work flow variable

i want to know whether the work flow variables are also the variables of the tasks in that work flow. if so, how to get the values of the workflow variables using the task id.

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Adam Stoller

There are essentially 3 kinds of variables in workflows:

Form Variables - these are created via the TAG_Info(); function and form the basis of the instantiation input form for the workflow. These form variables are primarily used within the WFT itself via the __TAG__();, __VALUE__();, and __ELEM__(); functions.
Job Variables - these are created near the top of the workflow specification:
```
    < workflow ....>
      < description>...
      < variables>
        < variable key="MyKey" value="MyValue"/>
        < variable key="YourKey" value="YourValue"/>
        ...
      < /variables>
      ...
    < /workflow>
```
and are accessible via the CLT iwjobvariable or by creating a TeamSite::WFworkflow object and using that object's GetVariable() method:
Task Variables - these are created at the bottom of task specifications:
```
    < usertask ....>
      < areavpath v="..."/>
      < successors>
         ...
      < /successors>
      ...
      < variables>
        < variable key="LooKey" value="ICU"/>
        < variable key="LooKeyHere" value="ICU2"/>
        ...
      < /variables>
    < /usertask>
```
and are accessible via the CLT iwtaskvariable or by creating a TeamSite::WFtask object and using that object's GetVariable() method:

Hope that helps

--fish
(Interwoven, Curriculum Development)

Migrateduser

You can also create workflow variables within the TAG_info section (this is undocumented) by using a prefix of "iw_setwfarg_" on your tag names. I haven't checked this out in 5.5.2 yet, as we haven't gone into production yet, but I assume it still works. I can elaborate if anyone is interested.

Dave Smith
Sr. Software Engineer
Nike, Inc.
(503) 671-4238
DavidH.Smith@nike.com

Migrateduser

The iw_setwfarg_ feature is described on page 19 of Technical Document 48805, TeamSite Workflow Supplemental Tutorial. You can think of it as a form variable and a job variable rolled into one.

Brinko Kobrin
Interwoven Staff Engineer

Migrateduser

How can I get my grubby little paws on that document? And why hasn't it made its way into the Workflow Developer's Guide?

Dave Smith
Sr. Software Engineer
Nike, Inc.
(503) 671-4238
DavidH.Smith@nike.com

Adam Stoller

There is an open bug report (17062) regarding the lack of documation on this seldom used, but available feature of workflow template writing.

For cgitask scripts - it isn't really needed - as all the form variables created via TAG_Info(); are available in $cgi->{form}{variablename}

For externaltask scripts, this is an alternative way to populate the job variable space without creating an explicit job variable within the wft (as described in my previous response).

For example, if you have the following in your wft:


TAG_info(test1 =>
         [html => "< input type='text'>",
          label => "Test 1",
         ],
         iw_setwfarg_test2 =>
         [html => "< input type='text'>",
          label => "Test 2",
         ],
         );

And the following code in your externaltask script:


use TeamSite::WFworkflow;
my($jobid, $taskid, $area) = @ARGV;
my $job = new TeamSite::WFworkflow($jobid);

my $j1 = $job->GetVariable("test1");
my $j2 = $job->GetVariable("test2");
my $j3 = $job->GetVariable("iw_setwfarg_test2");

Then $j1 and $j3 would be empty ("") - but $j2 would contain whatever was entered in the "Test 2" text input field during workflow
instantiation.

(* Corrected as per Smitty's comments)

The same result could be easily performed within the wft (assuming the above TAG_info(); code) by doing:


< workflow ...>
  < variables>
    < variable key="test2" value="__TAG__('iw_setwfarg_test2');"/>
  < /variables>
  ...
< /workflow>

Clearly, if you were going to do the above, you wouldn't bother with the "iw_setwfarg_" prefix for the TAG_Info(); variable though.

As I said, it's obscure but functional.

--fish
(Interwoven, Curriculum Development)

Edited by ghoti on 09/26/02 08:52 AM (server time).

Migrateduser

To obtain this document:
- Go to the DevNet home page
- Click on "TechLibrary Home"
- Click on "Lookup by Id"
- Enter "48805"

Brinko Kobrin
Interwoven Staff Engineer

Adam Stoller

Smitty writes:
How can I get my grubby little paws on that document? And why hasn't it made its way into the Workflow Developer's Guide?

In DevNet - go to the Browse (or Search) tab, and type in 48805 hit Enter and look at the results - of course you could also have typed in "workflow" and hit Enter and looked through the various results returned from that query.

--fish
(Interwoven, Curriculum Development)

Migrateduser

Actually, your example is inaccurate. What would actually happen in this example:

TAG_info(
test1 => [html => "< input type='text'>",
label => "Test 1",
],
iw_setwfarg_test2 => [html => "< input type='text'>",
label => "Test 2",
],
);

And the following code in your externaltask script:

use TeamSite::WFworkflow;
my($jobid, $taskid, $area) = @ARGV;
my $job = new TeamSite::WFworkflow($jobid);
my $j1 = $job->GetVariable("test1");
my $j2 = $job->GetVariable("test2");
my $j3 = $job->GetVariable("iw_setwfarg_test2");

Then $j1 and $j3 would be empty ("") - but $j2 would contain whatever was entered in the "Test 2" text input field during workflow
instantiation.

Dave Smith
Sr. Software Engineer
Nike, Inc.
(503) 671-4238
DavidH.Smith@nike.com

Adam Stoller

Whoops - good catch - thanks,

I've edited my previous response accordingly.

--fish
(Interwoven, Curriculum Development)

hasel

I have a problem with variables in external task:

In my wft I have the following TAG_info:

TAG_info(
iw_setwfarg_script => "<input type='hidden' value='generateFile.ipl'>",
iw_setwfarg_param1 => "<input type='hidden' value='param1'>",
iw_setwfarg_param2 => "<input type='hidden' value='param2'>",
iw_setwfarg_param3 => "<input type='hidden' value='param3'>",
iw_setwfarg_succ => "<input type='hidden' value='50'>",
);

then I have an external task which desides what type and what category the given file is. This is saved with $workflow->SetVariable("param1","news/ticker");

now i need the changed variable in the wft file to give it to an other external task as parameter, but __TAG__('iw_setwfarg_param1'); gives me the old value 'param1' and not the new value 'news/ticker'!

i can't find the problem. please help me.

thanks
hasel

Migrateduser

At instantiation time, all your variables are set in stone, so the value of __TAG__('iw_setwfarg_param1'); is going to be assigned its inital value. Instead of passing this value into your externaltask script as a parameter, grab the value inside the script using WFworkflow::GetVariable. Then you will get its most current value. You could simply pass it the variable name ("param1") instead of the value if you need to send a parameter, then execute GetVariable on the parameter value passed in.

Dave Smith
Sr. Software Engineer
Nike, Inc.
(503) 671-4238
DavidH.Smith@nike.com

Adam Stoller

You're confusing two different types of variables: Form variables (those created with TAG_Info(); and workflow variables (those created within < variables>...< /variables> section of the wft).

The former can be referenced within the wft using either the __TAG__(); or __VALUE__(); functions, depending on context. They can also be referenced in cgitask scripts by using something like $cgi->{form}{field_name};.

The latter is generally not referenceable within the WFT itself, but is referenceable via externaltask and cgitask script using GetVariable(); and SetVariable();.

One can use Perl variables within the WFT to bridge between the two - by setting a Perl variable ($foo) equal to the value of the TAG_Info(); form variable (__VALUE__('foo');), you can then use that same Perl variable ($foo) to set up a job-level or task-level variable:

< variable key="foo" value="__INSERT__($foo)"/>

Hopefully the above will help you sort out the code you're dealing with.

--fish
(Interwoven Senior Technical Consultant)

sara

are the workflow variables accessible from within the workflow template itself?
i am launching a workflow from a cgi of a custom menu item, and i would like to pass some extra variables to the workflow. these are to be used within the workflow itself and in other external scripts.

Adam Stoller

Workflow variables are *not* accessible within the wft - but usually those workflow variables are generated from some other variable (either TAG_Info() form variable or Perl variable) which can be used to control certain logical aspects of the wft code.

Workflow (and task) variables are generally accessible to externaltask and cgitask scripts

--fish
(Interwoven Senior Technical Consultant)