How to start task in date

[gslamy]

Hello everybody!

I have some problem with start my task in date from "bpm_workflowDueDate" field.

I extracted date (if it works..):

    <startEvent id="startevent" name="Start" activiti:initiator="initiator" activiti:formKey="scwf:startstaff">  
      <extensionElements>
        <activiti:taskListener event="complete" class="org.alfresco.repo.workflow.activiti.tasklistener.ScriptTaskListener">
          <activiti:field name="script">
            <activiti:string>      
               <![CDATA[execution.setVariable('startdate', task.getVariableLocal('bpm_workflowDueDate'));]]>
            </activiti:string>
          </activiti:field>
        </activiti:taskListener>
      </extensionElements> 
    </startEvent>
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Now I need start next task in date from variable ("startdate"-3 days). I tried to add a timer, but I think it has a different date format and doesn't work.

Please, help me with this question, I can't find solution. Thank you.

[darkredd]

Hi,

Activiti timers use date formats in the ISO standard. You can use the Alfresco Utility method to convert the date you construct to the required format. http://docs.alfresco.com/4.1/references/API-JS-Utility-fromISO8601.html

[gslamy]

I am newbie. I don't understand how to use this code it in my workflow.bpmn. I have to paste it in <activiti:taskListener event="complete" class="org.alfresco.repo.workflow.activiti.tasklistener.ScriptTaskListener"> ?
If I got the date in variable "startdate", then how to use it in this code? Do I need only the number of days to use them between the tags <timeDate></timeDate>. Maybe there are other ways?

var date = new Date();
var timeInMillisecs = date.getTime(); 
var ISODate = utils.toISO8601(timeInMillisecs);
var origDate = utils.fromISO8601(ISODate);
‍‍‍‍‍‍

Could you give an example of the code within a workflow file?
Thank you in advance for your help!

[darkredd]

Hi,

I do not particularly have a workflow with what you are expecting, but I have a workflow that uses a timer like this:

    <boundaryEvent id="reminderTimer" name="Reminder Timer" attachedToRef="processingTask" cancelActivity="false">
      <timerEventDefinition>
        <timeDate>${reminderDate}</timeDate>
      </timerEventDefinition>
    </boundaryEvent>
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The boundryEvent is attached to a userTask. I do not think you can attach a timer to a start event though.
The date variable I set it in the script as follows:

execution.setVariable('reminderDate', utils.toISO8601(reminderDate));‍

If you are still not making any headway with this, I suggest you start by learning the basics of creating and deploying workflows.
Here is a like to get you started: http://jmuras.com/blog/2012/creation-of-workflow-in-alfresco-using-activiti-step-by-step/

Firstly, design a simple workflow before you start adding complex logic to your workflow designs; then you can start building up as you get to understand how everything fits together.

[gslamy]

Could I use variable "startdate" from:

    <startEvent id="startevent" name="Start" activiti:initiator="initiator" activiti:formKey="scwf:startstaff">  
      <extensionElements>
        <activiti:taskListener event="complete" class="org.alfresco.repo.workflow.activiti.tasklistener.ScriptTaskListener">
          <activiti:field name="script">
            <activiti:string>      
               <![CDATA[execution.setVariable('startdate', task.getVariableLocal(utils.toISO8601('bpm_workflowDueDate')));]]>
            </activiti:string>
          </activiti:field>
        </activiti:taskListener>
      </extensionElements>
    </startEvent>
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in my timer:

    <intermediateCatchEvent id="timerintermediatecatchevent1" name="TimerCatchEvent">
      <timerEventDefinition>
        <timeDate>${startdate}</timeDate>
      </timerEventDefinition>
    </intermediateCatchEvent>
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

[darkredd]

Hi,

<blockquote>The boundryEvent is attached to a userTask. I do not think you can attach a timer to a start event though.</blockquote>

You need to understand the way different components of the process definition work first. You cannot attach a timer to a start event since it is a starting task and not a waiting one. A start event only trigger for a very short while to kick start the workflow process. Once a task is dead the attached timer dies too therefore it will not fire.

I strong recommend you <strong>READ</strong> the Activiti user guide here: http://activiti.org/userguide/index.html#bpmnStartEvents

<blockquote>8.2.6. Start Events
A start event indicates where a process starts. The type of start event (process starts on arrival of message, on specific time intervals, etc.), defining how the process is started is shown as a small icon in the visual representation of the event. In the XML representation, the type is given by the declaration of a sub-element.

Start events are always catching: conceptually the event is (at any time) waiting until a certain trigger happens.

In a start event, following Activiti-specific properties can be specified:

initiator: identifies the variable name in which the authenticated user id will be stored when the process is started.<blockquote>
Example: 1

<startEvent id="request" activiti:initiator="initiator" />‍

[gslamy]

But I can attach a Timer to SequenceFlow: