML statements that correspond to the building blocks arranged on the Message Flow Canvas (See: below, lower right). The XML listing also captures component details entered through the Properties pane.
❺	Palette	Displays icons representing the drag-and-drop building blocks that can be arranged on the Canvas as Mule Flow components. The seven categories of building blocks include: Endpoints Scopes Components Transformers Filters Flow Control Cloud Connectors + See Mule Studio Essentials for details.
❻	Outline	Provides a miniaturized overview of the Canvas along with a box cursor that scrolls the display in the Canvas pane.
❼	Console	This area displays a list of events and problems (if any) that Studio reports as you create or run your Mule application. The JavaDoc and Declarations tabs display additional categories of information related to your code.
❽	Fast View	Holds icons that facilitate popup display of various Studio views, such as the project task list and search results.

Interface Element

Description

❶

Provides traditional menu access to Studio features.

❷

Toolbar

Displays icons that launch various actions ranging from printing to searching to debugging.

❸

Package Explorer

Displays project folders and files in a tree format. One section lists graphical-display files (.mflow), while another lists the files (.xml) that record Mule Flow details in code form. The Type Heirarchy tab provides an alternative view of project components.

❹

Canvas

The large area at the center of the Studio application window is known as "the canvas." It can display three different views, depending on which tab you select from the bar immediately below the canvas.

The Message Flow tab provides a visual, drag-and-drop interface that facilitates arrangement of Studio components into Mule Flows (See: below, upper left). Double-clicking a building block arranged on the Canvas pops up a Property pane that facilitates entry of component details (See: below, lower left).

The Global Elements tab provides an interface for creating or editing resuable templates for the different Mule building blocks. (See: below, upper right).

The Configuration XML tab provides a listing of XML statements that correspond to the building blocks arranged on the Message Flow Canvas (See: below, lower right). The XML listing also captures component details entered through the Properties pane.

❺

Palette

Displays icons representing the drag-and-drop building blocks that can be arranged on the Canvas as Mule Flow components. The seven categories of building blocks include:

Endpoints
Scopes
Components
Transformers
Filters
Flow Control
Cloud Connectors
+ See Mule Studio Essentials for details.

❻

Outline

Provides a miniaturized overview of the Canvas along with a box cursor that scrolls the display in the Canvas pane.

❼

Console

This area displays a list of events and problems (if any) that Studio reports as you create or run your Mule application. The JavaDoc and Declarations tabs display additional categories of information related to your code.

❽

Fast View

Holds icons that facilitate popup display of various Studio views, such as the project task list and search results.

Typical Interface Usage Patterns

You create a Mule application by arranging building blocks to form a flow on the Message Flow canvas. This does not require XML code input.

Next, you configure each building block by opening its Properties pane and entering values through drop down lists or text-entry fields. Once again, no XML coding is necessary. You can pop up on-line help for each field and and also launch a complete, searchable Help system in an auxiliary pane.

Finally, use your mouse to launch your new Mule application from within Studio.

That’s all there is to it! Every step of the development process - from application creation to configuration to packaging to testing, and even debugging - takes place within the Studio environment.

Additional Information

For a discussion of key Mule concepts and terminology, including flow architecture, see: Mule Studio Essentials

For more on the various components of the Studio interface, see:

If you have questions about Mule or Studio, please take a look at our FAQ page.

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