User tasks with custom GUI mask elements with validators

[udoderk]

Hi all,
In project it’s needed to create a custom user  task, that have
1)   a lot of additional editable GUI elements, that shell  be displayed in Activiti Explorer . (Not only s.c “Forms” from user guide http://www.activiti.org/userguide/index.html#forms)
2)   The GUI elements input values  given by person must be validated and error or warnings must be occurred if no valid data entred.

That custom user task s will be uploaded into Activiti using REST API.

I’m  checked the user guide (keywords java service task, JavaDelegate  Implementing)  but nothing found related to custom GUI Elements/custom GUI elements value validations?
How can I do this?
Thanks.

[naag]

Activiti only provides the engine for process execution via its API. All GUI related tasks have to be handled by yourself, e.g. via a JSF based application. That JSF application would then call to Activiti either via the API or via REST. Activiti Explorer is just a demo application to quickly show off Activiti (it's written in Vaadin btw).

[udoderk]

Activiti only provides the engine for process execution via its API. All GUI related tasks have to be handled by yourself, e.g. via a JSF based application. That JSF application would then call to Activiti either via the API or via REST. Activiti Explorer is just a demo application to quickly show off Activiti (it's written in Vaadin btw).

Thank you naag,

Then I have another question:
it is possible to extend the Activiti Explorer task management webapp, so that on basis of xml definitions some additional GUI elements (written in Vaadin) in that webapp were provided???

[ronald_van_kuij]

it is possible to extend the Activiti Explorer task management webapp, so that on basis of xml definitions some additional GUI elements (written in Vaadin) in that webapp were provided???

Yes, although I do not know directly how. Search the forum for this. Has been discussed before afaik

[udoderk]

it is possible to extend the Activiti Explorer task management webapp, so that on basis of xml definitions some additional GUI elements (written in Vaadin) in that webapp were provided???

..
Yes, although I do not know directly how. Search the forum for this. Has been discussed before afaik

Thanks.
i'm found currently only one way - source code download and change it

"…Only by changing the source code of the image rendering…"
http://forums.activiti.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3091&p=12405&hilit=Activiti+Explorer+customize#p12...

P.s

"…While Activiti Explorer would - surely - need to be customized in real-life applications, there's absolutely no documentation on that. - There's a mixture of JavaScript, an Activiti REST API, and a Java server backend, - however, that domain is not documented, at all…."

http://forums.activiti.org/en/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=95&p=357&hilit=Activiti+Explorer+customize#p357

[ronald_van_kuij]

That is one of the reason we choose not to use it, but use jsf2 wiith cdi and use the form key and no form properties…

[udoderk]

That is one of the reason we choose not to use it, but use jsf2 wiith cdi and use the form key and no form properties…

The using of jsf2-cdi is imho to expensive:-/ because you have to create all the GUI from scratch.
I will be try the following steps:
1. Project Creation
1.1 Activiti Explorer sources download

1.2. Download of needed jars (e.g. using WAR-file of A.E.)

2. Custom form type creation
2.1 describe the needed custom form type, that inherits from the org.activiti.engine.impl.form.AbstractFormType class.
The AbstractFormType implements the org.activiti.engine.form.FormType, that has a i.a. the getName method. This name will be used in in the form property definition of a BPMN 2.0 XML file.
Examples:
org.activiti.engine.impl.form.BooleanFormType or  DoubleFormType

3. Creation of the vaadin validator of user inputs
3.1 Describe the java class, that inherits from com.vaadin.data.validator.AbstractStringValidator class.
Example: org.activiti.explorer.ui.validator.LongValidator.

4. Custom render creation
4.1 describe the renderer, that inherits from the org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.AbstractFormPropertyRenderer class.
4.2 register the validator on vaadin field
The examples:
org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.LongFormPropertyRenderer
org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.BooleanFormPropertyRenderer

5. Register the  custom form type and renderer as beans into spring xmls, that placed
into <activiti-dir>\apps\apache-tomcat-<x.y.z>\webapps\activiti-explorer\WEB-INF:
5.1 Add to the process engine configuration in the applicationContext.xml file - the example:
<property name="customFormTypes">
<list>
<ref bean="userFormType"/>
<ref bean="textAreaFormType"/>
</list>
</property>
</bean>
<bean id="textAreaFormType"
class="org.bpmnwithactiviti.explorer.form.TextAreaFormType"/>
(i'm used the example from activitiinaction coding.)

5.2 Add the form property renderer class to the UI spring configuration activiti-ui-context.xml - the example from activiti forum:
<!– Custom form property renderers can be plugged in here –>
  <bean id="formPropertyRendererManager" class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.FormPropertyRendererManager" lazy-init="true">
    <!– Default renderer –>
    <property name="noTypePropertyRenderer">
      <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.StringFormPropertyRenderer" />
    </property>
    <!– Renderers by property type –>
    <property name="propertyRenderers">
      <list>
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.StringFormPropertyRenderer" />
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.EnumFormPropertyRenderer" />
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.LongFormPropertyRenderer" />
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.DateFormPropertyRenderer" />
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.UserFormPropertyRenderer" />
        <bean class="org.activiti.explorer.ui.form.BooleanFormPropertyRenderer" />
      </list>
    </property>

6. Export the created java classes (steps 2-4) to .jar file. It is not needed to create the war file for activiti-explorer application, because it is used into tomcat webap directory directly without .war container.

7. Place that jar file into lib dir of WEB-INF (so <activiti-dir>\apps\apache-tomcat-<x.y.z>\webapps\activiti-explorer\WEB-INF)

8. Describe of the custom form property definition within BPMN 2.0 XML file like the following

   <startEvent id="ID0" name="Start" activiti:initiator="initiator">
      <extensionElements>
<!– some standard type using–>
<!– custom type using–>
        <activiti:formProperty id="ID1" name="somename" type="theName-Defined-Into-Custom-Type-Java-Class" />
      </extensionElements>
    </startEvent>

[ronald_van_kuij]

I'd think developing jsf2 forms with cdi a lot easier then doing what you propose, but that is my opinion…

[burn83]

i have realized this video in which i'm stopping in a first part of previous tutorial…

I use Netbeans 7.1.2 , with Maven Plugin.

i have downloaded any war and any sources …but my problem it's not solved.. :'(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=creTYWxCTWA

[frederikherema1]

The description by @udoderk should work fine. What exactly is the problem you're facing? A video isn't exactly the best/quickest way of showing your problem here…