com.smartgwt.client.util.workflow

Class Process

java.lang.Object

com.smartgwt.client.core.BaseClass

com.smartgwt.client.util.workflow.Process

All Implemented Interfaces:

com.google.gwt.event.shared.HasHandlers, HasFinishedHandlers, HasTraceElementHandlers

Direct Known Subclasses:

Tour

public class Process
extends BaseClass
implements HasFinishedHandlers, HasTraceElementHandlers

A instance of Process represents a stateful process executing a series of Tasks, which may be:

• user interactions
• calls to DataSources (hence: any database or web service)
• arbitrary code
• other Processes

A Process is stateful in the sense that it maintains state across the different tasks that are executed. This allows you to maintain context as you walk a user through a multi-step business process in your application, which may involve multiple operations on multiple entities. Each Task that executes can use the Process state as inputs, and can output a result which is stored in the Process state - see TaskIO.

A Process can have multiple branches, choosing the next Task to execute based on Criteria - see DecisionTask and MultiDecisionTask.

Because a Process may return to a previous Task in various situations, the data model of a Process is strictly speaking a graph (a set of nodes connected by arbitary interlinks). However, most processes have sequences of several tasks in a row, and the definition format allows these to be represented as simple Arrays called "sequences", specified via sequences. This reduces the need to manually specify IDs and interlinks for Tasks that simply proceed to the next task in a sequence.

Processes follow all the standard rules for encoding as ComponentXML, however, note that the <Process> tag allows any kind of ProcessElement (tasks, decisions and sequences) to appear as a direct subelement of the <Process> tag without the need for an intervening <elements> or <sequences> tag. The example below demonstrates this shorthand format.

  <Process ID="processId">
      <ServiceTask ID="serviceTaskId" nextElement="sequenceId" ..>
          <inputFieldList>
              <value>order.countryName</value>
          </inputFieldList>
          <outputFieldList>
              <value>order.countryName</value>
              <value>order.continent</value>
          <outputFieldList>
      </ServiceTask>
      <sequence ID="sequenceId" >
          <StateTask ../>
          <StateTask ../>
          <StateTask ../>
          <StateTask nextElement="userTaskId" ../>
      </sequence>
      <UserTask ID="userTaskId" ../>
      ...
  </Process>
  

NOTE: you must load the standard DataBinding module before you can use Process.

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class com.smartgwt.client.core.BaseClass

config, configOnly, factoryCreated, factoryProperties, id, scClassName

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
Process()
Process(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
com.google.gwt.event.shared.HandlerRegistration	addFinishedHandler(FinishedHandler handler) Add a finished handler.
com.google.gwt.event.shared.HandlerRegistration	addTraceElementHandler(TraceElementHandler handler) Add a traceElement handler.
com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject	create()
java.lang.String	getContainerId() Identifier of canvas where UI elements created by using inline view property should be added using addMember.
ProcessElement	getElement(java.lang.String ID) Retrieve a ProcessElement by it's ID
ProcessElement[]	getElements() Elements involved in this Process.
com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject	getJsObj()
java.lang.Object	getLastTaskOutput() Returns the task output of the last task executed.
java.lang.Object	getLastTaskOutput(java.lang.String taskType) Returns the task output of the last task executed.
java.lang.Boolean	getMockMode() Enable mock mode on the workflow? By default, this setting does nothing but is available for individual tasks to trigger special action.
com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject	getOrCreateJsObj()
static Process	getOrCreateRef(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)
static Process	getProcess(java.lang.String processId) Get a Process instance by it's ID.
ProcessElement[]	getProcessElements(java.lang.String attribute)
java.lang.String	getRuleScope() Canvas.ID of the component that manages "rule context" for which this process participates.
ProcessSequence[]	getSequences() Sequences of ProcessElements.
java.lang.String	getStartElement() The ID of either a sequence or an element which should be the starting point of the process.
Record	getState() Current state of a process.
java.lang.Object	getStateVariable(java.lang.String stateVariablePath) Returns a variable value from the process state.
java.util.Map	getTraceContext() Context object to be passed to Process.traceElement() during process execution.
java.lang.Boolean	getWizard() If wizard is set then current workflow will be handled as wizard.
boolean	isCreated()
static void	loadProcess(java.lang.String processId, ProcessCallback callback)
protected void	onInit()
void	passThruTaskOutput(ProcessElement task) Takes the last task output and sets it as the task output for the task.
void	reset() Reset process to it's initial state, so process can be started again.
void	reset(Record state) Reset process to it's initial state, so process can be started again.
Process	setAttribute(java.lang.String attribute, ProcessElement[] value, boolean allowPostCreate)
void	setConfig(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)
Process	setContainerId(java.lang.String containerId) Identifier of canvas where UI elements created by using inline view property should be added using addMember.
Process	setElements(ProcessElement... elements) Elements involved in this Process.
void	setJavaScriptObject(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)
Process	setMockMode(java.lang.Boolean mockMode) Enable mock mode on the workflow? By default, this setting does nothing but is available for individual tasks to trigger special action.
void	setNextElement() Sets the task ID of the next task to execute after the current task finishes.
void	setNextElement(java.lang.String nextElement) Sets the task ID of the next task to execute after the current task finishes.
Process	setRuleScope(java.lang.String ruleScope) Canvas.ID of the component that manages "rule context" for which this process participates.
Process	setSequences(ProcessSequence... sequences) Sequences of ProcessElements.
void	setStartElement(ProcessElement startElement)
Process	setStartElement(java.lang.String startElement) The ID of either a sequence or an element which should be the starting point of the process.
Process	setState(Record state) Current state of a process.
void	setStateVariable(java.lang.String stateVariablePath, java.lang.Object value) Sets a process state variable for later reference with getStateVariable() or more commonly with a TaskInputExpression property.
void	setTaskOutput(ProcessElement task, java.lang.Object value) Sets the task output of task in the process state so it can be used by later tasks with getLastTaskOutput() or more commonly with a TaskInputExpression property.
Process	setTraceContext(java.util.Map traceContext) Context object to be passed to Process.traceElement() during process execution.
Process	setWizard(java.lang.Boolean wizard) If wizard is set then current workflow will be handled as wizard.
void	start() Starts this task by executing the startElement.

Methods inherited from class com.smartgwt.client.core.BaseClass

addDynamicProperty, addDynamicProperty, addDynamicProperty, addDynamicProperty, applyFactoryProperties, asSGWTComponent, clearDynamicProperty, createJsObj, destroy, doAddHandler, doInit, error, error, errorIfNotCreated, fireEvent, getAttribute, getAttributeAsBoolean, getAttributeAsDate, getAttributeAsDouble, getAttributeAsElement, getAttributeAsFloat, getAttributeAsInt, getAttributeAsJavaScriptObject, getAttributeAsMap, getAttributeAsString, getAttributeAsStringArray, getClassName, getConfig, getHandlerCount, getID, getRef, getScClassName, getTestInstance, hasAutoAssignedID, hasDynamicProperty, internalSetID, internalSetID, isConfigOnly, isFactoryCreated, onBind, registerID, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute, setConfigOnly, setFactoryCreated, setID, setProperty, setProperty, setProperty, setProperty, setScClassName

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Methods inherited from interface com.google.gwt.event.shared.HasHandlers

fireEvent

Constructor Detail

Process

public Process()

Process

public Process(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)

Method Detail

getOrCreateRef

public static Process getOrCreateRef(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)

setJavaScriptObject

public void setJavaScriptObject(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)

Overrides:

setJavaScriptObject in class BaseClass

create

public com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject create()

Specified by:

create in class BaseClass

isCreated

public boolean isCreated()

Overrides:

isCreated in class BaseClass

getJsObj

public com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject getJsObj()

Overrides:

getJsObj in class BaseClass

getOrCreateJsObj

public com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject getOrCreateJsObj()

Overrides:

getOrCreateJsObj in class BaseClass

setContainerId

public Process setContainerId(java.lang.String containerId)

Identifier of canvas where UI elements created by using inline view property should be added using addMember.

Parameters:

containerId - New containerId value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

See Also:

GlobalId

getContainerId

public java.lang.String getContainerId()

Identifier of canvas where UI elements created by using inline view property should be added using addMember.

Returns:

Current containerId value. Default value is null

See Also:

GlobalId

setElements

public Process setElements(ProcessElement... elements)
                    throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

Elements involved in this Process. You can also group elements into sequences to reduce the need to explicitly define IDs for elements and interlink them.

Parameters:

elements - New elements value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - this property cannot be changed after the underlying component has been created

setMockMode

public Process setMockMode(java.lang.Boolean mockMode)

Enable mock mode on the workflow? By default, this setting does nothing but is available for individual tasks to trigger special action. For example, a task that would normally fail outside of its target environment can take an alternative action during testing.

mockMode can also be enabled or disabled for an individual task with ProcessElement.mockMode.

Parameters:

mockMode - New mockMode value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

getMockMode

public java.lang.Boolean getMockMode()

Enable mock mode on the workflow? By default, this setting does nothing but is available for individual tasks to trigger special action. For example, a task that would normally fail outside of its target environment can take an alternative action during testing.

mockMode can also be enabled or disabled for an individual task with ProcessElement.mockMode.

Returns:

Current mockMode value. Default value is null

setRuleScope

public Process setRuleScope(java.lang.String ruleScope)
                     throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

Canvas.ID of the component that manages "rule context" for which this process participates. The rule context can be used in taskInputExpression.

Overrides:

setRuleScope in class BaseClass

Parameters:

ruleScope - New ruleScope value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - this property cannot be changed after the underlying component has been created

See Also:

Canvas.setRuleScope(java.lang.String)

getRuleScope

public java.lang.String getRuleScope()

Canvas.ID of the component that manages "rule context" for which this process participates. The rule context can be used in taskInputExpression.

Overrides:

getRuleScope in class BaseClass

Returns:

Current ruleScope value. Default value is null

See Also:

Canvas.getRuleScope()

setSequences

public Process setSequences(ProcessSequence... sequences)
                     throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

Sequences of ProcessElements. By defining a sequences of elements you can make the ProcessElement.nextElement implicit.

Example of using sequences:

  Process process = new Process();
  process.setStartElement("firstSequence");
  ProcessSequence innerSequence = new ProcessSequence(incTask, add2Task, incTask);
  process.setSequences(
      new ProcessSequence("firstSequence", serviceTask, multiDecisionTask),
      new ProcessSequence("errorFlow", failureTask, userNotifyTask)
  );
  // standalone process elements not part of sequences
  process.setElements(new ServiceTask(){...});
  Record state = new Record();
  state.setAttribute("someField", "someValue");
  process.setState(state);
  process.start();
  

Parameters:

sequences - New sequences value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - this property cannot be changed after the underlying component has been created

getSequences

public ProcessSequence[] getSequences()

Sequences of ProcessElements. By defining a sequences of elements you can make the ProcessElement.nextElement implicit.

Example of using sequences:

  Process process = new Process();
  process.setStartElement("firstSequence");
  ProcessSequence innerSequence = new ProcessSequence(incTask, add2Task, incTask);
  process.setSequences(
      new ProcessSequence("firstSequence", serviceTask, multiDecisionTask),
      new ProcessSequence("errorFlow", failureTask, userNotifyTask)
  );
  // standalone process elements not part of sequences
  process.setElements(new ServiceTask(){...});
  Record state = new Record();
  state.setAttribute("someField", "someValue");
  process.setState(state);
  process.start();
  

Returns:

Current sequences value. Default value is null

setStartElement

public Process setStartElement(java.lang.String startElement)
                        throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

The ID of either a sequence or an element which should be the starting point of the process. If not specified, the first sequence is chosen, or if there are no sequences, the first element. - log a warning and do nothing if there are neither sequences or elements

Parameters:

startElement - New startElement value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - this property cannot be changed after the underlying component has been created

getStartElement

public java.lang.String getStartElement()

The ID of either a sequence or an element which should be the starting point of the process. If not specified, the first sequence is chosen, or if there are no sequences, the first element. - log a warning and do nothing if there are neither sequences or elements

Returns:

Current startElement value. Default value is null

setState

public Process setState(Record state)

Current state of a process. As with Records in general, any field of a Record may contain a nested Record or Array of Records, so the process state is essentially a hierarchical data structure.

Transient state

In addition to the explicit process state there is a "transient state." The transient state represents the complete output of each of the last tasks of each type within the current process execution. This allows easy reference to the previous task output with taskInputExpressions.

If this method is called after the component has been drawn/initialized: Set process state for current process

Parameters:

state - the new process state. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

getState

public Record getState()

Current state of a process. As with Records in general, any field of a Record may contain a nested Record or Array of Records, so the process state is essentially a hierarchical data structure.

Transient state

In addition to the explicit process state there is a "transient state." The transient state represents the complete output of each of the last tasks of each type within the current process execution. This allows easy reference to the previous task output with taskInputExpressions.

Returns:

Current state value. Default value is null

setTraceContext

public Process setTraceContext(java.util.Map traceContext)

Context object to be passed to Process.traceElement() during process execution.

Note : This is an advanced setting

Parameters:

traceContext - New traceContext value. Default value is null

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

getTraceContext

public java.util.Map getTraceContext()

Context object to be passed to Process.traceElement() during process execution.

Returns:

Current traceContext value. Default value is null

setWizard

public Process setWizard(java.lang.Boolean wizard)
                  throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

If wizard is set then current workflow will be handled as wizard. Every userTask will hide associated form after user finished step.

Parameters:

wizard - New wizard value. Default value is false

Returns:

Process instance, for chaining setter calls

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException - this property cannot be changed after the underlying component has been created

getWizard

public java.lang.Boolean getWizard()

If wizard is set then current workflow will be handled as wizard. Every userTask will hide associated form after user finished step.

Returns:

Current wizard value. Default value is false

addFinishedHandler

public com.google.gwt.event.shared.HandlerRegistration addFinishedHandler(FinishedHandler handler)

Add a finished handler.

StringMethod called when a process completes, meaning the process executes a ProcessElement with no next element.

Specified by:

addFinishedHandler in interface HasFinishedHandlers

Parameters:

handler - the finished handler

Returns:

HandlerRegistration used to remove this handler

getElement

public ProcessElement getElement(java.lang.String ID)

Retrieve a ProcessElement by it's ID

Parameters:

ID - id of the process element

Returns:

the indicated process element, or null if no such element exists

getLastTaskOutput

public java.lang.Object getLastTaskOutput()

Returns the task output of the last task executed. More commonly a TaskInputExpression property is used (see ProcessElement.getDynamicValue()).

Returns:

the last task output or null if none is found

getLastTaskOutput

public java.lang.Object getLastTaskOutput(java.lang.String taskType)

Returns the task output of the last task executed. More commonly a TaskInputExpression property is used (see ProcessElement.getDynamicValue()).

Parameters:

taskType - the optional task type to lookup in last task output

Returns:

the last task output or null if none is found

getStateVariable

public java.lang.Object getStateVariable(java.lang.String stateVariablePath)

Returns a variable value from the process state. Values can be written into process state by setStateVariable(), setting ProcessElement.bindOutput, or various task output settings (See TaskIO.)

Parameters:

stateVariablePath - path to variable in process state to set. segments are separated by a decimal point (.)

Returns:

the value found at the path

passThruTaskOutput

public void passThruTaskOutput(ProcessElement task)

Takes the last task output and sets it as the task output for the task.

This method is not just a shortcut to set output of a pass-thru task but it also records the correct schema of the passed-thru output so it can be quickly looked up.

Parameters:

task - the workflow task setting the output (i.e. this)

reset

public void reset()

Reset process to it's initial state, so process can be started again.

reset

public void reset(Record state)

Reset process to it's initial state, so process can be started again.

Parameters:

state - new state of the process

setNextElement

public void setNextElement()

Sets the task ID of the next task to execute after the current task finishes. If the task is not found or null is passed as the nextElement, the current process will be terminated instead.

setNextElement

public void setNextElement(java.lang.String nextElement)

Sets the task ID of the next task to execute after the current task finishes. If the task is not found or null is passed as the nextElement, the current process will be terminated instead.

Parameters:

nextElement - ID of the next task execute or null to terminate process

setStateVariable

public void setStateVariable(java.lang.String stateVariablePath,
                             java.lang.Object value)

Sets a process state variable for later reference with getStateVariable() or more commonly with a TaskInputExpression property.

Parameters:

stateVariablePath - path to variable in process state to set. segments are separated by a decimal point (.)

value - the value to save

setTaskOutput

public void setTaskOutput(ProcessElement task,
                          java.lang.Object value)

Sets the task output of task in the process state so it can be used by later tasks with getLastTaskOutput() or more commonly with a TaskInputExpression property.

If the task sets bindOutput the output value is also written into that process state variable.

Parameters:

task - the workflow task setting the output (i.e. this)

value - the output value for task

start

public void start()

Starts this task by executing the startElement. Also used by asynchronous tasks to restart the workflow.

addTraceElementHandler

public com.google.gwt.event.shared.HandlerRegistration addTraceElementHandler(TraceElementHandler handler)

Add a traceElement handler.

StringMethod called during process execution before each task element is processed.

Specified by:

addTraceElementHandler in interface HasTraceElementHandlers

Parameters:

handler - the traceElement handler

Returns:

HandlerRegistration used to remove this handler

getProcess

public static Process getProcess(java.lang.String processId)

Get a Process instance by it's ID. See loadProcess().

Parameters:

processId - process ID to retrieve. See Identifier

Returns:

the process, or null if not loaded

See Also:

Identifier

onInit

protected void onInit()

Overrides:

onInit in class BaseClass

setAttribute

public Process setAttribute(java.lang.String attribute,
                            ProcessElement[] value,
                            boolean allowPostCreate)

setConfig

public void setConfig(com.google.gwt.core.client.JavaScriptObject jsObj)

Overrides:

setConfig in class BaseClass

loadProcess

public static void loadProcess(java.lang.String processId,
                               ProcessCallback callback)

getProcessElements

public ProcessElement[] getProcessElements(java.lang.String attribute)

getElements

public ProcessElement[] getElements()

Elements involved in this Process. You can also group elements into sequences to reduce the need to explicitly define IDs for elements and interlink them.

Returns:

ProcessElement

setStartElement

public void setStartElement(ProcessElement startElement)
                     throws java.lang.IllegalStateException

Throws:

java.lang.IllegalStateException

See Also:

setStartElement(String)