topic Re: write and read a variable from an object in Alfresco Archive

write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:36:39 GMT

I don't know why it's doesn't work, to write the variable in the object and then to read it. <userTask id="chooseAddName" name="Choose add Name" activiti:candidateGroups="st"> <extensionElements> <activiti:formProperty id="addName" name="Add name" expression="#{st

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:11:14 GMT

Are you using runtimeService.startProcess() or formService.submitStartForm()? Because, when you're using plain "startProcess", you're just submitting RAW variables, the form-properties definitions are ignored.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:19:18 GMT

Ok now I'm using FormService formService = activitiRule.getFormService();

 
StAppInfo stInfo= new StAppInfo ();
Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();

stInfo.setStName("June Muller");

variables.put("stAppInfo ", stInfo);
variables.put("addName", "Bernd Hauch");
  
formService.submitStartFormData(definition.getId(), variables);

But how can I submit this now ?
If I select this then I have to submit a Map<String, Object> and a Map<String, String> .
But how can I submit then two with the submitStartFormData? Or how can I just submit my Map<String, Object> variables ?

The method submitStartFormData(String, Map<String,String>) in the type FormService is not applicable for the arguments (String, Map<String,Object>)

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:52:12 GMT

Form-properties have a couple of string->object conversions out of the box: date, long, … If you want to use another type of "form property", you can create custom types. However, the form-properties are intended to be used in combination with form-technologies. If you want to populate the process vita stuff that does not come from a form (e.g.. a new instance of StAppInfo), you should just use startProcess(…) and pass in the map<string, object>.

Later on in the process, you can have TASK-forms that can use the stdAppInfo-pojo in their form-properties.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:27:47 GMT

ok. When I go back to my question:

If I ask which addName is inside it gives me null:
assertEquals("Bernd Hauch", stInfo.getAddName());

How can I fix that now, when the method submitStartFormData(String, Map<String,String>) says that I can't use my variables to submit it?
Variables:

StAppInfo stInfo= new StAppInfo ();
Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();
stInfo.setStName("June Muller");
variables.put("stAppInfo ", stInfo);
variables.put("addName", "Bernd Hauch");

I don't understand it.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:46:26 GMT

I tried it now like this: But I get still an error message

       FormService formService = activitiRule.getFormService();
  TaskService taskService = activitiRule.getTaskService();
  RuntimeService runtimeService = activitiRule.getRuntimeService();
  
                Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();
  StAppInfo stInfo= new StAppInfo ();
                variables.put("stAppInfo ", stInfo);

runtimeService.startProcessInstanceByKey("part1XorAdvisor", variables);     //NullPointerException
    
  Task task = taskService.createTaskQuery().singleResult();
  Map<String, String> formProperties = new HashMap<String, String>();
  formProperties.put("addName", "Bernd Hauch");
  formProperties.put("addEmail", "addr@email.de");  
  formProperties.put("requestAccepted", "true"); // Test with input == true

formService.submitTaskFormData(task.getId(), formProperties);
  
  assertEquals("searchANameAsAdd", task.getTaskDefinitionKey());
  System.out.println("should be Bernd Hauch: " + studentInfo.getAdvisorName());  //but is null

Re: write and read a variable from an object

jbarrez — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:30:14 GMT

Where is the 'studentInfo' variable coming from? It would be easier for us if you could provide a simple unit test.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:19:32 GMT

"studentInfo" variable is a writing mistake.

here again my bpmn20.xml, my test and the error message:

bpmn20.xml:

<process id="part1ChooseAdd">
  <startEvent id="start"></startEvent>
  <sequenceFlow id="flow129" sourceRef="start"
   targetRef="searchAPrAsAdd"></sequenceFlow>
  <userTask id="searchAPrAsAdd" name="search a pr as add"
   activiti:candidateGroups="student">
   <extensionElements>
    <activiti:formProperty id="addName" name="Add name"
     expression="#{stAppInfo.addName}" required="true" />
    <activiti:formProperty id="addEmail" name="Add Email"
     expression="#{stAppInfo.addEmail}" required="true" />
   </extensionElements>
  </userTask>
  <sequenceFlow id="flow2" name="" sourceRef="searchAPrAsAdd"
   targetRef="theEnd"></sequenceFlow>
  <endEvent id="theEnd"></endEvent>

My Test:

public class ChooseAddTest {

 @Rule
 public ActivitiRule activitiRule = new ActivitiRule("activiti.cfg-mem.xml");
 @Autowired
 private RuntimeService runtimeService;

 @Autowired
 private TaskService taskService;
 
 @Autowired
 private FormService formService;
 @Test
 // deploys process with form properties
 @Deployment(resources = { "part1Application/chooseAdd.bpmn20.xml" })
 public void testChooseAdd() {

  Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();
  stAppInfo studentInfo = new stAppInfo();
  variables.put("stAppInfo", studentInfo);
  runtimeService.startProcessInstanceByKey("part1ChooseAdd", variables);

  Task task = taskService.createTaskQuery().singleResult();

  Map<String, String> formProperties = new HashMap<String, String>();
  formProperties.put("addName", "Bernd Hauch");
  formProperties.put("addEmail", "advisorATemail.com"); 
  formService.submitTaskFormData(task.getId(), formProperties);
  

  System.out.println("sould be Bernd Hauch: " + studentInfo.getaddName());
 }
}

error message: (ChooseAddTest.java:66) is runtimeService.startProcessInstanceByKey("part1ChooseAdd", variables);

java.lang.NullPointerException
 at org.bpmwithactiviti.part1ApplicationTest.ChooseAddTest.testChooseAdd(ChooseAddTest.java:66)
 at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
 at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
 at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
 at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
 at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:15)
 at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:41)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:20)
 at org.junit.rules.TestWatchman$1.evaluate(TestWatchman.java:48)
 at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:76)
 at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:50)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:193)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:52)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:191)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:42)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:184)
 at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:236)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:50)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:467)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:683)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:390)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:197)

For my test:
I think that I need to submit the
Map<String, Object> variables = new HashMap<String, Object>();
stAppInfo studentInfo = new stAppInfo();
variables.put("stAppInfo", studentInfo);
because the bpmn20.xml file want to store the variable addName and addEmail in the stAppInfo Object.

Then I think I also need to submit the variable values/names
Map<String, String> formProperties = new HashMap<String, String>();
formProperties.put("addName", "Bernd Hauch");
formProperties.put("addEmail", "advisorATemail.com");

Can you explain me how this works in the right way with the "double" submitting ?

Re: write and read a variable from an object

jbarrez — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:46:28 GMT

@Autowired
private RuntimeService runtimeService;

You are trying to inject the runtime service using a Spring autowired annotation. But you arent using a spring container, but Activiti standalone.

Remove the lines above and use activitiRule.getRuntimeService() where needed.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:47:24 GMT

You're doing it the right way, only your "runtimeService" is null, that the only thing that can cause NPE on that line…

error message: (ChooseAddTest.java:66) is runtimeService.startProcessInstanceByKey("part1ChooseAdd", variables);

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 06:57:28 GMT

Ok thank you. I deleted the @Autowired private RuntimeService runtimeService;

Now its going further.
But I get still the error message that the value of studentInfo.getAdvisorName() is null:
System.out.println("sould be Bernd Hauch: " + studentInfo.getaddName());

Now I tried it with:

List<HistoricDetail> historyVariables = activitiRule.getHistoryService().createHistoricDetailQuery().variableUpdates()
         .orderByVariableName().asc().list();
    assertNotNull(historyVariables);

    assertEquals(1, historyVariables.size());
    HistoricVariableUpdate stAppUpdate = ((HistoricVariableUpdate) historyVariables.get(0));

    assertEquals("stAppInfo", stAppUpdate.getVariableName());
    StAppInfo  saii = (StAppInfo) stAppUpdate.getValue();
    //saii.getAdvisorName() is null
    assertEquals("Bernd Hauch", saii.getAddName());

But it says the same that saii.getAdvisorName() is null.

Ho can I get access to my stored values of the variables addName and addEmail ?

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:47:50 GMT

Could you perhaps write a unit-test (look at the sticky in the forum with good guidance how to do this) and upload this somewhere we can access it? Because pasting snippets back and forth won't take us anywhere…

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:37:37 GMT

I put it into a zip. Here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7vdamm700650jse/propertyTestTomi87.zip

I have problems to use Gists.

Hope it's ok for you.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:53:53 GMT

I dont know if this works but I created now here:
https://github.com/tomi87/propertyTestTomi87.git

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:50:40 GMT

Discovered what the issue is here. A serializable-value is handled differently than any other variables, since it can be altered in-memory. They are, when the context closes, checked for modification and flushed to the database, without an explicit "setVariable()" command. The code involved:


public void flush() {
    // this first check verifies if the variable value was not overwritten with another object
    if (deserializedObject==variableInstanceEntity.getCachedValue()) {
      byte[] bytes = SerializableType.serialize(deserializedObject, variableInstanceEntity);
      if (!Arrays.equals(originalBytes, bytes)) {
        variableInstanceEntity
          .getByteArrayValue()
          .setBytes(bytes);
      }
    }
  }

This works as expected, but down not update the historic detail-value, because there is no explicit "setVariable()" command called, so no historic detail can be recorded. If you would have an additional (service/receive) tasks after the task, you would see that the RUNTIME variable is indeed altered. Workaround for this is to add an additional service-task (or script-task) after the userTask, that does nothing more than call "execution.setVariable(execution.getVariable("stInfo")".

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 06:56:02 GMT

Hey thank you for the tipp.
But It doesn't work right.

<scriptTask id="scrpt" name="Execute script" scriptFormat="groovy">
<script>
execution.setVariable(execution.getVariable("stInfo")
</script>
</scriptTask>

You are sure that it should: getVariable("stInfo") ?

And I get this error:

org.activiti.engine.ActivitiException: problem evaluating script: org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed:
Script1.groovy: 1: unexpected token:  @ line 1, column 60.
   on.getVariable("stInfo")
                                  ^

1 error

 at org.activiti.engine.impl.scripting.ScriptingEngines.evaluate(ScriptingEngines.java:71)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.bpmn.behavior.ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.execute(ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.java:51)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AtomicOperationActivityExecute.execute(AtomicOperationActivityExecute.java:44)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext.performOperation(CommandContext.java:85)
…

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:52:06 GMT

Perhaps end with an ';'

unexpected token: @ line 1, column 60.

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:56:43 GMT

I tried it with an ";" too. But the same error message.

org.activiti.engine.ActivitiException: problem evaluating script: org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed:
Script1.groovy: 1: unexpected token:  @ line 1, column 61.
   n.getVariable("stInfo"); 
                                 ^

1 error

 at org.activiti.engine.impl.scripting.ScriptingEngines.evaluate(ScriptingEngines.java:71)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.bpmn.behavior.ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.execute(ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.java:51)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AtomicOperationActivityExecute.execute(AtomicOperationActivityExecute.java:44)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext.performOperation(CommandContext.java:85)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.performOperationSync(ExecutionEntity.java:535)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.performOperation(ExecutionEntity.java:530)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AtomicOperationTransitionNotifyListenerStart.eventNotificationsCompleted(AtomicOperationTransitionNotifyListenerStart.java:52)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AbstractEventAtomicOperation.execute(AbstractEventAtomicOperation.java:56)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext.performOperation(CommandContext.java:85)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.performOperationSync(ExecutionEntity.java:535)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.performOperation(ExecutionEntity.java:530)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AbstractEventAtomicOperation.execute(AbstractEventAtomicOperation.java:49)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext.performOperation(CommandContext.java:85)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.performOperationSync(ExecutionEntity.java:535)

Re: write and read a variable from an object

frederikherema1 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:01:25 GMT

Please CHECK your code before posting to forum, I'm not a groovy-compiler/interpreter . You're missing a closing bracket!

Re: write and read a variable from an object

tomi87 — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:44:22 GMT

OMG! Thank you!

But now I get this error:

org.activiti.engine.ActivitiException: problem evaluating script: javax.script.ScriptException: groovy.lang.MissingMethodException: No signature of method: org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.setVariable() is applicable for argument types: (null) values: [null]
Possible solutions: getVariable(java.lang.String), setVariable(java.lang.String, java.lang.Object), setVariables(java.util.Map), getVariables(), hasVariable(java.lang.String), hasVariables()
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.scripting.ScriptingEngines.evaluate(ScriptingEngines.java:71)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.bpmn.behavior.ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.execute(ScriptTaskActivityBehavior.java:51)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.pvm.runtime.AtomicOperationActivityExecute.execute(AtomicOperationActivityExecute.java:44)
 at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext.performOperation(CommandContext.java:80)