topic Re: How to extend Modeler? in Alfresco Archive

How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 19:37:46 GMT

I want to add my own task type to the Modeler palette.Is there a good example I can follow?I was told Modeler accepts the same extensions as Designer, but I'm unclear how to get started on this.Thanks!-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

jbarrez — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 09:12:30 GMT

Afaik, the modeler uses 'stencilsets' and it should be easy to add new stuff to. At least that is what Tijs sold us 😉

I'll ping him to answer.

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 09:18:35 GMT

Hi,

With the stencilset.json file you can create every element and attribute group you want, so in that sense it has all capabilities.
You would need some coding for translating the Modeler JSON of a new element to a Java class and then to BPMN XML (and vice versa if you need that).
I'll see if I can put together a tutorial for that.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:38:56 GMT

Hi Tijs,

yes, if you could provide a little example that would be great.

Will this work incrementally, i.e. can I just add another webapp, or do I need to modify the existing webapp?

Thanks!
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:42:11 GMT

Hi Max,

You can add another webapp and use the activiti-modeler module, that should work.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:54:10 GMT

Hi Tijs,

I make some progress in extending the Modeler.

So far I have basically "hacked" my extension into the activiti-webapp-explorer2 module by copying&modifying the script task definitions.
That gives me something in the Modeler editor.
I'm still unclear how I would do this by giving another webapp, but that's a minor problem at the moment.

I'm now trying to do a similar "hack" in the activiti-bpmn-converter and activiti-bpmn-model modules, by copying&modifying what's there for script task.
It doesn't feel right, though, because with Designer my extension ended up as a serviceTask.
So I guess I should also get a serviceTask with a Modeler extension, right?

Can you please give me some word of advice here?

Thanks!
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:13:38 GMT

Hi,

If you change the activiti-json-converter and the stencilset.json you can create every BPMN element you want for your custom palette element.
So if you want to have a service task then you can transform your custom element to a service task in the activiti-json-converter.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:29:43 GMT

I made some progress.
I added a JenkinsTaskJsonConverter which populates a ServiceTask object.

There's a strange problem when I try to deploy this workflow, though.
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1917727/20130125-131922.png[/img]

(I'm using the user task's SVG for the time being, until I have figured out the proper "art work".)


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<definitions xmlns="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:activiti="http://activiti.org/bpmn" xmlns:bpmndi="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/DI" xmlns:smileysurprised:mgdc="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DC" xmlns:smileysurprised:mgdi="http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI" typeLanguage="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" expressionLanguage="http://www.w3.org/1999/XPath" targetNamespace="http://www.activiti.org/test">
  <process id="process" name="process1" isExecutable="true">
    <startEvent id="sid-2BB933AE-E0AE-48D2-9ACC-B5EC35AD3687"></startEvent>
    <sequenceFlow id="sid-974EF4BD-0E76-4983-B84D-FA92053B98DC" sourceRef="sid-2BB933AE-E0AE-48D2-9ACC-B5EC35AD3687" targetRef="jtID"></sequenceFlow>
    <endEvent id="sid-65043A85-6BAD-4616-AD1E-FF3FA8D64D4B"></endEvent>
    <serviceTask id="jtID" name="jenkins task" activiti:exclusive="false" activiti:class="com.cisco.step.jenkins.plugins.jenkow.JenkinsTaskDelegate">
      <documentation>docs</documentation>
      <extensionElements>
        <activiti:field name="jobName" stringValue="launchee"></activiti:field>
        <activiti:field name="isManualJobLaunchMode" stringValue="true"></activiti:field>
      </extensionElements>
    </serviceTask>
    <sequenceFlow id="sid-BDAE7F44-F378-4981-8857-6ADA7C191757" sourceRef="jtID" targetRef="sid-65043A85-6BAD-4616-AD1E-FF3FA8D64D4B"></sequenceFlow>
  </process>
  <bpmndi:BPMNDiagram id="BPMNDiagram_process">
    <bpmndi:BPMNPlane bpmnElement="process" id="BPMNPlane_process">
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape bpmnElement="sid-2BB933AE-E0AE-48D2-9ACC-B5EC35AD3687" id="BPMNShape_sid-2BB933AE-E0AE-48D2-9ACC-B5EC35AD3687">
        <omgdc:Bounds height="30.0" width="30.0" x="139.5" y="130.0"></omgdc:Bounds>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape bpmnElement="jtID" id="BPMNShape_jtID">
        <omgdc:Bounds height="80.0" width="100.0" x="240.0" y="105.0"></omgdc:Bounds>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNShape bpmnElement="sid-65043A85-6BAD-4616-AD1E-FF3FA8D64D4B" id="BPMNShape_sid-65043A85-6BAD-4616-AD1E-FF3FA8D64D4B">
        <omgdc:Bounds height="28.0" width="28.0" x="390.0" y="131.0"></omgdc:Bounds>
      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge bpmnElement="sid-974EF4BD-0E76-4983-B84D-FA92053B98DC" id="BPMNEdge_sid-974EF4BD-0E76-4983-B84D-FA92053B98DC">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="169.5" y="145.0"></omgdi:waypoint>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge bpmnElement="sid-BDAE7F44-F378-4981-8857-6ADA7C191757" id="BPMNEdge_sid-BDAE7F44-F378-4981-8857-6ADA7C191757">
        <omgdi:waypoint x="390.0" y="145.0"></omgdi:waypoint>
      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
    </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
  </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>
</definitions>

It gives this exception:


SEVERE: Error while closing command context
org.activiti.engine.ActivitiException: cvc-complex-type.2.4.b: The content of element 'bpmndi:BPMNEdge' is not complete. One of '{"http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI':waypoint}' is expected. | Demo model.bpmn20.xml | line 29 | column 25
cvc-complex-type.2.4.b: The content of element 'bpmndi:BPMNEdge' is not complete. One of '{"http://www.omg.org/spec/DD/20100524/DI':waypoint}' is expected. | Demo model.bpmn20.xml | line 32 | column 25
Minimum 2 waypoint elements must be definted for a 'BPMNEdge' | Demo model.bpmn20.xml | line 27 | column 134
Minimum 2 waypoint elements must be definted for a 'BPMNEdge' | Demo model.bpmn20.xml | line 30 | column 134

        at org.activiti.engine.impl.util.xml.Parse.throwActivitiExceptionForErrors(Parse.java:186)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.bpmn.parser.BpmnParse.execute(BpmnParse.java:242)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.bpmn.deployer.BpmnDeployer.deploy(BpmnDeployer.java:92)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.deploy.DeploymentCache.deploy(DeploymentCache.java:38)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.DeploymentManager.insertDeployment(DeploymentManager.java:44)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cmd.DeployCmd.execute(DeployCmd.java:61)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cmd.DeployCmd.execute(DeployCmd.java:33)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandExecutorImpl.execute(CommandExecutorImpl.java:24)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContextInterceptor.execute(CommandContextInterceptor.java:60)
        at org.activiti.spring.SpringTransactionInterceptor$1.doInTransaction(SpringTransactionInterceptor.java:42)
        at org.springframework.transaction.support.TransactionTemplate.execute(TransactionTemplate.java:130)
        at org.activiti.spring.SpringTransactionInterceptor.execute(SpringTransactionInterceptor.java:40)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.LogInterceptor.execute(LogInterceptor.java:32)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.RepositoryServiceImpl.deploy(RepositoryServiceImpl.java:68)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.repository.DeploymentBuilderImpl.deploy(DeploymentBuilderImpl.java:119)
        at org.activiti.editor.ui.EditorProcessDefinitionDetailPanel.deployModel(EditorProcessDefinitionDetailPanel.java:256)
        at org.activiti.editor.ui.EditorProcessDefinitionDetailPanel$1.valueChange(EditorProcessDefinitionDetailPanel.java:153)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at com.vaadin.event.ListenerMethod.receiveEvent(ListenerMethod.java:490)
        at com.vaadin.event.EventRouter.fireEvent(EventRouter.java:164)
        at com.vaadin.ui.AbstractComponent.fireEvent(AbstractComponent.java:1193)
        at com.vaadin.ui.AbstractField.fireValueChange(AbstractField.java:891)
        at com.vaadin.ui.AbstractField.setValue(AbstractField.java:529)
        at com.vaadin.ui.AbstractSelect.setValue(AbstractSelect.java:666)
        at com.vaadin.ui.Select.changeVariables(Select.java:658)
        at com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.AbstractCommunicationManager.handleVariableBurst(AbstractCommunicationManager.java:1299)
        at com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.AbstractCommunicationManager.handleVariables(AbstractCommunicationManager.java:1219)
        at com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.AbstractCommunicationManager.doHandleUidlRequest(AbstractCommunicationManager.java:735)
        at com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.CommunicationManager.handleUidlRequest(CommunicationManager.java:296)
        at com.vaadin.terminal.gwt.server.AbstractApplicationServlet.service(AbstractApplicationServlet.java:501)
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:820)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder.handle(ServletHolder.java:511)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.ServletHandler.handle(ServletHandler.java:390)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.security.SecurityHandler.handle(SecurityHandler.java:216)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.servlet.SessionHandler.handle(SessionHandler.java:182)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandler.handle(ContextHandler.java:765)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.webapp.WebAppContext.handle(WebAppContext.java:418)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.ContextHandlerCollection.handle(ContextHandlerCollection.java:230)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerCollection.handle(HandlerCollection.java:114)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.handler.HandlerWrapper.handle(HandlerWrapper.java:152)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.Server.handle(Server.java:326)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handleRequest(HttpConnection.java:542)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection$RequestHandler.content(HttpConnection.java:943)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseNext(HttpParser.java:756)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpParser.parseAvailable(HttpParser.java:218)
        at org.mortbay.jetty.HttpConnection.handle(HttpConnection.java:404)
        at org.mortbay.io.nio.SelectChannelEndPoint.run(SelectChannelEndPoint.java:410)
        at org.mortbay.thread.QueuedThreadPool$PoolThread.run(QueuedThreadPool.java:582)

What could be the cause?

-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:56:44 GMT

Hi Max,

Are you using the current Github master version of the Modeler?
Can you sent me your source code so I can give it a try?

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:22:32 GMT

Hi Tijs,
I forked Activiti on Github and put my changes on a new branch "jenkow-0.3.0" from off branch "activiti-511":
https://github.com/m2spring/Activiti/commits/jenkow-0.3.0
Regards,
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:30:04 GMT

Hi Tijs,
Another data point: When I create the edge with an additional waypoint, I am able to deploy.
[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1917727/20130201-102532.png[/img]
Here, the corresponding BPMNEdge elements have two waypoints.
They should have three, of course.
For some reason, the waypoint at the Jenkins task box is missing.
I haven't figured out what my code is missing.
Maybe you have a word of advice?
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:24:08 GMT

Finally figured out this problem myself.

I missed this in BpmnJsonConverter:
DI_RECTANGLES.add(STENCIL_TASK_JENKINS);

I recommend to have some default logic, which applies when a stencil is none of these shapes.
This would avoid the problem I had.

-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:28:27 GMT

Hi Max,

Good to read that it's working now.
As I said earlier, the support for adding custom elements is not yet there.
Maybe you could write a blog post about this? Then we'll add it to the Activiti article list.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:05:58 GMT

Can I add it to the Wiki?
http://docs.codehaus.org/display/ACT/Home
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:36:04 GMT

Hi Max,

Yes adding it to the Wiki would be great.
Let me know if you don't have permission to do this.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:54:10 GMT

Hi Tijs,
yes, I would need the necessary permissions to edit the Wiki.
Can you please configure this?
I'm signed-up also as "m2spring" at Codehaus & Wiki.
Thanks!
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

trademak — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 07:33:33 GMT

Hi Max,

I added you to the list of developers and I'm expecting this also gives you confluence permissions.
Let me know if it works for you.

Best regards,

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:02:51 GMT

Hi Tijs,

thanks for giving me access to the Wiki.
I added this page:
http://docs.codehaus.org/display/ACT/Extending+Modeler+with+new+task+type

Regards,
-Max

Re: How to extend Modeler?

jbarrez — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:58:13 GMT

Thanks for writing that down, Max!

Re: How to extend Modeler?

m2spring — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 00:21:27 GMT

Hi Tijs,

I just added support for the process import feature to handle my Jenkins task.
https://github.com/m2spring/Activiti/commit/317383d963eb94df89f439258c600b6a9a8104c1
I'd appreciate your feedback on this.

It's clear that because I map Jenkins task onto Service task, the mapping back is more ugly, having to inspect the delegate class name.

How would you approach a general-purpose extension mechanism which could handle this too?

Regards,
-Max