Reflex definition

This article provides a breakdown of the definition structure for Reflex items.

Overview

A Reflex (Activator) item defines a set of rules on streaming data. It monitors event streams and generates notifications or actions when specific conditions are met. The definition structure describes data sources, object models, attributes, and rules that form a pipeline for processing streaming events.

Supported formats

Reflex items support the json format.

Definition parts

The definition of a Reflex item consists of the following parts:

Reflex Entities structure

The ReflexEntities.json part contains an array of entity objects that define the complete Activator configuration. Each entity represents a component in the streaming data pipeline.

Entity types

Reflex definitions support the following entity types:

Common entity properties

All entities share these common properties:

Container entity (container-v1)

Containers organize related components and provide a hierarchical structure.

Data source entities

Data source entities define the data sources to which the item is connected and from which it receives its data.

Simulator source (simulatorSource-v1)

Generates simulated streaming data for testing purposes.

KQL source (kqlSource-v1)

Connects to a KQL database to query streaming data.

Real-time hub source (realTimeHubSource-v1)

Connects to a Real-time hub data source for monitoring workspace events.

Event stream source (eventstreamSource-v1)

Connects to a Fabric Eventstream data source for streaming events.

Action entities

Fabric item action (fabricItemAction-v1)

Defines a Fabric item that can be invoked as an action by rules.

Time series view entities (timeSeriesView-v1)

Time series views are the core building blocks that define how data flows through the Activator pipeline. They can represent events, objects, attributes, or rules.

Common time series view properties

Event views

Event views filter and transform streaming data to create new event streams.

Common event templates:

• SourceEvent: Selects events from a data source
• SplitEvent: Splits events by object identity for per-object processing

Object views

Object views define the entities being monitored (e.g., packages, sensors, users).

Attribute views

Attribute views extract and compute properties from events, defining what data to monitor.

Common attribute templates:

• IdentityPartAttribute: Defines part of an object's identity
• IdentityTupleAttribute: Combines identity parts into a complete object identifier
• BasicEventAttribute: Extracts simple values from events

Rule views

Rule views define triggers and actions that execute when conditions are met.

Common rule templates:

• EventTrigger: Triggers on specific events
• AttributeTrigger: Triggers based on attribute values or changes

Rule action types

Rules can execute different types of actions when triggered:

• TeamsMessage: Sends notifications via Microsoft Teams
• EmailMessage: Sends email notifications
• FabricItemInvocation: Executes a Fabric item (e.g., Pipeline, Notebook) with optional parameters

Notification actions configuration

Both Teams and Email notification actions share similar configuration parameters:

TeamsMessage configuration:

• messageLocale: Language/locale for the message
• recipients: Array of recipient email addresses or Teams users
• headline: Main message title/subject
• optionalMessage: Additional message content
• additionalInformation: Extra contextual information

EmailMessage configuration:

• messageLocale: Language/locale for the email (e.g., en-us)
• sentTo: Array of primary recipient email addresses
• copyTo: Array of CC recipient email addresses
• bCCTo: Array of BCC recipient email addresses
• subject: Email subject line
• headline: Main message content
• optionalMessage: Additional message body content
• additionalInformation: Extra contextual information

Parent references

Entities reference their parents using these structures:

Template instances

The instance property contains JSON-encoded template configurations. These templates define the specific logic for processing events, extracting attributes, or triggering actions. Common template types include:

• Event templates: SourceEvent, SplitEvent
• Attribute templates: IdentityPartAttribute, IdentityTupleAttribute, BasicEventAttribute
• Rule templates: EventTrigger, AttributeTrigger

Each template has its own specific schema for configuring steps, arguments, and processing logic. Rules can reference fabricItemAction-v1 entities in their FabricItemInvocation actions to execute Fabric items with parameters derived from the triggering events.

Example of ReflexEntities.json content decoded from Base64

This example shows a package delivery monitoring system with various triggers and notifications:

[
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Package delivery sample",
      "type": "samples"
    },
    "type": "container-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "85693be9-e8ed-49b3-b792-9dcb6750a49a",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Package delivery",
      "runSettings": {
        "startTime": "2025-10-21T12:03:31.9271568Z",
        "stopTime": "2025-11-04T15:03:31.03Z"
      },
      "version": "V2_0",
      "type": "PackageShipment",
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      }
    },
    "type": "simulatorSource-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "c4a451a0-6b1e-4cc7-b5b8-93d58816a85b",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Package delivery events",
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      },
      "definition": {
        "type": "Event",
        "instance": "{\"templateId\":\"SourceEvent\",\"templateVersion\":\"1.1\",\"steps\":[{\"name\":\"SourceEventStep\",\"id\":\"c5b4fdfd-559a-4bf7-912f-705617cd1d86\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"SourceSelector\",\"kind\":\"SourceReference\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"entityId\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"85693be9-e8ed-49b3-b792-9dcb6750a49a\"}]}]}]}"
      }
    },
    "type": "timeSeriesView-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "a18d312c-c855-4e76-bb75-ce473ae59e8c",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Package",
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      },
      "definition": {
        "type": "Object"
      }
    },
    "type": "timeSeriesView-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "47f2a2ab-e2e9-4dc1-88f7-953f3b5cfd37",
    "payload": {
      "name": "PackageId",
      "parentObject": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "a18d312c-c855-4e76-bb75-ce473ae59e8c"
      },
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      },
      "definition": {
        "type": "Attribute",
        "instance": "{\"templateId\":\"IdentityPartAttribute\",\"templateVersion\":\"1.1\",\"steps\":[{\"name\":\"IdPartStep\",\"id\":\"ce6358bf-e1e4-4f16-8453-181b58ec0a4d\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"TypeAssertion\",\"kind\":\"TypeAssertion\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"op\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Text\"},{\"name\":\"format\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"\"}]}]}]}"
      }
    },
    "type": "timeSeriesView-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "07564441-30f5-4a67-8df2-4f13ba85a2da",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Temperature (°C)",
      "parentObject": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "a18d312c-c855-4e76-bb75-ce473ae59e8c"
      },
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      },
      "definition": {
        "type": "Attribute",
        "instance": "{\"templateId\":\"BasicEventAttribute\",\"templateVersion\":\"1.1\",\"steps\":[{\"name\":\"EventSelectStep\",\"id\":\"f986dac6-a843-43c4-9335-e5950148d41e\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"EventSelector\",\"kind\":\"Event\",\"arguments\":[{\"kind\":\"EventReference\",\"type\":\"complex\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"entityId\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"f9c9e86e-0389-4128-bcd8-65cbe2352d75\"}],\"name\":\"event\"}]},{\"name\":\"EventFieldSelector\",\"kind\":\"EventField\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"fieldName\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Temperature\"}]}]},{\"name\":\"EventComputeStep\",\"id\":\"10553199-f8bc-4275-80a8-7996a255f6a3\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"TypeAssertion\",\"kind\":\"TypeAssertion\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"op\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Number\"},{\"name\":\"format\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"\"}]}]}]}"
      }
    },
    "type": "timeSeriesView-v1"
  },
  {
    "uniqueIdentifier": "2b587dc3-5dfc-4838-ad4c-35e1586c58d5",
    "payload": {
      "name": "Too hot for medicine",
      "parentObject": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "a18d312c-c855-4e76-bb75-ce473ae59e8c"
      },
      "parentContainer": {
        "targetUniqueIdentifier": "c845c472-8d8e-498d-bdf4-9e12ab456668"
      },
      "definition": {
        "type": "Rule",
        "instance": "{\"templateId\":\"AttributeTrigger\",\"templateVersion\":\"1.1\",\"steps\":[{\"name\":\"ScalarSelectStep\",\"id\":\"a63dcd75-3149-452b-a49c-ab4973c3dd82\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"AttributeSelector\",\"kind\":\"Attribute\",\"arguments\":[{\"kind\":\"AttributeReference\",\"type\":\"complex\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"entityId\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"07564441-30f5-4a67-8df2-4f13ba85a2da\"}],\"name\":\"attribute\"}]},{\"name\":\"NumberSummary\",\"kind\":\"NumberSummary\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"op\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Average\"},{\"kind\":\"TimeDrivenWindowSpec\",\"type\":\"complex\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"width\",\"type\":\"timeSpan\",\"value\":600000.0},{\"name\":\"hop\",\"type\":\"timeSpan\",\"value\":600000.0}],\"name\":\"window\"}]}]},{\"name\":\"ScalarDetectStep\",\"id\":\"a1bc1c0c-6651-46ac-976f-9a1fcb42a269\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"NumberBecomes\",\"kind\":\"NumberBecomes\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"op\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"BecomesGreaterThan\"},{\"name\":\"value\",\"type\":\"number\",\"value\":20.0}]},{\"name\":\"OccurrenceOption\",\"kind\":\"EachTime\",\"arguments\":[]}]},{\"name\":\"DimensionalFilterStep\",\"id\":\"9445c334-ebd3-47b7-b958-198f7e53f53e\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"AttributeSelector\",\"kind\":\"Attribute\",\"arguments\":[{\"kind\":\"AttributeReference\",\"type\":\"complex\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"entityId\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"25079a06-01f7-4dd9-a72c-761684ce0d37\"}],\"name\":\"attribute\"}]},{\"name\":\"TextValueCondition\",\"kind\":\"TextValueCondition\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"op\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"IsEqualTo\"},{\"name\":\"value\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Medicine\"}]}]},{\"name\":\"ActStep\",\"id\":\"3dec7f63-ab86-411d-b35c-cce1db9f124e\",\"rows\":[{\"name\":\"TeamsBinding\",\"kind\":\"TeamsMessage\",\"arguments\":[{\"name\":\"messageLocale\",\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"\"},{\"name\":\"recipients\",\"type\":\"array\",\"values\":[{\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"user@example.com\"}]},{\"name\":\"headline\",\"type\":\"array\",\"values\":[{\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"Package too hot for medicine\"}]},{\"name\":\"optionalMessage\",\"type\":\"array\",\"values\":[{\"type\":\"string\",\"value\":\"This temperature-sensitive package containing medicine has exceeded the allowed threshold.\"}]},{\"name\":\"additionalInformation\",\"type\":\"array\",\"values\":[]}]}]}]}",
        "settings": {
          "shouldRun": false,
          "shouldApplyRuleOnUpdate": false
        }
      }
    },
    "type": "timeSeriesView-v1"
  }
]

Definition example

{
    "format": "json",
    "parts": [
        {
            "path": "ReflexEntities.json",
            "payload": "W3sKICAidW5pcXVlSWRlbnRpZmllciI6ICJjODQ1YzQ3Mi04ZDhlLTQ5OGQtYmRmNC05ZTEyYWI0NTY2NjgiLAogICJwYXlsb2FkIjogewogICAgIm5hbWUiOiAiUGFja2FnZSBkZWxpdmVyeSBzYW1wbGUiLAogICAgInR5cGUiOiAic2FtcGxlcyIKICB9LAogICJ0eXBlIjogImNvbnRhaW5lci12MSIKfV0=",
            "payloadType": "InlineBase64"
        },
        {
            "path": ".platform",
            "payload": "ZG90UGxhdGZvcm1CYXNlNjRTdHJpbmc=",
            "payloadType": "InlineBase64"
        }
    ]
}