The IPipelineComponentDescription interface makes it possible for pipeline components to identify the values that they read from the pipe context, and the name/value pairs that they read or write from or to the OrderForm (for order processing pipeline components) or Dictionary (for Commerce Interchange Pipeline (CIP) components).
Although pipeline components are not required to implement IPipelineComponentDescription, implementing this interface makes it possible for the Commerce Server Pipeline Editor to identify and display the elements that your component reads or writes. This information can aid store builders who are troubleshooting a pipeline configuration.
The IPipelineComponentDescription interface supports the following methods:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| ContextValuesRead | Returns a SAFEARRAY VARIANT that identifies the pipe context values that the component reads. |
| ValuesRead | Returns a SAFEARRAY VARIANT that identifies the values that the component reads. |
| ValuesWritten | Returns a SAFEARRAY VARIANT that identifies the values that the component writes. |
The methods defined in the IPipelineComponentDescription interface all take a single parameter: the address of a VARIANT out-value. The VARIANT that IPipelineComponentDescription method implementations store in this address must contain a safearray of VARIANTs that contain a BSTR. These BSTR variables identify the values read from or written to the pipe context or the OrderForm. Because the VARIANTs in this safearray contain simple BSTR variables, you can conceivably store any kind of string information in these BSTRs. However, for the sake of aiding store developers who are attempting to troubleshoot their pipeline configurations, it is recommended that you initialize these BSTRs to reference elements of only the pipe context, OPP OrderForm, or CIP Dictionary.