Yes you can do this.I know that your post is old, but my problems are new.
The process is roughly, create a package, set up your properties, get the workflow, start a new instance of the workflow.
Here's a snippet of some java code I am working on at the moment that kicks off a new workflow and runs the start task.
…
In Alfresco version 2.1 I had a Java method which started worklow, with ugly workaround where I temporarily gave all rights to the user on whole Company Home.
// create workflow package out of package items
NodeRef packageNodeRef = WorkflowHelper.createWorkflowPackage(packageItemList);
Map<QName, Serializable> parameters = new HashMap<QName, Serializable>();
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.ASSOC_PACKAGE, packageNodeRef);
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.PROP_DESCRIPTION, taskComment);
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.PROP_WORKFLOW_DESCRIPTION, taskComment);
parameters.put(ContentModel.PROP_OWNER, initiatorUsername);
// if it is workflow with one assignee
if(workflow41AssigneeFlag) {
logger.debug("Workflow with one assignee.");
NodeRef nrAssignee = AlfrescoServices.getPersonService().getPerson(assigneeUsernameList.get(0));
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.ASSOC_ASSIGNEE, nrAssignee);
} else {
logger.debug("Workflow with multiple assignees.");
// if it is workflow with multiple assignees
ArrayList<NodeRef> assignees = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
for(String assigneeUsername : assigneeUsernameList) {
NodeRef nrAssignee = AlfrescoServices.getPersonService().getPerson(assigneeUsername);
if(nrAssignee != null) {
assignees.add(nrAssignee);
}
}
parameters.put(QName.createQName(BPM_ASSIGNEES_QNAME), assignees);
}
// task start date
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.PROP_START_DATE, new Date());
// task and workflow due date
if(dueDate != null) {
logger.debug("Due date: " + dueDate);
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.PROP_DUE_DATE, dueDate);
parameters.put(WorkflowModel.PROP_WORKFLOW_DUE_DATE, dueDate);
} else {
logger.warn("Due date not set.");
}
// set permission on Company Home for initiator
logger.debug("Setting permissions…");
NodeRef nrCompanyHome = WorkflowHelper.setPermissionForUserOnCompanyHomeNode(initiatorUsername, COMPANY_HOME_SET_PERMISSION);
logger.debug("Setting permissions…done.");
// start workflow
logger.debug("Workflow definition Id: " + workflowDefinition.id);
WorkflowPath path = null;
path = AlfrescoServices.getWorkflowService().startWorkflow(workflowDefinition.id, parameters);
// end start task
List<WorkflowTask> tasks = AlfrescoServices.getWorkflowService().getTasksForWorkflowPath(path.id);
WorkflowTask startTask = tasks.get(0);
AlfrescoServices.getWorkflowService().endTask(startTask.id, null);
// delete permission on Company Home for initiator
logger.debug("Deleting permissions…");
WorkflowHelper.deletePermissionForUserOnCompanyHomeNode(nrCompanyHome, initiatorUsername, initiatorUsername, COMPANY_HOME_SET_PERMISSION);
logger.debug("Deleting permissions…done.");
logger.info(String.format("Workflow %s started by user: %s", workflowName, initiatorUsername));
Code is snipped of a method, and it works in 2.1 version.
But when I put it in 3.2, it does not work, seems like my "magic" with Company Home does not work anymore. I get an error similar to this one (without first line):
http://forums.alfresco.com/en/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=35234
I noticed your post and Java code. I also noticed there is no meddling with permissions, and there are many new parameters unknown to me.
I tried something which worked for me in 2.1 version: I gave manually through web client rights on Company Home to user-initiator, but the error is still the same. Maybe user rights are not the issue after all.
Interesting, the same error occured while I was trying original Ad Hoc workflow from web client:
2011-05-27 09:17:43,351 INFO [STDOUT] 09:17:43,349 ERROR [ui.common.Utils] A system error happened during the operation: null
java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.JBPMEngine.getCompanyHome(JBPMEngine.java:2675)
at org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.JBPMEngine.access$300(JBPMEngine.java:129)
at org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.JBPMEngine$11.doInJbpm(JBPMEngine.java:686)
at org.springmodules.workflow.jbpm31.JbpmTemplate$1.doInHibernate(JbpmTemplate.java:87)
at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.HibernateTemplate.execute(HibernateTemplate.java:372)
at org.springframework.orm.hibernate3.HibernateTemplate.execute(HibernateTemplate.java:338)
at org.springmodules.workflow.jbpm31.JbpmTemplate.execute(JbpmTemplate.java:80)
at org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.JBPMEngine.startWorkflow(JBPMEngine.java:668)
at org.alfresco.repo.workflow.WorkflowServiceImpl.startWorkflow(WorkflowServiceImpl.java:330)
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)
…Maybe something is wrong with the system, JBPM jars?
Can you please elaborate your code, explain the function of parameters which go into Map, and how come there is no messing with properties which was necessary before?
