Setting task variables from Java

[fshipley]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the "best" (recommended) way of updating task variables from Java ?

I have tried using both the jBPM TaskInstance.setVariable() and the Alfresco WorkflowService.updateTask() methods, however I am not getting the required result.

The property I need to update (my:status) is defined in my custom task model:

<types>
   <type name="my:task">
      <parent>bpm:workflowTask</parent>
      <properties>
         <property name="my:status">
            <title>My status</title>
            <type>d:text</type>
         </property>
      </properties>
   </type>
</types>‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

I define the property my_status in my process definition:

<task-node name="myTaskNode">
   <task name="my:task">
      <event type="task-end">
         <action name="task-end" class="my.repo.workflow.jbpm.TaskEndActionHandler" config-type="bean">
            <status>The End</status>
         </action>
      </event>
      <controller>
         <variable name="my_status"/>
      </controller>
   </task>
</task-node>‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

I would like to update the my_status (my:status) property from the Java class my.repo.workflow.jbpm.TaskEndActionHandler (in the example).

I have tried:

taskInstance.setVariable("my_status", "The End");‍

and

workflowService.updateTask(globalId, taskProps, null, null);‍

The taskInstance.setVariable() method seems to update the property OK, because if I do a taskInstance.getVariable() straight after, I get the correct value … however it gets set back to the old value somewhere else along the line.

Can anyone help ?

Thanks,
Frank

[davidc]

Hi Frank,

Both of your solutions should work.

The taskInstance.setVariable() method seems to update the property OK, because if I do a taskInstance.getVariable() straight after, I get the correct value … however it gets set back to the old value somewhere else along the line.

How are you retrieving the value later on in the process?

I'll have a go at this myself, but can't guarantee when!

[fshipley]

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply. Now I know I'm on the right track, I've done a few more tests…

It works OK when I set a variable from the task-create and task-end events. It also works from the very first task-assign event. The task-assign event also gets fired every time you save a task (from the manage task dialog). Setting a variable doesn't seem to work in those subsequent task-assign events (although I'm not 100% sure).

My requirement is in fact to update the task status automatically once the user has set a start date and saved the task. Maybe you have another solution or work-around.

Please don't waste your time trying to reproduce my problem. Any ideas off the top of your head would be appreciated.

Thanks again,
Frank

[davidc]

The task-assign event also gets fired every time you save a task (from the manage task dialog).

I think that's a bug - it should only fire task-assign, when the task is first assigned to a person, or subsequently re-assigned - not on every save.  I'll raise a JIRA issue.

My requirement is in fact to update the task status automatically once the user has set a start date and saved the task.

Unfortunately, there isn't a task-updated event to hook into - only task-end, but that's too late for you - the status is automatically set to completed, on task end, anyway.  I'll add a JIRA enhancement for task-updated.

The only thing that comes to mind is to override the task dialog bean in the web client, and add the start date/status behaviour there.

We have thought about adding explicit "start/suspend task" buttons to the task dialog which maintain dates & status for the user.