Search

Using an Extension to Modify Extracted Values Before Input (Uppercase Scenario)

Overview

This guide explains how to leverage a Functionize Extension as a pre-hook to modify a value extracted from a webpage, specifically to convert it to uppercase, before it is used in a subsequent input step.

  • Goal: Read a value from the local variable fze.local.capturedValue, convert it to uppercase, and overwrite the same variable so the next step uses the modified text.

Scenario & Workflow

  1. Extraction: A value is extracted from the webpage and automatically stored in a local variable, e.g., fze.local.capturedValue.

  2. Pre-hook Trigger: The Extension is attached as a pre-hook to the target Input Step. It executes before the input action runs.

  3. Extension Logic: The Extension performs the following operations:

    • Reads the current value of the local variable.

    • Converts the text to UPPERCASE.

    • Returns the updated (uppercase) value back into the same local variable (fze.local.capturedValue).

  4. Input Execution: The Input Step runs immediately after the pre-hook completes, using the updated, uppercase value from fze.local.capturedValue.

Extension Code (Java)

This Java code snippet is deployed as a Functionize Extension and handles the logic for reading the variable, converting the text, and returning the updated value in the expected JSON format.

Sample example- 

package com.functionize;

import com.google.cloud.functions.HttpFunction;
import com.google.cloud.functions.HttpRequest;
import com.google.cloud.functions.HttpResponse;
import com.google.gson.Gson;
import com.google.gson.JsonObject;
import java.io.BufferedWriter;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;

public class Example implements HttpFunction {
   @Override
   public void service(HttpRequest request, HttpResponse response) throws IOException {

       // 1. Parse incoming JSON request body
       Gson gson = new Gson();
       JsonObject requestBody = gson.fromJson(
           new InputStreamReader(request.getInputStream(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8),
           JsonObject.class
       );

       // 2. Read the local variable that holds the captured text
       String originalValue = requestBody
           .getAsJsonObject("variables")
           .getAsJsonObject("local")
           .get("capturedValue") // IMPORTANT: Variable name must match test case!
           .getAsString();

       System.out.println("Incoming value: " + originalValue);

       // 3. Convert the text to uppercase
       String upperValue = originalValue.toUpperCase();
       System.out.println("Uppercase value: " + upperValue);

       // 4. Build Functionize-compatible response JSON to update the variable
       String jsonResponse = "{"
           + "\"updates\": {"
           + "\"variables\": {"
           + "\"local\": {"
           + "\"capturedValue\": \"" + upperValue + "\""
           + "}"
           + "}"
           + "}"
           + "}";

       // 5. Send the JSON response
       response.setContentType("application/json");
       BufferedWriter writer = response.getWriter();
       writer.write(jsonResponse);
   }
}

 

Implementation Notes

  • Attachment: The Extension must be attached as a pre-hook to the specific input action where the uppercase value is required.

  • Variable Naming: The local variable name used in the Extension code ("capturedValue") and the variable used in the Functionize test step (fze.local.capturedValue) must match exactly.