Workflow Configuration File for Web Design
A snippet of the Jazz Workflow Configuration File is the figure shown below. This file is defined by the
Website Designer in conjunction with the
Workflow Designer.
The Jazz Workflow Configuration File is read by the Jazz Web Parts to produce a custom appearance on the GUI. Display characteristics include:
- Labels that define the user interface
- Multiple Languages
- The types of controls used to display information or solicit input
- The order in which information is displayed
- The style and width of the information displayed
The Xml File
The xml file is a complete description of how the Workflow should be displayed on the GUI. This includes:
- Properties
- Methods (or commands)
- States
- Headings
- InheritedWorkflows
- Filters
Properties
Display characteristics for Properties include:
- Name - the name of the property.
- Label - the label displayed to the user for the property.
- Languages - Multiple languages are supported for labels.
- Display - a flag (true or false) used to turn-off the display of the property, yet capture the information for future use.
- FormElement - the type of control used to display the value of the property on the web page.
- Width - the width of the information. e.g. the width of the textbox used for input.
- CssClass - the css class from the website style sheet that is used to style the information.
- Position - the order in which properties are displayed.
- NewLine - a flag (true or false) used (in some Jetfire Web Parts) to identify that a new line is required.
- CellPrefix - the prefix used (in some Jetfire Web Parts) for table-based displays of properties.
- CellNumber - the cell number used (in some Jetfire Web Parts) for table-based displays of properties.
- View - this type of display: Normal, Details, Cell.
- Format - format is used to format data for the display. (see below)
Methods
Display characteristics for Methods include:
- Name - the name of the method.
- Label - the label displayed to the user for the method.
- Languages - Multiple languages are supported for labels.
- Display - a flag (true or false) used to turn-off the display of the method, yet capture the information for future use.
- Width - the width of the information. e.g. the width of the command.
- Position - the order in which methods are displayed.
- View - this type of display: Normal, Details, Cell.
States
Display characteristics for States include:
- Name - the name of the method.
- Label - the label displayed to the user for the method.
- Languages - Multiple languages are supported for labels.
- Display - a flag (true or false) used to turn-off the display of the method, yet capture the information for future use.
- Width - the width of the information. e.g. the width of the command.
- Position - the order in which methods are displayed.
- View - this type of display: Normal, Details, Cell.
Headings
Headings are used in table-based displayes. Display characteristics for Headings include:
- Label - the label displayed to the user for the method.
- Languages - Multiple languages are supported for labels.
- Width - the width of the information. e.g. the width of the command.
- Position - the order in which methods are displayed.
Inherited Workflows
Website Designers take great care to create pages with consistent labels. The Inherited Workflow is reference to a common definition of display characteristics that may be used by multiple workflows in the Workflow Configuration File. e.g. the
Name property is included in every workflow. Most workflows use this property to denote the
name of the workflow being described. The display characteristics of the
Name property can be reinforced in the GUI by using an inherited workflow that defines those characteristics.
The Inherited Workflow is also used to define reports.
Filters
Filters are used to request that workflows of interest be displayed. Filters in the Workflow Configuration File perform the same task for Reports.
The basic filter characteristics include:
- (Filter) Operation - when multiple filters are used, this defines how the filters are grouped, e.g. AND, OR.
- Filter - the definition of one or more filters used.
- Expression - the definition of the expression used in the filter.
- Name - the propery name (dot expressions are supported).
- Value - the value of the property.
- (Expression) Operation - the operation of the property name and value, e.g. Name="Gender" Value="Female" Operation="Equals" means 'the value of the property Gender' = "Female".
- ClassType - the type of data stored in the property. e.g. string, boolean, int, uint, Date, DateTime, TimeSpan.
- Expression is also used where two Values are required. e.g. BETWEEN
- Value2 - the value of the property used for filters that required two values.
- Expression can be displayed.
- Label - this is a display name shown to the user that represents the Expression.
- Format - the format data explains how the user sees the output of the value(s).
Some Filter Examples
- Now Filter Example: "Now>2pm;Now<3:10pm;"
- - Now = the current Date and time.
- - 'Now>2pm' compares the current date and time to the date of the property at 2pm. If the operation matches, then the result is true. e.g.
- > Now = Jun 1, 2015 at 2:34pm, and property date = May 30, 2015 => no match
- > Now = May 30, 2015 at xx:xx, and property date = May 30, 2015 => match if current time is greater than 2pm.
- For property Date = May 30, 2015, This filter matches Now = May 30, 2015 between 2pm and 3:10pm.
- Today Filter Example: "Today>1Jun2015;Today<3Jun2015;"
- - Today = the current Date.
- - 'Today>1Jun2015' compares the current date to the date of the property If the operation matches, then the result is true. e.g.
- > Today = Jun 1, 2015, and property date = May 30, 2015 => no match
- > Today = Jun 2, 2015, and property date = Jun 1, 2015 => match because current date is greater than today.
- Time Filter Example: "Time>2pm;Time<3:10pm;"
- - Time = the current time of day
- - 'Time>2pm' compares the current time to 2pm. if the operation matches, then the result is true. e.g.
- > Time = May 30, 2015 at xx:xx => match if current time is between 2pm and 3:10pm
- Object Filter Example: "Object=null;"
- - if the Model passed into the filter is null, then the filter is a match.
Format data for the user
As noted above, the Format property in the workflow configuration file is used to format text for the user.
Here are the conventions used in Jazz models for data outputs.
| Property Type | Format code | Output |
| string | Hyperlink | Display a hyperlink for the text. This is useful for map links. |
| string | Camel | Each word or abbreviation in the middle of the phrase begins with a capital letter, with no intervening spaces or punctuation |
| string | RemoveSpaces | Remove spaces from any text |
| string | Phone | Convert to phone format, e.g. 1-503-555-1212 |
| integer | {0:dd} | |
| double | Currency | Displays: $16,325.62 |
| double | C | Displays: $16,325.62 |
| double | G | Displays: 16325.62 |
| double | N | Displays: 16,325.62 |
| double | 0,0.000 | Displays: 16,325.621 |
| decimal | Currency | Displays: $16,325.62 |
| decimal | C | Displays: $16,325.62 |
| decimal | G | Displays: 16325.62 |
| decimal | N | Displays: 16,325.62 |
| decimal | 0,0.000 | Displays: 16,325.621 |
| long | {0:(###) ###-####} | Convert to phone format, e.g. 1-503-555-1212 |
| bool | YesNo | Displays true/false as Yes/No |
| bool | OnOff | Displays true/false as On/Off |
| DateTimeOffset | ddd, MMM d, yyyy h:mm tt | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 1:42 pm |
| DateTimeOffset | ddd, MMM d, yyyy HH:mm | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 13:42 |
| DateTimeOffset | yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm-ss | 2009-04-21-13-42-02 |
| DateTimeOffset | ddd, MMM d, yyyy | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 |
| DateTimeOffset | MMM d, yyyy | |
| DateTimeOffset | yyyy'-'MM'-'dd HH':'mm':'ss'Z' | 2009-04-21 13:42:30Z |
| DateTimeOffset | HH:mm | 13:42 |
| DateTimeOffset | h:mm tt | 1:42 pm |
| DateTimeOffset | Today | Displays today's date |
| DateTimeOffset | Now | Displays the current time |
| DateTime | ddd, MMM d, yyyy h:mm tt | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 1:42 pm |
| DateTime | ddd, MMM d, yyyy HH:mm | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 13:42 |
| DateTime | yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm-ss | 2009-04-21-13-42-02 |
| DateTime | ddd, MMM d, yyyy | Wed, Apr 21, 2009 |
| DateTime | MMM d, yyyy | Apr 21, 2009 |
| DateTime | HH:mm | 13:42 |
| DateTime | h:mm tt | 1:42 pm |
| DateTime | Today | Displays today's date |
| DateTime | Now | Displays the current time |
| TimeSpan | Days | Displays 1.2 days |
| TimeSpan | Hours | Displays 23 hours |
| TimeSpan | Minutes | Displays 5 minutes |
| TimeSpan | DaysHoursMinutes | Displays 1 day, 23 hours, 5 minutes |
| TimeSpan | HoursMinutes | Displays 23 hours, 5 minutes |
| string collection | ; | a ';' delimited list of strings |
| int collection | ; | a ';' delimited list of integers |
| Color | | Name of the Color |
Jazz Applications
Types of Jazz Web Parts that use the Jazz Workflow Configuration file include:
- Workflow Editors
- Table-based displays for properties, e.g. grids, lists
- Workflow Reports
- Rules
Roles and the Workflow Configuration File¶
Roles are used to create different views of properties and methods.
The inclusion of properties, methods and states in the Workflow Configuration file does not mean that the user will see the information. Rather, the Workflow Configuration file contains display characteristics for how the information is displayed if the user has access to the information.
Workflow Editors
A number of Workflow Editor Web Parts display properties. The Workflow Configuration File is used to create a data-driven highly-customized GUI. Workflow Editors display properties, methods and states.
Table-based displays for properties
A number of Table-based Display Web Parts display properties. The Workflow Configuration File is used to create a data-driven highly-customized GUI. Table-based displays display properties and headings.
Workflow Reports
The Reports application uses the Workflow Configuration file to define user reports. The figure shown below shows how reports are defined.
Reports are typically defined by two entries in the Workflow Configuration File:
- The Report filters for the Workflow
- The Display properties Workflow
The Report Workflow defines the name of the Report and the Filter characteristics. In the example file shown below, the report workflow is Name="OawaContact.SeniorF". The label displayed in the Reports Web Part is "Senior Female". The filters are defined to look for Oawa Contact that have Gender = "Female" and Rate = "Senior". The Inherited Workflows contains a reference to OawaContact, which is the Displayed Workflow.
The Displayed Workflow contains the display characteristics for the Report Workflow. By separating the display characteristics from the report characteristics, the Display Workflow may be inherited by multiple Report Workflows, thus creating a consistent look and feel for the GUI.
Rules
Rules