Extending Workflow Functionality extending-workflow-functionality

This topic describes how to develop custom step components for your workflows, then how to interact programmatically with workflows.

Creating a custom workflow step involves the following activities:

You can also interact with your workflows from your programs and scripts.

Workflow Step Components - The Basics workflow-step-components-the-basics

A workflow step component defines the appearance and behavior of the step when creating workflow models:

As with all components, workflow step components inherit from the component that is specified for the sling:resourceSuperType property. The following diagram shows the hierarchy of cq:component nodes that form the basis of all workflow step components. The diagram also includes the Process Step, Participant Step, and Dynamic Participant Step components, as these are the most common (and basic) starting points for developing custom step components.

The /libs/cq/workflow/components/model/step component is the nearest common ancestor of the Process Step, Participant Step, and Dynamic Participant Step, which all inherit the following items:

ECMA Scripts ecma-scripts

The following objects are available (dependent on step type) within ECMA scripts:

MetaDataMaps metadatamaps

You can use workflow metadata to persist information that is required during the lifetime of the workflow. A common requirement of workflow steps is to persist data for future use in the workflow, or to retrieve the persisted data.

There are three types of MetaDataMap objects - for Workflow, WorkflowData and WorkItem objects. They all have the same intended purpose - to store metadata.

A WorkItem has its own MetaDataMap that can be only used while that workitem (for example, step) is running.

Both Workflow and WorkflowData metadatamaps are shared over the entire workflow. For these cases it is recommended to only use the WorkflowData metadata map.

Creating Custom Workflow Step Components creating-custom-workflow-step-components

Workflow step components can be created in the same manner as any other component.

To inherit from one of the (existing) base step components, add the following property to the cq:Component node:

Specifying the Default Title and Description for Step Instances specifying-the-default-title-and-description-for-step-instances

Use the following procedure to specify default values for the Title and Description fields on the Common tab.

Saving Property Values in Workflow Metadata saving-property-values-in-workflow-metadata

The name property of cq:Widget items specifies the JCR node that stores the widget’s value. When widgets in the dialog of workflow step compnents store values below the ./metaData node, the value is added to the workflow MetaDataMap.

For example, a text field in a dialog is a cq:Widget node that has the following properties:

The value that is specified in this text field is added to the workflow instance’s [MetaDataMap](#metadatamaps) object, and is associated with the subject key.

Overriding the Step Implementation overriding-the-step-implementation

Each base step component enable workflow model developers to configure the following key features at design time:

To focus the component for use in a specific workflow scenario, configure the key feature in the design and remove the ability for model developers to change it.

Adding Forms and Dialogs to Participant Steps adding-forms-and-dialogs-to-participant-steps

Customize your participant step component to provide features that are found in the Form Participant Step and Dialog Participant Step components:

Peform the following procedure on your new component (see Creating Custom Workflow Step Components):

Configuring the Workflow Step Runtime Behavior configuring-the-workflow-step-runtime-behavior

Below the cq:Component node, add a cq:EditConfig node. Below that add an nt:unstructured node (must be named cq:formParameters) and to that node add the following properties:

Persisting and Accessing Data persisting-and-accessing-data

Persisting Data for Subsequent Workflow Steps persisting-data-for-subsequent-workflow-steps

You can use workflow metadata to persist information that is required during the lifetime of the workflow - and between steps. A common requirement of workflow steps is to persist data for future use, or to retrieve the persisted data from prior steps.

Workflow metadata is stored in a MetaDataMap object. The Java API provides the Workflow.getWorkflowData method to return a WorkflowData object that provides the appropriate MetaDataMap object. This WorkflowData MetaDataMap object is available to the OSGi service or ECMA script of a step component.

Java java

The execute method of the WorkflowProcess implementation is passed the WorkItem object. Use this object to obtain the WorkflowData object for the current workflow instance. The following example adds an item to the workflow MetaDataMap object and then logs each item. The (“mykey”, “My Step Value”) item is available to subsequent steps in the workflow.

public void execute(WorkItem item, WorkflowSession session, MetaDataMap args) throws WorkflowException {

    MetaDataMap wfd = item.getWorkflow().getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap();

    wfd.put("mykey", "My Step Value");

    Set<String> keyset = wfd.keySet();
    Iterator<String> i = keyset.iterator();
    while (i.hasNext()){
     Object key = i.next();
     log.info("The workflow medata includes key {} and value {}",key.toString(),wfd.get(key).toString());
    }
}

ECMA Script ecma-script

The graniteWorkItem variable is the ECMA script representation of the current WorkItem Java object. Therefore, you can use the graniteWorkItem variable to obtain the workflow metadata. The following ECMA script can be used to implement a Process Step to add an item to the workflow MetaDataMap object and then log each item. These items are then available to subsequent steps in the workflow.

var currentDateInMillis = new Date().getTime();

graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().put("hardcodedKey","theKey");

graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().put("currentDateInMillisKey",currentDateInMillis);

var iterator = graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().keySet().iterator();
while (iterator.hasNext()){
    var key = iterator.next();
    log.info("Workflow metadata key, value = " + key.toString() + ", " + graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().get(key));
}

Accessing Dialog Property Values at Runtime accessing-dialog-property-values-at-runtime

The MetaDataMap object of workflow instances is useful for storing and retrieving data throughout the lifetime of the workflow. For workflow step components implementations, the MetaDataMap is especially useful for retrieving component property values at runtime.

The workflow MetaDataMap is available to Java and ECMA script process implementations:

Example: Retrieving the Arguments of the Process Step Component example-retrieving-the-arguments-of-the-process-step-component

The edit dialog of the Process Step component includes the Arguments property. The value of the Arguments property is stored in the workflow metadata, and is associated with the PROCESS_ARGS key.

In the following diagram, the value of the Arguments property is argument1, argument2:

Java java-1

The following Java code is the execute method for a WorkflowProcess implementation. The method logs the value in the args MetaDataMap that is associated with the PROCESS_ARGS key.

public void execute(WorkItem item, WorkflowSession session, MetaDataMap args) throws WorkflowException {
     if (args.containsKey("PROCESS_ARGS")){
      log.info("workflow metadata for key PROCESS_ARGS and value {}",args.get("PROCESS_ARGS","string").toString());
     }
    }

When a process step that uses this Java implementation executes, the log contains the following entry:

16.02.2018 12:07:39.566 *INFO* [JobHandler: /var/workflow/instances/server0/2018-02-16/model_855140139900189:/content/we-retail/de] com.adobe.example.workflow.impl.process.LogArguments workflow metadata for key PROCESS_ARGS and value argument1, argument2

ECMA Script ecma-script-1

The following ECMA script is used as the process for the Process Step. It logs the number of arguments and the argument values:

var iterator = graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().keySet().iterator();
while (iterator.hasNext()){
    var key = iterator.next();
    log.info("Workflow metadata key, value = " + key.toString() + ", " + graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().get(key));
}
log.info("hardcodedKey "+ graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().get("hardcodedKey"));
log.info("currentDateInMillisKey "+ graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData().getMetaDataMap().get("currentDateInMillisKey"));

Scripts and Process Arguments scripts-and-process-arguments

Within a script for a Process Step component, arguments are available through the args object.

When creating a custom step component, the object metaData is available in a script. This object is limited to a single string argument.

Developing Process Step Implementations developing-process-step-implementations

When process steps are started during the process of a workflow, the steps send a request to an OSGi service or execute an ECMA script. Develop the service or ECMA script that performs the actions that your workflow requires.

Implementing a Process Step with a Java Class implementing-a-process-step-with-a-java-class

To define a process step as an OSGI service component (Java bundle):

The java methods, respectively the classes that implement the executable Java method are registered as OSGI services, enabling you to add methods at anytime during runtime.

The following OSGI component adds the property approved to the page content node when the payload is a page:

package com.adobe.example.workflow.impl.process;

import com.adobe.granite.workflow.WorkflowException;
import com.adobe.granite.workflow.WorkflowSession;
import com.adobe.granite.workflow.exec.WorkItem;
import com.adobe.granite.workflow.exec.WorkflowData;
import com.adobe.granite.workflow.exec.WorkflowProcess;
import com.adobe.granite.workflow.metadata.MetaDataMap;

import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Property;
import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Service;

import org.osgi.framework.Constants;

import javax.jcr.Node;
import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
import javax.jcr.Session;

/**
 * Sample workflow process that sets an <code>approve</code> property to the payload based on the process argument value.
 */
@Component
@Service
public class MyProcess implements WorkflowProcess {

 @Property(value = "An example workflow process implementation.")
 static final String DESCRIPTION = Constants.SERVICE_DESCRIPTION;
 @Property(value = "Adobe")
 static final String VENDOR = Constants.SERVICE_VENDOR;
 @Property(value = "My Sample Workflow Process")
 static final String LABEL="process.label";

 private static final String TYPE_JCR_PATH = "JCR_PATH";

 public void execute(WorkItem item, WorkflowSession session, MetaDataMap args) throws WorkflowException {
  WorkflowData workflowData = item.getWorkflowData();
  if (workflowData.getPayloadType().equals(TYPE_JCR_PATH)) {
   String path = workflowData.getPayload().toString() + "/jcr:content";
   try {
    Session jcrSession = session.adaptTo(Session.class);
    Node node = (Node) jcrSession.getItem(path);
    if (node != null) {
     node.setProperty("approved", readArgument(args));
     jcrSession.save();
    }
   } catch (RepositoryException e) {
    throw new WorkflowException(e.getMessage(), e);
   }
  }
 }

 private boolean readArgument(MetaDataMap args) {
  String argument = args.get("PROCESS_ARGS", "false");
  return argument.equalsIgnoreCase("true");
 }
}

Using ECMAScript using-ecmascript

ECMA scripts enable script developers to implement process steps. The scripts are in the JCR repository and executed from there.

The following table lists the variables that are immediately available to process scripts, providing access to objects of the workflow Java API.

The following example script demonstrates how to access the JCR node that represents the workflow payload. The graniteWorkflowSession variable is adapted to a JCR session variable, which is used to obtain the node from the payload path.

var workflowData = graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData();
if (workflowData.getPayloadType() == "JCR_PATH") {
    var path = workflowData.getPayload().toString();
    var jcrsession = graniteWorkflowSession.adaptTo(Packages.javax.jcr.Session);
    var node = jcrsession.getNode(path);
    if (node.hasProperty("approved")){
     node.setProperty("approved", args[0] == "true" ? true : false);
     node.save();
 }
}

The following script checks if the payload is an image ( .png file), creates a black and white image from it, and saves it as a sibling node.

var workflowData = graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData();
if (workflowData.getPayloadType() == "JCR_PATH") {
    var path = workflowData.getPayload().toString();
    var jcrsession = graniteWorkflowSession.adaptTo(Packages.javax.jcr.Session);
    var node = jcrsession.getRootNode().getNode(path.substring(1));
     if (node.isNodeType("nt:file") && node.getProperty("jcr:content/jcr:mimeType").getString().indexOf("image/") == 0) {
        var is = node.getProperty("jcr:content/jcr:data").getStream();
        var layer = new Packages.com.day.image.Layer(is);
        layer.grayscale();
                var parent = node.getParent();
                var gn = parent.addNode("grey" + node.getName(), "nt:file");
        var content = gn.addNode("jcr:content", "nt:resource");
                content.setProperty("jcr:mimeType","image/png");
                var cal = Packages.java.util.Calendar.getInstance();
                content.setProperty("jcr:lastModified",cal);
                var f = Packages.java.io.File.createTempFile("test",".png");
        var tout = new Packages.java.io.FileOutputStream(f);
        layer.write("image/png", 1.0, tout);
        var fis = new Packages.java.io.FileInputStream(f);
                content.setProperty("jcr:data", fis);
                parent.save();
        tout.close();
        fis.close();
        is.close();
        f.deleteOnExit();
    }
}

To use the script:

Developing Participant Choosers developing-participant-choosers

You can develop participant choosers for Dynamic Participant Step components.

When a Dynamic Participant Step component is started during a workflow, the step needs to detemine the participant to which the generated work item can be assigned. To do this the step either:

You can develop a service or ECMA script that selects the participant according to the requirements of your workflow.

Developing a Participant Chooser Using a Java class developing-a-participant-chooser-using-a-java-class

To define a participant step as an OSGI service component (Java class):

Developing a Participant Chooser Using an ECMA Script developing-a-participant-chooser-using-an-ecma-script

You can create an ECMA script that selects the user that is assigned the work item that the Participant Step generates. The script must include a function named getParticipant that requires no argumemts, and returns a String that contains the ID of a user or group.

Scripts are in the JCR repository and executed from there.

The following table lists the variables that provide immediate access to workflow Java objects in your scripts.

function getParticipant() {
    var workflowData = graniteWorkItem.getWorkflowData();
    if (workflowData.getPayloadType() == "JCR_PATH") {
        var path = workflowData.getPayload().toString();
        if (path.indexOf("/content/we-retail/de") == 0) {
            return "admin";
        } else {
            return "administrators";
        }
    }
}

Handling Workflow Packages handling-workflow-packages

Workflow packages can be passed to a workflow for processing. Workflow packages contain references to resources such as pages and assets.

You can develop workflow steps that obtain the package resources and process them. The following members of the com.day.cq.workflow.collection package provide access to workflow packages:

The following example Java class demonstrates how to obtain package resources:

package com.adobe.example;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import com.day.cq.workflow.WorkflowException;
import com.day.cq.workflow.WorkflowSession;
import com.day.cq.workflow.collection.ResourceCollection;
import com.day.cq.workflow.collection.ResourceCollectionManager;
import com.day.cq.workflow.collection.ResourceCollectionUtil;
import com.day.cq.workflow.exec.WorkItem;
import com.day.cq.workflow.exec.WorkflowData;
import com.day.cq.workflow.exec.WorkflowProcess;
import com.day.cq.workflow.metadata.MetaDataMap;

import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Component;
import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Property;
import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Service;
import org.apache.felix.scr.annotations.Reference;
import org.osgi.framework.Constants;

import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import javax.jcr.Node;
import javax.jcr.PathNotFoundException;
import javax.jcr.RepositoryException;
import javax.jcr.Session;

@Component
@Service
public class LaunchBulkActivate implements WorkflowProcess {

 private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(LaunchBulkActivate.class);

 @Property(value="Bulk Activate for Launches")
  static final String PROCESS_NAME ="process.label";
 @Property(value="A sample workflow process step to support Launches bulk activation of pages")
 static final String SERVICE_DESCRIPTION = Constants.SERVICE_DESCRIPTION;

 @Reference
 private ResourceCollectionManager rcManager;
public void execute(WorkItem workItem, WorkflowSession workflowSession) throws Exception {
    Session session = workflowSession.getSession();
    WorkflowData data = workItem.getWorkflowData();
    String path = null;
    String type = data.getPayloadType();
    if (type.equals(TYPE_JCR_PATH) && data.getPayload() != null) {
        String payloadData = (String) data.getPayload();
        if (session.itemExists(payloadData)) {
            path = payloadData;
        }
    } else if (data.getPayload() != null && type.equals(TYPE_JCR_UUID)) {
        Node node = session.getNodeByUUID((String) data.getPayload());
        path = node.getPath();
    }

    // CUSTOMIZED CODE IF REQUIRED....

    if (path != null) {
        // check for resource collection
        ResourceCollection rcCollection = ResourceCollectionUtil.getResourceCollection((Node)session.getItem(path), rcManager);
        // get list of paths to replicate (no resource collection: size == 1
        // otherwise size >= 1
        List<String> paths = getPaths(path, rcCollection);
        for (String aPath: paths) {

            // CUSTOMIZED CODE....

        }
    } else {
        log.warn("Cannot process because path is null for this " + "workitem: " + workItem.toString());
    }
}

/**
 * helper
 */
private List<String> getPaths(String path, ResourceCollection rcCollection) {
    List<String> paths = new ArrayList<String>();
    if (rcCollection == null) {
        paths.add(path);
    } else {
        log.debug("ResourceCollection detected " + rcCollection.getPath());
        // this is a resource collection. the collection itself is not
        // replicated. only its members
        try {
            List<Node> members = rcCollection.list(new String[]{"cq:Page", "dam:Asset"});
            for (Node member: members) {
                String mPath = member.getPath();
                paths.add(mPath);
            }
        } catch(RepositoryException re) {
            log.error("Cannot build path list out of the resource collection " + rcCollection.getPath());
        }
    }
    return paths;
}
}

Example: Creating a Custom Step example-creating-a-custom-step

An easy way to start creating your own custom step is to copy an existing step from:

/libs/cq/workflow/components/model

Creating the Basic Step creating-the-basic-step

Defining the Step Configure Dialog defining-the-step-configure-dialog

After Creating the Basic Step, define the step Configure dialog as follows:

Sample Markup used in this Example sample-markup-used-in-this-example

Markup for a custom step is be represented in the .content.xml of the component root node. The sample .content.xml used for this example:

/apps/cq/workflow/components/model/myCustomStep/.content.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:sling="https://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0" xmlns:cq="https://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0" xmlns:jcr="https://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0"
    cq:icon="bell"
    jcr:primaryType="cq:Component"
    jcr:title="My Custom Step"
    sling:resourceSuperType="cq/workflow/components/model/process"
    allowedParents="[*/parsys]"
    componentGroup="Workflow"/>

The _cq_editConfig.xml sample used in this example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:cq="https://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0" xmlns:jcr="https://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0" xmlns:nt="https://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
    cq:disableTargeting="{Boolean}true"
    cq:inherit="{Boolean}true"
    jcr:primaryType="cq:EditConfig">
    <cq:formParameters
        jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        jcr:title="My Custom Step Card"
        SAMPLE_PROPERY="sample value"/>
    <cq:listeners
        jcr:primaryType="cq:EditListenersConfig"
        afterdelete="CQ.workflow.flow.Step.afterDelete"
        afteredit="CQ.workflow.flow.Step.afterEdit"
        afterinsert="CQ.workflow.flow.Step.afterInsert"
        afterMove="REFRESH_PAGE"/>
</jcr:root>

The _cq_dialog/.content.xml sample used in this example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<jcr:root xmlns:sling="https://sling.apache.org/jcr/sling/1.0" xmlns:cq="https://www.day.com/jcr/cq/1.0" xmlns:jcr="https://www.jcp.org/jcr/1.0" xmlns:nt="https://www.jcp.org/jcr/nt/1.0"
    jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
    jcr:title="My Custom - Step Properties"
    sling:resourceType="cq/gui/components/authoring/dialog">
    <content
        jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
        sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/tabs">
        <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
            <common
                cq:hideOnEdit="true"
                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                jcr:title="Common"
                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/fixedcolumns"/>
            <process
                cq:hideOnEdit="true"
                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                jcr:title="Process"
                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/fixedcolumns"/>
            <mycommon
                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                jcr:title="Common"
                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/fixedcolumns">
                <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                    <columns
                        jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                        sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/container">
                        <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                            <title
                                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/textfield"
                                fieldLabel="Title"
                                name="./jcr:title"/>
                            <description
                                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/textarea"
                                fieldLabel="Description"
                                name="./jcr:description"/>
                        </items>
                    </columns>
                </items>
            </mycommon>
            <advanced
                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                jcr:title="Advanced"
                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/fixedcolumns">
                <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                    <columns
                        jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                        sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/container">
                        <items jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured">
                            <email
                                jcr:primaryType="nt:unstructured"
                                sling:resourceType="granite/ui/components/coral/foundation/form/checkbox"
                                fieldDescription="Notify user via email."
                                fieldLabel="Email"
                                name="./metaData/PROCESS_AUTO_ADVANCE"
                                text="Notify user via email."
                                value="true"/>
                        </items>
                    </columns>
                </items>
            </advanced>
        </items>
    </content>
</jcr:root>