<METHOD DOES NOT EXIST> Errors For Record Map Objects

The complex record mapper can help you process text file data consisting of various types of records to persistent messages in IRIS. To gain a basic understanding of the complex record mapper and see an example implemented in the production, check out the learning services video below:

https://community.intersystems.com/post/video-using-complex-record-mapper

This article is going to help troubleshoot when you see <Method DOES NOT EXIST> when handling record objects. For example, when purging messages in the production, you might see errors that indicate issues when deleting certain records:
<METHOD DOES NOT EXIST>zDeleteRecords+17^User.Test.Batch.1 *%ParentRemove,User.Test.Record

Alternatively, you might see the below message in the event log when processing files using a complex record map:
<METHOD DOES NOT EXIST>updateArrayReferences+40^EnsLib.RecordMap.ComplexParent.1 *%ParentAdd,User.Test.Record

Checking the class specified in the message, you find that the method indicated after the asterisk is indeed not included in the record class. Why is the class missing these methods?

When you see this error, in the management portal, go to Interoperability>List>Record Maps, and go to the page for the record map in question ("User.Test.Record" in this case). Check the settings to see if "Allow Complex Record Mapping" or "Allow Complex Batching" is checked.

If you use a record type in a complex record map, you need to configure the simple record map to be able to use it in the complex record map. The documentation specifies that "Allow Complex Batching" is a "flag that specifies whether record map can be used in a complex record map." 

When you check the "Allow Complex Batching" setting, the record class extends EnsLib.RecordMap.ComplexChild; when you don't, the class extends only %Persistent. You need to check this option for all the records you use in the complex record map. 

In the example above, you see that the *%ParentRemove method is not defined because the EnsLib.RecordMap.ComplexChild class defines it. If the record class doesn't extend EnsLib.RecordMap.ComplexChild, it doesn't contain the %ParentRemove method. Thus, we got the error when trying to purge it.

To remedy this, check "Allow Complex Record Mapping" for the record and regenerate the class. If you check the regenerated class, you will see that it now extends the EnsLib.RecordMap.ComplexChild class. The purge should now work as expected.