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Nested Workflow Modeller | Passing variables

dolly1

Hi,

I am using workflow modeler 1.0.1.0 and teamsite 6.7.1 SP1.
I have a parent workflow model and trying to call a nested workflow model from there. It is just getting called but 2 main issues.

1. How do I automate the start of the nested workflow, currently i am getting start job window for nested workflow which i do not want. I have gone through the posts on devnet and found that with wft there is a way by specifying background=t but how the same can be achieved in workflow modell.

2. I am trying to pass some variables from parent workflow model to the nested workflow model which is not happening, here is what i have done

a) In parent workflow nested workflow task i have created a task variable like param=value
b) In the nested workflow there is a conditional link where i have written that script

if("$IW_CV(param)" == "value")
{
"true";
}
else{
"false";
}

but this is always returning false so it looks like that the variable is not getting passed.

Can anyone please help me what I am doing wrong. Reading the manual it says passing variables is definitely possible: page 91 of wfm guide

The relationship between a workflow task and its nested workflow includes:
 The ability to pass variables and file lists from the parent task to the child job.
 The ability for nested jobs to pass some or all variables and file lists to the parent
job upon the child job’s completion.

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Comments

vikasp

Can you attache your .ipm and .xml file.

Brittany

I am having the same issue, any updates to this post?

Migrateduser

I'm guessing that variables defined in the parent workflow are only visible in the child workflow when you specifically read them based on the parent's workflow instance. If you create a parent workflow variable, you should be able to see that variable by creating an instance of the parent workflow in your child's code. Not sure you can reference a parent variable directly in your child WF model - you will likely need to do some preprocessing in the child to pull the parent info into your child, then use that info to base your logic.

I have written nested workflow using WFT a long time ago and that was relatively easy, although that background attribute was not documented at the time (imagine that) and so it was fun trying to figure that one out. Haven't done it using WFM. We kick off sub-workflows instead.

Crsb

nvm it was already answered...

Brittany

If you create a parent workflow variable, you should be able to see that variable by creating an instance of the parent workflow in your child's code.

How can I do that?

Not sure you can reference a parent variable directly in your child WF model - you will likely need to do some preprocessing in the child to pull the parent info into your child, then use that info to base your logic.
.

Or that?

We kick off sub-workflows instead.

And lastly is this something different from nested workflows, if so how do you go about doing that?

Thanks

Migrateduser

From the CSSDK javadoc, the CSWorkflow interface has a getParentTask() method. I'm guessing that a nested workflow will have this method return a CSTask instance for the task in the parent workflow that initiated the child workflow. Once you have the CSTask instance, you have everything you need. If you're using WFM and not coding in Java, you're on your own.

Nested Workflow = Parent/Child relationship - these workflows are connected

Sub-Workflow - Instantiating a completely new workflow - these workflows are separate

namithapai

Try setting the "transfer Only" attribute to "true" when passing values to nested workflow.

Adam Stoller

Try setting the "transfer Only" attribute to "true" when passing values to nested workflow.

Do you base this on some innate knowledge of what "Transfer Only" means, that is not covered in the WFM manual, where it certainly doesn't seem to have anything to do with variables -- or are you just taking a wild guess without bothering to think about or research it?

I'll help you out a bit here:

When set to True and the Lock attribute is also set to True, files that were locked by a predecessor task will have the lock modified when a task becomes active.

Does that sound like it has anything to do with variables being passed between nested workflows?

namithapai

Ghoti,

I stand corrected. You are right. I recently attended a training and was in the afterglow and got muddled.

Henceforth, I will make sure I go back to the document/training material, re-read them before posting. My bad.

The least I am doing is providing some entertainment on this forum :-) Everyday I say something and stuff my foot in my mouth. These fall/winter boots are a mouthful.

Migrateduser

Wrong information does not equal entertainment, in my humble opinion. It's one thing to really think you know something but be slightly off. It's quite another to post without a clue. Please do not try and help people if you really don't know what you're talking about.

AddTwoCrosstabGrandTotalsInThirdCrosstab.rptdesign

Adam Stoller

Wrong information does not equal entertainment, in my humble opinion. It's one thing to really think you know something but be slightly off. It's quite another to post without a clue. Please do not try and help people if you really don't know what you're talking about.

Well - in general I agree - but I think it's fine to take a stab at something as long as you preface it with a disclaimer that indicates you are making a guess (educated or not) as opposed to stating something as factual when it isn't (though that can happen to the best of us too from time to time).

So I think the effort is applaudable, the manner and result less so.

Migrateduser

Fair enough. I'm just more of a jerk about it. Smiley Surprised

)

Brittany

Ok so just to clafiy, there's no answer yet on how to pass variables using WFM Nested Workflows right?

Migrateduser

Ok so just to clafiy, there's no answer yet on how to pass variables using WFM Nested Workflows right?

Did my Post #7 seem like it wouldnt work? Or something similar? Have you even tried it?

Brittany

No i haven't tried it, but as you said that if I was working in WFM then I was on my own. I guess i should preface this by saying that I'm a true beginner and am trying to use WFM alone, And since the documentation says that WFM can do what i'm trying to do im trying to figure it out, but it looks like no one knows how/ hasn't done it either.

Crsb

if you were able to invoke/start a nested workflow (from a parent workflow)... then passing variables is not hard thing at all...
if you want to read parent WF variables from an external task, and if you are able to access a workflow variable from any of its external tasks, then post #7 has the answer... assuming task is an external task of nested workflow, the syntax would look like this:

CSTask parentTask = task.getWorkflow().getParentTask();
String parentWFVariable = parentTask.getWorkflow().getVariable("variableName");

if you need these variables outside an external task, then they have to be part of the job spec before the nested workflow is instantiated.

Brittany

Thanks that was helpful, I actually have not been able to invoke the child workflow. I keep getting an error only saying that it cannot invoke the child workflow. So i'm trying to figure out why it isnt starting. I can start the workflow independently however.

Crsb

I actually have not been able to invoke the child workflow.

I think you already have a thread open for that issue, so just follow up in there...

Migrateduser

Thanks that was helpful, I actually have not been able to invoke the child workflow. I keep getting an error only saying that it cannot invoke the child workflow. So i'm trying to figure out why it isnt starting. I can start the workflow independently however.

Do you absolutely have to use nested workflow? Does your parent workflow do any more processing once your child completes? And if so, is that processing dependent upon the child workflow completing? If you don't have to use nested workflow, you should consider one of the other approaches discussed in a similar thread.