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Invoke workflow - custom menu item

jeffldavis2

Is it possible to inovoke a custom workflow from teamsite UI menu items? workflow is made up of .wft file and .ipl file. I want to add a link to the 'File' menu and launch the workflow.

I have added previously custom menu item (through ui_custom.xml) which executes an .ipl file but I am not sure how to invoke workflow.

The workflow should not be just limited to master and it expects some user input in the form. WFT file has some external tasks, Command, TAG_info directrives.

Teamsite 6.1 SP1, windows 2003

Thanks
Jeff

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Amit_LnT

jeff,
The workflow instantiates with the help of XML, called as job specification file. Read more about it in Workflow developer's guide.
You can invoke WF in following way.
Call a CGI to mock up the TAG_Info of workflow from custom menu. Collect the information and prepare the job specification file. (I am not aware of any command to create this file, try searching).
Once, you have the XML, you can use a function CreateWorkflow($spec) from TeamSite::WFsystem.
The detail explanation is given in the workflow developer guide.

jeffldavis2

Amit,

Do I need to prepare the job specification file explicity when the WFT file itself has job specification xml defined? WFT file itself is a definition to the workflow right?

And as I told you, WFT file has job specification which has a workflow element and some externaltasks which are calling external .ipl file.

"Call a CGI to mock up the TAG_Info of workflow from custom menu"
which CGI you are referring to?

thanks
jeff

Amit_LnT

Amit,

Do I need to prepare the job specification file explicity when the WFT file itself has job specification xml defined? WFT file itself is a definition to the workflow right?

And as I told you, WFT file has job specification which has a workflow element and some externaltasks which are calling external .ipl file.

thanks
jeff

Job specification file is not WFT file. WFT file is like any script file which is code with variables. But job specification file is more like a compiled code, ready to run. So, it will be a final product prepared after process on wft file by workflow subsystem.
You can get the job spec file, by enabling the debug mode in the workflow.
Then, you can use that file in your code.

"Call a CGI to mock up the TAG_Info of workflow from custom menu"
which CGI you are referring to?

By CGI, i mean a Perl CGI script. Prepare a CGI script, that will collect the same information from user, that you are doing from workflow now. And then place that information at required node in job spec file and invoke workflow.

ISCBorisB

Amit,

Do I need to prepare the job specification file explicity when the WFT file itself has job specification xml defined? WFT file itself is a definition to the workflow right?

And as I told you, WFT file has job specification which has a workflow element and some externaltasks which are calling external .ipl file.

"Call a CGI to mock up the TAG_Info of workflow from custom menu"
which CGI you are referring to?

thanks
jeff

In your case there is much easier way to do it.

See Interwoven® User Interface Customization Guide, URL Commands, Workflow URL Commands.
Command "newjob" will give you either WF chooser screen or a particular WF Instantiation screen if "iw_template_file" is set.
All you have to do is create custom menu item that calls it.

jeffldavis2

Boris,

After adding a "template_file" definition in available_templates.cfg, I should add a custom link in the UI customization (ui_custom.xml)

<-link id="iw.ccpro.fie_menu.customsubmit"
label="Custom Submit"
url="iw-cc/command/newjob"
target="_blank"/>

this should launch a workflow chooser screen right? If this right I am almost there.

thanks

ISCBorisB

Boris,

After adding a "template_file" definition in available_templates.cfg, I should add a custom link in the UI customization (ui_custom.xml)

<-link id="iw.ccpro.fie_menu.customsubmit"
label="Custom Submit"
url="iw-cc/command/newjob"
target="_blank"/>

this should launch a workflow chooser screen right? If this right I am almost there.

thanks

Close. Try something like

url="/iw-cc/newjob?iw_template_file=Your_WFT_Path"

Note the absence of "command" literal. Note the presense of URL's leading slash.
WFT Path should be specified relative to "iw-home/local/config/wft" without leading slash

grantt_samplereport.rptdesign

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jeffldavis2

thanks Boris. I will give it a shot.

Amit_LnT

hi.. Boris..
I remember reading somewhere on support not to use iw-cc in URL command.
so the URL should be like 'url="/newjob.. ' according to that article..

ISCBorisB

hi.. Boris..
I remember reading somewhere on support not to use iw-cc in URL command.
so the URL should be like 'url="/newjob.. ' according to that article..

The following is the excerpt from the Interwoven® User Interface Customization Guide
( It's identical through at least Guide Releases 1.1.0 to 1.5.0 )

URL commands have the following format:
http: //hostname/iw-cc/command-name?parameter1=value1&parameter2=value2...

It's actually easy to check. Log-In to TS, open another Browser and try http: //hostname/newjob and http: //hostname/iw-cc/newjob,
see what happens

Amit_LnT

I was talking about following article.
https://support.interwoven.com/kb/kb_show_article2.asp?ArticleID=53543

coilPickingListC001b.rptdesign

pdf=excel comparison result.pdf

ISCBorisB

I was talking about following article.
https://support.interwoven.com/kb/kb_show_article2.asp?ArticleID=53543

This article describes different URL context. It's talking about URL Formatting within ui_custom.xml, not CC URL Commands.

Argue with your TS Server, not me. Try it, you'll see that "http: //iw-cc/hostname/newjob" works whereas
"http: //hostname/newjob" fails with Error 404 "Page not Found"

crosstab.png

Amit_LnT

i am not arguing with you.. Smiley Happy

Just wanted to let people know about the article..
And i thought we were talking about the URL formatting in UI_custom.xml for custom menu. That is the solution you gave to Jeff.
The one which you asked to try, I know that will not work without iw-cc.

ISCBorisB

I've lost the thread I'm afraid...You said

I remember [...] not to use iw-cc in URL command so the URL should be like 'url="/newjob.. '

And then

I know that will not work without iw-cc

Something does not jive here, n'est–ce pas?

Just wanted to let people know about the article

I fail to see how this article contributes to solve Jeff's issue but what do I know

deepti

Hello,
I tried to instantiate a workflow through custom menu item using url http://hostname/iw-cc/newjob.
This gives all workflow selection screen.I want to skip this sceen and directly open required workflow which in my case is created through workflowmodeler.
For wft files this can be achieved giving iw_template_file as that of wft relative path .
http://hostname/iw-cc/newjob?iw_template_file=solutions/test

How can i achieve the same scnerio for modeler file?

Thanks,
Deepti