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Application Definition File Reference

An application definition file (ADF) is used to build notification applications on the Notification Services platform. The ADF contains metadata that defines the application. This includes the structure of the events and subscriptions that the application accepts as input, and the structure of the notifications it produces.

Your ADF must be an XML file that conforms to the schema described in ApplicationDefinitionFileSchema.xsd, which is in the Microsoft SQL Server\90\NotificationServices\9.0.242\XMLSchemas folder. This schema describes all of the elements used when defining an application.

An ADF contains a hierarchy of XML elements, each containing text or other elements that specify the application settings and structure. The ADF must conform to the standards for well-formed XML, so all element names are case sensitive. Elements are specified using Pascal case, which means that the first character is uppercase and the first letter of any subsequent concatenated word is uppercase.

All element values must conform to XML naming conventions. For more information about these conventions, see XML Textual Content in the MSDN Library.

The following sections list the ADF XML element in the order they appear in an ADF. Not all elements can be used in one ADF. For sample ADF files, see Application Definition File Templates.

In This Section

Element Description

Application Definition File Templates

Provides several samples ADFs for common application designs.

Action Element for ChronicleRule (ADF)

Provides a Transact-SQL statement that specifies the action to be taken in an event chronicle rule.

Action Element for EventRule (ADF)

Provides a Transact-SQL statement that specifies the action to be taken in a subscription event rule.

Action Element for ScheduledRule (ADF)

Provides a Transact-SQL statement that specifies the action to be taken in a scheduled subscription rule.

ActionTimeout Element for ChronicleRule (ADF)

Specifies an interval during which the Transact-SQL statements specified in the event chronicle Action element must complete.

ActionTimeout Element for EventRule (ADF)

Specifies an interval during which the Transact-SQL statements specified in the subscription event Action element must complete successfully.

ActionTimeout Element for ScheduledRule (ADF)

Specifies an interval during which the Transact-SQL statements specified in the event scheduled Action element must complete successfully.

Application Element (ADF)

Is the root element of an ADF. Contains all elements that describe a single Notification Services application.

ApplicationExecutionSettings Element (ADF)

Contains elements that specify execution settings for the application.

Argument Element for ContentFormatter/Arguments (ADF)

Provides a location to define a single initialization argument for a content formatter.

Argument Element for HostedProvider/Arguments (ADF)

Provides a location to define a single initialization argument for a hosted event provider.

Arguments Element for ContentFormatter (ADF)

Provides a location for specifying the initialization arguments for a content formatter.

Arguments Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Provides a location for specifying initialization values for a hosted event provider.

AssemblyName Element for ContentFormatter (ADF)

Specifies the assembly that contains the custom content formatter class.

AssemblyName Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Specifies the assembly that contains the class that implements the hosted event provider functionality.

Build Element (ADF)

Specifies the build number of the application version number.

Chronicle Element for EventClass/Chronicles (ADF)

Provides a location for specifying information about one event chronicle table.

Chronicle Element for SubscriptionClass/Chronicles (ADF)

Provides a location for specifying information about one subscription chronicle table.

ChronicleName Element for EventClass/Chronicles/Chronicle (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the event chronicle table.

ChronicleName Element for SubscriptionClass/Chronicles/Chronicle (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the subscription chronicle table.

ChronicleQuantumLimit Element (ADF)

Specifies how far the logical (quantum) clock can fall behind the real-time clock before skipping event chronicle rule firings.

ChronicleRule Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one or more Transact-SQL statements that maintain data in event chronicle tables.

Chronicles Element for EventClass (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one or more Transact-SQL statements that determine the table structure for the chronicle tables used by the event class.

Chronicles Element for SubscriptionClass (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one or more Transact-SQL statements that determine the table structure for the chronicle tables used by the subscription class.

ClassName Element for ContentFormatter (ADF)

Specifies the class name of the class that provides the content formatter functionality.

ClassName Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Specifies the class name of the class that provides the hosted event provider functionality.

CollationName Element (ADF)

Specifies the collation of the database, which determines the languages it supports and the sort order in which query results are returned.

ComputedField Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining a computed notification class field.

ComputedFields Element (ADF)

Provides a location for all of the computed notification field definitions for one notification class.

ConditionAction Element (ADF)

Contains elements that describe a condition action for a subscription class event rule or scheduled rule.

ContentFormatter Element (ADF)

Specifies the content formatter used by the associated notification class.

CreationDate Element (ADF)

Specifies the date the ADF was created.

CreationTime Element (ADF)

Specifies the time at which the ADF was created.

Database Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define the application database.

DatabaseName Element (ADF)

Specifies the name of the application database.

DefaultFileGroup Element (ADF)

Specifies one of the NamedFileGroup entries to be used as the default filegroup when creating SQL Server objects for this application.

DigestDelivery Element (ADF)

Indicates whether the associated notification class uses digest delivery.

DigestGrouping Element for ComputedField (ADF)

Indicates whether the value of the computed notification field is considered when grouping notifications for digest delivery.

DigestGrouping Element for Field (ADF)

Indicates whether the value of the notification field is considered when grouping notifications for digest delivery.

Distributor Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining information about one of the distributors used by this application.

DistributorLogging Element (ADF)

Provides a location for specifying distributor logging settings for the application. These settings determine what types of notification delivery information gets logged.

Distributors Element (ADF)

Provides a parent location for defining information about the distributors used by this application.

Duration Element (ADF)

Specifies how long the data removal process will continue to run after it has been started.

EventClass Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define a single event class.

EventClasses Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define one or more event classes used by this application.

EventClassName Element for EventClass (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the event class.

EventClassName Element for EventRule (ADF)

Specifies the event class with which the associated rule interacts.

EventRule Element (ADF)

Provides the definition of a single subscription event rule.

EventRules Element (ADF)

Provides a location for all of the subscription event rule definitions for one subscription class.

EventThrottle Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of events that can be processed from a single event class during a single generator quantum.

ExpirationAge Element (ADF)

Specifies the amount of time to elapse before unsent messages of the associated notification class are considered to have expired.

FailureEventLogInterval Element (ADF)

Specifies the minimum amount of time that must pass between writes to the event log, regardless of how many failures occur.

FailuresBeforeAbort Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of consecutive notification delivery failures that can occur when attempting to deliver a distributor work item before the attempt is aborted and an error is reported to the event log.

FailuresBeforeLoggingEvent Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of consecutive work item delivery failures that can occur before reporting an error to the event log.

Field Element for EventClass/Schema (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one event class field.

Field Element for Protocol/Fields (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one protocol header field.

Field Element for Schema/Fields (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one notification class field.

Field Element for SubscriptionClass/Schema (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one subscription class field.

FieldName Element for EventClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of an event field.

FieldName Element for NotificationClass/Schema/ComputedFields/ComputedField (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the computed notification field.

FieldName Element for NotificationClass/Schema/Fields/Field (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the notification field.

FieldName Element for Protocol/Fields/Field (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of a protocol field.

FieldName Element for SubscriptionClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the subscription field.

FieldReference Element (ADF)

Provides a reference to a notification field for use in the protocol header.

Fields Element for Protocol (ADF)

Provides a location for the protocol header field definitions needed for one of the protocols used by the associated notification class.

Fields Element for Schema (ADF)

Provides a location for all of the non-computed notification field definitions for one notification class.

FieldType Element for EventClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server data type of the event field.

FieldType Element for NotificationClass/Schema/Fields/Field (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server data type for a notification field.

FieldType Element for SubscriptionClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server data type for a subscription field.

FieldTypeMods Element for EventClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies optional SQL Server field attributes for an event field, such as null and default values.

FieldTypeMods Element for SubscriptionClass/Schema/Field (ADF)

Specifies optional SQL Server field attributes for a subscription field, such as null and default values.

FileGroup Element for EventClass (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server filegroup on which the event table will be created.

FileGroup Element for NotificationClass (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server filegroup on which the notification table will be created.

FileGroup Element for SubscriptionClass (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server filegroup on which the subscription class tables will be created.

FileGroupName Element (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the filegroup.

FileName Element for FileSpec (ADF)

Specifies the file name and path of a physical data file used by the application database.

FileName Element for LogFile (ADF)

Specifies the file name and path of a log file used by the application database.

FileSpec Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define the application database's data files.

Generator Element (ADF)

Contains elements that configure the generator for this application.

GrowthIncrement Element for FileSpec (ADF)

Specifies the increments by which the data file size will increase when additional space is needed.

GrowthIncrement Element for LogFile (ADF)

Specifies the increments by which the log file size will increase when additional space is needed.

History Element (ADF)

Contains elements that document the history of the ADF.

HostedProvider Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define one hosted event provider.

IndexSqlSchema Element for EventClass (ADF)

Contains Transact-SQL statements for creating one or more indexes on an event table.

IndexSqlSchema Element for SubscriptionClass (ADF)

Contains Transact-SQL statements for creating one or more indexes on a subscription table.

InputName Element (ADF)

Specifies the view or table that contains input data for the condition action.

InputSchema Element (ADF)

Specifies the database schema name for the condition action's input.

Interval Element (ADF)

Specifies how frequently, after the initial start time, the event provider runs.

LastModifiedDate Element (ADF)

Specifies the date the ADF was last changed.

LastModifiedTime Element (ADF)

Specifies the time the ADF was last changed.

LogBeforeDeliveryAttempts Element (ADF)

Specifies whether the distributor makes an entry in the distribution log before delivering a notification.

LogFile Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define the application database's log files.

LogicalName Element for FileSpec (ADF)

Specifies the logical name of an application database data file.

LogicalName Element for LogFile (ADF)

Specifies the logical name of an application database log file.

LogNotificationText Element (ADF)

Configures the distributor to log all notification text from the delivery protocol for all notifications or just failed notifications.

LogStatusInfo Element (ADF)

Specifies whether the distributor logs status information for all or just failed notifications.

Major Element (ADF)

Specifies the major component of the application version number.

MaxSize Element for FileSpec (ADF)

Specifies the maximum size to which the data file can grow.

MaxSize Element for LogFile (ADF)

Specifies the maximum size to which the SQL Server physical log file can grow.

Minor Element (ADF)

Specifies the minor component of the application version number.

MulticastDelivery Element (ADF)

Indicates whether the associated notification class uses multicast delivery.

MulticastRecipientLimit Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of recipients that can receive a single multicast notification message.

Name Element for ContentFormatter/Arguments/Argument (ADF)

Specifies the name of an initialization argument for a content formatter.

Name Element for HostedProvider/Arguments/Argument (ADF)

Specifies the name of an initialization argument for a hosted event provider.

Name Element for Parameter (ADF)

Specifies the name of an application parameter.

NamedFileGroup Element (ADF)

Contains elements that describe a named filegroup and its database files.

NonHostedProvider Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining a non-hosted (independent) event provider that submits events to the application.

NotificationBatchSize Element (ADF)

For notifications not sent using digest delivery, NotificationBatchSize specifies the maximum number of notifications per batch for the notification class. For digest notifications, NotificationBatchSize specifies the number of notification batches that will be created.

NotificationClass Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining one notification class.

NotificationClasses Element (ADF)

Contains the definitions of all notification classes for the application.

NotificationClassName Element (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the notification class.

NotificationThrottle Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of notifications that can be produced per notification class from a single rule firing.

Parameter Element (ADF)

Contains the definition of a single application parameter.

ParameterDefaults Element (ADF)

Contains the definition of one or more parameters for the ADF.

PerformanceQueryInterval Element (ADF)

Specifies how frequently the application updates its performance counters.

ProcessEventsInOrder Element (ADF)

Specifies whether Notification Services uses quantum sequencing or subquantum sequencing to process event and subscription rules.

Protocol Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define a delivery protocol used by the notification class to deliver notifications.

ProtocolExecutionSettings Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define execution settings for one delivery protocol.

ProtocolName Element (ADF)

Specifies the name of the delivery protocol.

Protocols Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define one or more delivery protocols used by the notification class to deliver notifications.

ProviderName Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the hosted event provider.

ProviderName Element for NonHostedProvider (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the non-hosted event provider.

ProviderTimeout Element (ADF)

Specifies the database connection timeout for the hosted event provider.

Providers Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define the event providers used by the application.

QuantumDuration Element for ApplicationExecutionSettings (ADF)

Defines the length of time for a generator quantum, which determines how frequently the generator attempts to process work.

QuantumDuration Element for Distributor (ADF)

Defines the length of time for a distributor quantum, which determines how frequently Notification Services invokes the distributor.

RetentionAge Element (ADF)

Specifies the minimum age at which event and notification data is considered to be obsolete and available for removal.

RetryDelay Element (ADF)

Specifies an interval for the distributor to wait before attempting to deliver failed notifications.

RetrySchedule Element (ADF)

Provides a location for defining the intervals at which to attempt to resend notifications if delivery attempts fail.

Revision Element (ADF)

Specifies the revision component of the application version number.

RuleName Element for ChronicleRule (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the event chronicle rule.

RuleName Element for EventRule (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the subscription event rule.

RuleName Element for ScheduledRule (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the subscription scheduled rule.

Schedule Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Contains elements that define the schedule for a hosted event provider.

Schedule Element for VacuumSchedule (ADF)

Specifies the schedule for the data removal process function.

ScheduledRule Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define a single subscription scheduled rule.

ScheduledRules Element (ADF)

Provides a location for all subscription scheduled rule definitions for one subscription class.

Schema Element for EventClass (ADF)

Contains elements that define event class fields.

Schema Element for NotificationClass (ADF)

Contains elements that define notification class fields.

Schema Element for SubscriptionClass (ADF)

Contains elements that define subscription class fields.

SchemaName Element (ADF)

Specifies the database schema for all application database objects.

Size Element for FileSpec (ADF)

Specifies the initial size of the application database.

Size Element for LogFile (ADF)

Specifies the initial size of the application log file.

SqlExpression Element for ComputedField (ADF)

Specifies a valid Transact-SQL expression that provides the computed field value.

SqlExpression Element for ConditionAction (ADF)

Specifies the Transact-SQL query used to generate notifications from the input and subscription data.

SqlExpression Element for Protocol/Fields/Field (ADF)

Specifies a valid Transact-SQL expression that provides the protocol field value.

SqlLogin Element (ADF)

Specifies the SQL Server login account associated with the database user that runs condition actions.

SqlSchema Element for EventClass/Chronicles/Chronicle (ADF)

Contains the Transact-SQL statements that define an event chronicle table.

SqlSchema Element for SubscriptionClass/Chronicles/Chronicle (ADF)

Contains the Transact-SQL statements that define a subscription chronicle table.

SqlStatement Element for EventClass/IndexSqlSchema (ADF)

Contains a Transact-SQL statement for an event chronicle table.

SqlStatement Element for EventClass/IndexSqlSchema (ADF)

Contains a Transact-SQL statement that creates a SQL Server index for the event table.

SqlStatement Element for SubscriptionClass/Chronicles/Chronicle/SqlSchema (ADF)

Contains a Transact-SQL statement that defines a subscription chronicle table.

SqlStatement Element for SubscriptionClass/IndexSqlSchema (ADF)

Contains a Transact-SQL statement that creates a SQL Server index for the subscription table.

SqlUser Element (ADF)

Specifies the name of the database user used to run the condition action.

StartTime Element for HostedProvider/Schedule (ADF)

Specifies a time of day (24 hour period) in Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) which is used as a starting point to calculate each of the invocation times for the event provider.

StartTime Element for VacuumSchedule/Schedule (ADF)

Specifies the daily time, in UTC, for the data removal process to start.

SubscriptionClass Element (ADF)

Contains the definition of one subscription class.

SubscriptionClasses Element (ADF)

Contains the definition of one or more subscription classes.

SubscriptionClassName Element (ADF)

Specifies the user-defined name of the subscription class.

SubscriptionQuantumLimit Element (ADF)

Specifies how far the logical (quantum) clock can fall behind the real-time clock before skipping subscription rule firings.

SubscriptionThrottle Element (ADF)

Specifies the number of scheduled subscriptions that can be processed during a single generator quantum.

SystemName Element for Distributor (ADF)

Specifies the name of the server on which the distributor runs.

SystemName Element for Generator (ADF)

Specifies the name of the server on which the generator runs.

SystemName Element for HostedProvider (ADF)

Specifies the name of the server on which the hosted event provider runs.

ThreadPoolSize Element for Distributor (ADF)

Specifies the maximum number of threads that the distributor can use to process work items.

ThreadPoolSize Element for Generator (ADF)

Specifies the number of threads that the generator can use to concurrently process rules.

Vacuum Element (ADF)

Contains settings used by the data removal process, which removes obsolete event and notification data from the application database.

VacuumSchedule Element (ADF)

Contains elements that define the vacuuming (data removal) schedule.

Value Element for ContentFormatter/Arguments/Argument (ADF)

Specifies the value of an initialization argument for a content formatter.

Value Element for HostedProvider/Arguments/Argument (ADF)

Specifies the value of an initialization argument for a hosted event provider.

Value Element for Parameter (ADF)

Specifies the value of an application parameter.

Version Element (ADF)

Contains elements that specify the current application version number.

WorkItemTimeout Element (ADF)

Specifies the amount of time a distributor thread can take to complete a work item assigned to it before the job is canceled and the work item is returned to the available work item pool.

See Also

Reference

XML Declarations
XML Reserved Characters

Concepts

Instance Configuration File Reference

Other Resources

Defining Notification Services Applications

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance