Workflow Tutorial: Input Data and Passing Parameters
Filed under:
Workflow Solution
Basics
Submitted by Craig Walker on 21 February, 2008 - 10:21.
Learn the finer points (and the not-so-fine points) involved in creating a project that passes information for future use.
Prerequisites: None
Objective: To create a project which displays the use of information passing in Forms (Windows).
Estimated time to complete: 30 minutes
Step 1: Create a New Project
To begin, create a new Forms (Windows) project. The Forms (Windows) project can be selected from the main page when you first run Workflow Designer.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Project
In order for this project to work properly, you must also specify input variables. These input variables dictate what and in what format data is added to your project for use as input. Click the Input Data entry from the Project Info box on the left-hand side of the screen.
Name one of these variables "Name" and the other "Email." Set both variables to type "Text," and check their Null Allowed checkboxes.
Return to your project's main model by selecting the Model: Primary tab at the top of the screen.
Drag-and-drop a new FormBuilder component from your toolbox to the main project model. The FormBuilder component is located under the Web User Interface category.
Step 3: Setup the FormBuilder Component
Double-click on your FormBuilder component. The Edit Form window will appear. Drag-and-drop two Label components from your Edit Form form toolbox to your form:
Right-click on one of the Labels and select Edit Component. In the Edit Value window, enter "Name" in the Textfield:
Click the OK button to accept changes. Right-click on the other Label and select Edit Component. Similarly to shown and described above, specify the Text field for this label. Set this label's text to "Email." Click the OK button to save changes.
Next, drag two Textboxes and a Button to your form. Arrange them as shown below:
Right-click on the Textbox next to the Label marked "Name." Select Edit Component. The Edit Value window will appear. Select the Data tab:
Click the ... button to the right of the Output Data field. In the Select Variable Name window, first check the Include optional data checkbox. Then, select the "Name" variable and click the OK button. Click the OK button in the Edit Value window to accept changes.
Repeat the above process for the other Textbox. Instead of selecting "Name" in the Select Variable Name window, however, select "Email."
Click the OK buttons in all windows until you return to the Edit Form window.
Right-click on your Button and select Edit Component. Select the Behavior tab:
Specify "Go" as your path name by typing "Go" in the Path Name field. Click the OK button to accept changes.
Right-click on the top-most Textbox and select Required>>Go. Repeat this process for the Textbox under it:
Click the OK button in the Edit Form window to accept changes to your form.
Step 4: Complete Editions on Your Main Model
Select your FormBuilder component and select Edit>>Copy from your menu bar. Paste the copy of your FormBuilder in your model by selecting Edit>>Paste from your menu bar. Connect your two FormBuilders as shown below:
Step 5: Run and Test Your Project
Run your project by selecting the Debug icon on your toolbar. This icon appears as a bug with a green arrow over it.
In the window which appears, double-click on the blue composer.aspx link. Your project will initially ask you for two input variables (the variables specified in Step 2):
Enter your name and email address in the appropriate fields and click the OK button. Your project will begin executing.
A browser window will appear displaying the form you designed for your FormBuilder component. Placed in the two appropriate textboxes will be your entered name and email address:
Click the Go button in the browser window, and your project will complete execution. When execution is complete, your browser will display the following page:
Workflow Designer will display the complete results of the execution, including an execution path and an execution history:
Finished!
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Great Intros
These are great step by step guides that are generic enough for getting components built, and flexible to be very good building blocks for what ever "widget" is needed.