re-opening closed process and setting to praticular task

[danielporter1]

Hi there,

I'm working on re-opening a process and setting it to the last task in the workflow by directly modifying the database. Right now I'm changing information in 8 tables - adding an execution, adding an act_ru_task, adding a new act_hi_actinst, adding a new act_hi_taskinst, modifying the act_hi_procinst to stop saying the task is closed, adding candidate groups to act_ru_identitylink, copying the vars from act_hi_varinst to act_ru_variable, and incrementing the application's id counter in act_ge_property.

This seems to work sometimes, but not all of the time, and can't tell why that is. In the times it fails, I get the error pasted at the bottom. It's a null pointer exception that seems to get thrown when finish task gets called.

I've also pasted the postgresql stored procedure and the method invocation I'm using the re-open the task. It can be trivially modified to work on another activiti process.

Does anyone have any ideas why this would happen? I've tried to be thorough but apparently I'm missing something. Wondering if I need to give in and figure out how to run the engine code with intellij. Hoping to avoid that.

Thanks so much!

05:25:00,420 [http-nio-8080-exec-10] ERROR org.activiti.rest.exception.ExceptionHandlerAdvice  - Unhandled exception
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity.signal(ExecutionEntity.java:406)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.persistence.entity.TaskEntity.complete(TaskEntity.java:203)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cmd.CompleteTaskCmd.execute(CompleteTaskCmd.java:52)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cmd.CompleteTaskCmd.execute(CompleteTaskCmd.java:24)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cmd.NeedsActiveTaskCmd.execute(NeedsActiveTaskCmd.java:59)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandInvoker.execute(CommandInvoker.java:24)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContextInterceptor.execute(CommandContextInterceptor.java:57)
        at org.activiti.spring.SpringTransactionInterceptor$1.doInTransaction(SpringTransactionInterceptor.java:47)
        at org.springframework.transaction.support.TransactionTemplate.execute(TransactionTemplate.java:133)
        at org.activiti.spring.SpringTransactionInterceptor.execute(SpringTransactionInterceptor.java:45)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.LogInterceptor.execute(LogInterceptor.java:31)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cfg.CommandExecutorImpl.execute(CommandExecutorImpl.java:40)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.cfg.CommandExecutorImpl.execute(CommandExecutorImpl.java:35)
        at org.activiti.engine.impl.TaskServiceImpl.complete(TaskServiceImpl.java:179)
        at org.activiti.rest.service.api.runtime.task.TaskResource.completeTask(TaskResource.java:126)
        at org.activiti.rest.service.api.runtime.task.TaskResource.executeTaskAction(TaskResource.java:78)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:497)
        at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.doInvoke(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:221)
        at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:137)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:110)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandleMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:777)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:706)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:85)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:943)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:877)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:966)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:868)
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:644)
        at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:842)
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:725)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:291)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:239)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:330)
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:118)
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:84)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:113)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:103)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:113)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:154)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:45)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.www.BasicAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(BasicAuthenticationFilter.java:201)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:110)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:57)
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:87)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:50)
        at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:342)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:192)
        at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:160)
        at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:344)
        at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:261)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:239)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:219)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:106)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:142)
        at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:79)
        at org.apache.catalina.valves.AbstractAccessLogValve.invoke(AbstractAccessLogValve.java:610)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:88)
        at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:537)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.AbstractHttp11Processor.process(AbstractHttp11Processor.java:1081)
        at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$AbstractConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:658)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11NioProtocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11NioProtocol.java:222)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1566)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.run(NioEndpoint.java:1523)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)

create or replace function setClosedProcessToManagerReview(proc_inst_id character varying (64), proc_def_id character varying(64))
returns BOOLEAN  LANGUAGE plpgsql AS
$$
BEGIN

INSERT INTO act_ru_execution select id_, 1, proc_inst_id_, business_key_, null, proc_def_id_, null, 'a5managerreview', true, false, true, false, 1, 2, '', null, null
FROM act_hi_procinst
WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_task
SELECT (SELECT cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) FROM act_ru_task) as id_,
2,
proc_inst_id,
proc_inst_id,
proc_def_id, 'Manager Review', null , null, 'a5managerreview', null, null, null, 50, now(), null, null, 1, '', '/app/viewdocument/review/'
–FROM act_ru_task
–WHERE id_= (select cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) as character varying (64)) from act_ru_task);

INSERT INTO act_hi_actinst
SELECT (select cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) from act_hi_actinst), proc_def_id, proc_inst_id, proc_inst_id, 'a5managerreview',
(SELECT id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id), null, 'Manager Review', 'userTask', null, now(), null, null, '';

INSERT INTO act_hi_taskinst
select id_, proc_def_id_, task_def_key_, proc_inst_id_, execution_id_, name_,
null, null, null, assignee_, create_time_, null, null, null, null, 50, null, form_key_, category_, tenant_id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

UPDATE act_hi_procinst
SET end_time_ = null, duration_=null, end_act_id_ = null
WHERE proc_inst_id_ =  proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_variable
SELECT id_, rev_, var_type_, name_, execution_id_, proc_inst_id_, task_id_, bytearray_id_, double_, long_, text_, text2_
FROM act_hi_varinst
WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_identitylink
SELECT (SELECT cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) FROM act_ru_identitylink),
1, 'ProjectLeader', 'candidate', null, (SELECT id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id), null, null;
return true;
END;
$$;
select setClosedProcessToManagerReview(proc_inst_id_, 'documentupload:3:220008') from act_hi_procinst
WHERE end_time_ is not null AND end_act_id_ = 'a6goodocrfinish' AND delete_reason_ is null;

[danielporter1]

Oops, posted the the wrong stored proc code. This is the invocation I was actually using:

create or replace function setClosedProcessToManagerReview(proc_inst_id character varying (64), proc_def_id character varying(64))
returns BOOLEAN  LANGUAGE plpgsql AS
$$
BEGIN

INSERT INTO act_ru_execution select id_, 1, proc_inst_id_, business_key_, null, proc_def_id_, null, 'a5managerreview', true, false, true, false, 1, 2, '', null, null
FROM act_hi_procinst
WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_task
SELECT (SELECT cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) FROM act_ru_task) as id_,
2,
proc_inst_id,
proc_inst_id,
proc_def_id, 'Manager Review', null , null, 'a5managerreview', null, null, null, 50, now(), null, null, 1, '', '/app/viewdocument/review/';

INSERT INTO act_hi_actinst
SELECT (select cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) from act_hi_actinst), proc_def_id, proc_inst_id, proc_inst_id, 'a5managerreview',
(SELECT id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id), null, 'Manager Review', 'userTask', null, now(), null, null, '';

INSERT INTO act_hi_taskinst
select id_, proc_def_id_, task_def_key_, proc_inst_id_, execution_id_, name_,
null, null, null, assignee_, create_time_, null, null, null, null, 50, null, form_key_, category_, tenant_id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

UPDATE act_hi_procinst
SET end_time_ = null, duration_=null, end_act_id_ = null
WHERE proc_inst_id_ =  proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_variable
SELECT id_, rev_, var_type_, name_, execution_id_, proc_inst_id_, task_id_, bytearray_id_, double_, long_, text_, text2_
FROM act_hi_varinst
WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id;

INSERT INTO act_ru_identitylink
SELECT (SELECT cast(max(cast(id_ as int)) + 3 as character varying (64)) FROM act_ru_identitylink),
1, 'ProjectLeader', 'candidate', null, (SELECT id_ FROM act_ru_task WHERE proc_inst_id_ = proc_inst_id), null, null;
return true;
END;
$$;
select setClosedProcessToManagerReview(proc_inst_id_, 'documentupload:23:1722512') from act_hi_procinst
WHERE end_time_ is not null AND end_act_id_ = 'a6goodocrfinish' AND delete_reason_ is null;

[martin_grofcik]

Hi Daniel,

From my point of view the the described approach to get the last task of the process alive again is wrong. What is done - is done.

1. you can encapsulate the last task to the subprocess. When the process is completed and you want to create new last task process, just create new process from these subprocess.
2. add message event with loop back + timer intermediate events to the end of the process. Process instance will wait some time and when message (to make last task alive again) comes the loop brings execution to the task again

Regards
Martin

[thuynh]

bp3‌

Hi Daniel,

Sorry for super late reply here. 

Just want to check in with you whether this is still an issue for you that needs our help to resolve? 

If it is, please elaborate what you're trying to do a bit more clear please? You said you want to:

re-opening a process and setting it to the last task

by

by directly modifying the database

Let's stop here. First of all, directly manipulating the database of the activiti-engine is totally a wrong approach. This is not supported by product and is very likely to break the entire engine.

Instead, please let us know your use case and what you are trying to achieve. What do you mean by 'setting it to the last task'? 

Thank you,