Can I use bpws:getVariableData() within oraext:format-string() ?

Question

I have problem in using the following expression in my "Assign" activity:
oraext:format-string('|{0}|',bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable','payload','/client:process/client:name_param))
I get the following error
<env:Envelope xmlns:env="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"><env:Header/><env:Body><env:Fault><faultcode>env:Server</faultcode><faultstring>XPath expression failed to execute.
An error occurs while processing the XPath expression; the expression is oraext:format-string(‘|{0}|',bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable','payload','/client:process/client: name_param')).
The XPath expression failed to execute; the reason was: internal xpath error.
Check the detailed root cause described in the exception message text and verify that the XPath query is correct.
</faultstring><faultactor/><detail><exception/></detail></env:Fault></env:Body></env:Envelope>
Strangely, I can use the following expressions:
1. concat('|', bpws:getVariableData('inputVariable','payload','/client:process/client:name_param))
2. oraext:format-string('|{0}|', 'A value')
Hence, it seemed to me that oraext:format-string() can't take the return value of bpmw:getVariableData() for some unknown reason.
As I need to use the "format-string" function to create a complicated value based on a number of input values , I need to find a way to work around this.
Otherwise, I am force to use the "concat" function which make it extra ugly to build the value I need.
Please help!

Answer 1

You need to wrap each parameter with striing().
Something like this: oraext:format-string(*string*($inputVariable.payload/client:inputBase), string($inputVariable.payload/client:inputVal0))
This way the oraext:format-string will work fine from bpel assign activity as well.
Racheli.