topic Setting task variables from Java in Alfresco Archive

Setting task variables from Java

fshipley — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:00:24 GMT

Hi,Can anyone tell me the "best" (recommended) way of updating task variables from Java ?I have tried using both the jBPM TaskInstance.setVariable() and the Alfresco WorkflowService.updateTask() methods, however I am not getting the required result.The property I need to update (my:status) is define

Re: Setting task variables from Java

davidc — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 12:09:49 GMT

Hi Frank,

Both of your solutions should work.

The taskInstance.setVariable() method seems to update the property OK, because if I do a taskInstance.getVariable() straight after, I get the correct value … however it gets set back to the old value somewhere else along the line.

How are you retrieving the value later on in the process?

I'll have a go at this myself, but can't guarantee when!

Re: Setting task variables from Java

fshipley — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 19:55:50 GMT

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply. Now I know I'm on the right track, I've done a few more tests…

It works OK when I set a variable from the task-create and task-end events. It also works from the very first task-assign event. The task-assign event also gets fired every time you save a task (from the manage task dialog). Setting a variable doesn't seem to work in those subsequent task-assign events (although I'm not 100% sure).

My requirement is in fact to update the task status automatically once the user has set a start date and saved the task. Maybe you have another solution or work-around.

Please don't waste your time trying to reproduce my problem. Any ideas off the top of your head would be appreciated.

Thanks again,
Frank

Re: Setting task variables from Java

davidc — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:26:37 GMT

The task-assign event also gets fired every time you save a task (from the manage task dialog).

I think that's a bug - it should only fire task-assign, when the task is first assigned to a person, or subsequently re-assigned - not on every save. I'll raise a JIRA issue.

My requirement is in fact to update the task status automatically once the user has set a start date and saved the task.

Unfortunately, there isn't a task-updated event to hook into - only task-end, but that's too late for you - the status is automatically set to completed, on task end, anyway. I'll add a JIRA enhancement for task-updated.

The only thing that comes to mind is to override the task dialog bean in the web client, and add the start date/status behaviour there.

We have thought about adding explicit "start/suspend task" buttons to the task dialog which maintain dates & status for the user.