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Workflow model customisation

michaelangel0

I want to build a workflow model that uses a reviewtask to manage the review process (a bespoke one that meets all the business requirements would be tricky to develop) but I have hit a snag regarding email notification.

I want to be able to identify the group associated with each review task created as part of the main review task sub-process so that I can send out an email with a link to the relevant review task. The normal CSSDK API provides no way of retrieving the group (that I have found) so I’ve been looking at using the API available specifically for WorkflowModels, using the preprocess and postprocess command properties.

Unfortunately, the getReviewerGroups() method throws a WFMAccessDeniedException if an attempt to retrieve the reviewer groups is made by a postprocess command (using the preprocess slot is pointless as the reviewers will not have been selected) but the fact that a getReviewGroups() method exists suggests that I should be able to use it somewhere – the question is where? Alternatively, if I could retrieve the workflow instance id I might be able to create a WFMWorkflow object later in the workflow process but I don’t know how to retrieve this id. It does not appear to be the same thing as the workflow id (rather surprisingly) as the following code does not work:


CSWorkflow job = currentTask.getWorkflow();
long wfinstanceid = new Long(job.getId()).longValue(); 
WFMWorkflowEngine wfe = WFMWorkflowEngine.getInstance();
WFMWorkflow wf = wfe.getWorkflow(wfinstanceid);

nor does:


CSWorkflow job = currentTask.getWorkflow();
long wfinstanceid = new Long(job.getId()).longValue();
WorkflowInstanceCache wfInstanceCache = new WorkflowInstanceCache();
if (wfInstanceCache.contains(wfinstanceid)) {
 WFMWorkflow wf = wfInstanceCache.retreive(wfinstanceid);
}

Anyone able to help?

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Comments

Migrateduser

We use a workflow task variable for the groupname.

Adam Stoller

What version of TeamSite / CSSDK are you using?
I think the issue with getting sharedby members of grouptasks might have been fixed in 672SP2 / CSSDK 3.1.1+, but definitely fixed in CSSDK 7.x where the CSGroupTask now has two methods:

michaelangel0

Apologies for missing the vital statistics, which are:
TeamSite 6.7.2
CSSDK 3.1.0
and thank-you for your replies but I get the feeling that either you have not read my post properly or I have not explained myself clearly.

To clarify, I am using a reviewTask not a groupTask (maybe this is my mistake, although there are good reasons why I want to do this)

When accessed via a CSWorkflow object the tasks show as CSGroupTaskImpl whereas the WFMWorkflow object shows the tasks as being instances of the WFMReviewTaskImpl class. It is not possible to cast one to the other.

There is no getSharedByUsers() or getSharedByGroups() methods for objects of the type WFMReviewTask (which is the object implemented for a reviewTask). There is, however, a getReviewerGroups() method, but as stated before I cannot use this in PostProcessor command (it is documented that it is not allowed here, but I tried all the same as the documentation cannot always be trusted) so I am looking to find a way of creating an WFMWorkflow object at a later stage in the process. The fact that a method exists suggests it should be possible to use at some point.

So I'm left struggling to find a way of creating/retrieving a WFMWorkflow object, via which I can access the WFMReviewTask objects - this is where I would appreciate suggestions/advice.

Thanks

Migrateduser

For a Review Task, there is a property named Available Groups. You can assign the group in that property. It should handle it appropriately. I'm curious what information you need about the group and what you will use it for?

michaelangel0

As stated in my initial post

I want to be able to identify the group associated with each review task created as part of the main review task sub-process so that I can send out an email with a link to the relevant review task.

The standard email notification class does not handle this situation so I am writing a custom class to do this.

I need to be able to identify the various ReviewTasks and retrieve the group associated with it (as displayed when viewing the instantiated model). I will then map this group to a user of the same name in order to retrieve the email address for the group (unfortunately, there is no email property for a TeamSite group). The email I send out needs to contain a link back the appropriate ReviewTask for that group.

Migrateduser

As stated in my initial post

The standard email notification class does not handle this situation so I am writing a custom class to do this.

I need to be able to identify the various ReviewTasks and retrieve the group associated with it (as displayed when viewing the instantiated model). I will then map this group to a user of the same name in order to retrieve the email address for the group (unfortunately, there is no email property for a TeamSite group). The email I send out needs to contain a link back the appropriate ReviewTask for that group.

Yeah all we do is use a task variable and assign it the same group that is used in the Review Task. Then we get the individual users in the group(s), and then send the notification to their email addresses. It works. If the group itself maps to an email alias, you could simply assign the email address to the task variable. This was pretty easy to implement.

Adam Stoller

Apologies for missing the vital statistics, which are:
TeamSite 6.7.2
CSSDK 3.1.0
and thank-you for your replies but I get the feeling that either you have not read my post properly or I have not explained myself clearly.

To clarify, I am using a reviewTask not a groupTask (maybe this is my mistake, although there are good reasons why I want to do this)

When accessed via a CSWorkflow object the tasks show as CSGroupTaskImpl whereas the WFMWorkflow object shows the tasks as being instances of the WFMReviewTaskImpl class. It is not possible to cast one to the other.

There is no getSharedByUsers() or getSharedByGroups() methods for objects of the type WFMReviewTask (which is the object implemented for a reviewTask). There is, however, a getReviewerGroups() method, but as stated before I cannot use this in PostProcessor command (it is documented that it is not allowed here, but I tried all the same as the documentation cannot always be trusted) so I am looking to find a way of creating an WFMWorkflow object at a later stage in the process. The fact that a method exists suggests it should be possible to use at some point.

So I'm left struggling to find a way of creating/retrieving a WFMWorkflow object, via which I can access the WFMReviewTask objects - this is where I would appreciate suggestions/advice.

Thanks

As I do not believe there is a CSReviewTask class - and that a ReviewTask is an internalized combination of [URL]ExternalTasks (EmailTasks) and GroupTasks - my response is still probably correct - in that the interfaces for dealing with users/groups in a shared context for a GroupTask were broken in previous versions of the CSSDK and fixed in 7.x (possibly 672SP2) - and thus you would have to resort to some sort of hack (as already suggested in other responses) in order to do what you want with the version of the software you have.

michaelangel0

OK, for the benefit of anyone else who ends up reading this post - firstly, while there is certainly no CSReviewTask (as correctly pointed out by Mr Ghoti), there is most definitely a WFMReviewTask. Secondly, I still don't see what relevance Mr Smitty77's posts have to my issue, and while I appreciate the effort they do not provide any insight with regards this specific issue, and suspect his solution is only suitable for workflow templates, although this may just be my misunderstanding of his posts.

To re-iterate, I am working with Workflow Models not the workflow templates of old. What is confusing is that there are now two APIs to work with - the old CSSDK which anyone who has done any java teamsite development will be familiar with, and the newer API which is documented in the modelerworkflowapidoc.jar. Also, it seems that this interface is only exposed via the PreProcessor and PostProcessor commands associated with the Workflow Model environment, and that once the user clicks submit it is only possible to access the workflow via the standard CSSDK API.

Anyway, that said I have a solution to my problem. The XML of the workflow model tasks is exposed (via the WFMTask.toXmlString() method) and I can retrieve the information I need using this method and parsing the XML returned.

I still think it would be useful if there was a way of retrieving a WFMWorkflow object later on in the workflow process so that I could simply use the method supplied - getReviewerGroups().

Migrateduser

Secondly, I still don't see what relevance Mr Smitty77's posts have to my issue, and while I appreciate the effort they do not provide any insight with regards this specific issue, and suspect his solution is only suitable for workflow templates, although this may just be my misunderstanding of his posts.

Yes it definitely was. And since you don't get it, I won't waste my time explaining it to you. And I'll refrain from trying to help your pompous self in the future as well. If only I could get this 2 minutes of my life back...

ISCBorisB

Yes it definitely was. And since you don't get it, I won't waste my time explaining it to you. And I'll refrain from trying to help your pompous self in the future as well. If only I could get this 2 minutes of my life back...

Dave, you did not really expect gratitude for the free help, did you? Smiley Happy

Migrateduser

Dave, you did not really expect gratitude for the free help, did you?

Silly me, Boris....silly me

michaelangel0

I think I did express my gratitude and appreciation to Mr Smitty77's posts and I certainly do appreciate the effort he has made and was quite prepared to accept that it was my misunderstanding for failing to see how his posts would help in this situation. Apologies for any offence caused.

Crsb

OK, for the benefit of anyone else who ends up reading this post - firstly, while there is certainly no CSReviewTask (as correctly pointed out by Mr Ghoti), there is most definitely a WFMReviewTask. Secondly, I still don't see what relevance Mr Smitty77's posts have to my issue, and while I appreciate the effort they do not provide any insight with regards this specific issue, and suspect his solution is only suitable for workflow templates, although this may just be my misunderstanding of his posts.

To re-iterate, I am working with Workflow Models not the workflow templates of old. What is confusing is that there are now two APIs to work with - the old CSSDK which anyone who has done any java teamsite development will be familiar with, and the newer API which is documented in the modelerworkflowapidoc.jar. Also, it seems that this interface is only exposed via the PreProcessor and PostProcessor commands associated with the Workflow Model environment, and that once the user clicks submit it is only possible to access the workflow via the standard CSSDK API.

Anyway, that said I have a solution to my problem. The XML of the workflow model tasks is exposed (via the WFMTask.toXmlString() method) and I can retrieve the information I need using this method and parsing the XML returned.

I still think it would be useful if there was a way of retrieving a WFMWorkflow object later on in the workflow process so that I could simply use the method supplied - getReviewerGroups().

did you try to print out task variables and task parameters to see if the data you are looking for is in one of the variables?

Migrateduser

Too late! I already took my ball and went home.

No worries. All is well.

michaelangel0

did you try to print out task variables and task parameters to see if the data you are looking for is in one of the variables?

Hi Crsb - yes, I did try this (using the WFMTask's getVariabes() [sic] method). No variables were returned. Thanks.

Crsb

Hi Crsb - yes, I did try this (using the WFMTask's getVariabes() [sic] method). No variables were returned. Thanks.

Did you try with CSTask (after instantiation / from an external task)?

michaelangel0

I think I did try this too (although I tried so many things, I can't remember for sure).

I'll go back and try this again (will have to wait until Monday now) - as I may have only assumed it wouldn't be there. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll post an update next week.

michaelangel0

Update for the benefit of anyone else finding themselve with similar issue:

The information is not available from the task variables/parameters unfortunately.

Due to some other limitations of the ReviewTask (only 2 hard-wired transitions, Accept or Reject which did not meet customer requirements) I was forced to completely abandon the use of the WFM ReviewTask, instead creating the approval logic as a nested workflow (and programatically creating the job specification for it, to cater for the selection of different approval groups).

Had a WFMReviewTask been suitable, I think I would have had 2 options:
1) retrieve the group from the WFMReviewTask using the toXMLString method and parsing the returned XML to retrieve the ReviewOwner property before adding this value back as a task variable, which then becomes available to resulting CSGroupTask when the WFMWorkflow model is resolved into a CSWorkflow instance.
2) Creating an additional external task which does the same as the above but using the getSharedBy function from the resolved CSGroupTask tasks, as suggested by Ghoti (not sure my version of TeamSite has been fixed though).