How to set the timer duedate dynamicly

[abdelak01]

hello,
I've just started to use JBPM, and I'd like to set the timer duedate dinamicly (using process variable). but it doesn't work;
here is my process :

<process-definition
 xmlns="urn:jbpm.org:jpdl-3.1" name="rec_facture">
 <event type="process-start">
 <script>
 executionContext.setVariable("action_delay", "6 seconds");
 </script>
 </event>
 <start-state name="create_reclamation">
 <transition name="to_action1" to="action_"></transition>
 </start-state>
 <end-state name="end1"></end-state>
 <state name="action_">
 <timer name="actionTimer" duedate="#{action_delay}" transition="action_time_out">
 <action name="action_t" class="com.sample.action.ActionTimeOutActionHandler">
 <action_name>action_test</action_name>
 </action>
 </timer>
 <transition name="action_time_out" to="end1"></transition>
 <transition name="new_action" to="action_"></transition>
 </state>
</process-definition>

when I run my test application I got this message

ERROR GraphElement : action threw exception: improper format of duration '#{action_delay}'

thanks for help

[kukeltje]

Correct, the timer does not accept EL. File a jira issue if you want this to happen. Not sure if and when it will be implemented.

[koen.aers]

By the way, you can always work around the issue by changing the timer due date programmatically in an action.

Regards,
Koen

[abdelak01]

thanks for your answer, I solved the problem by using an action to update the timer due date .
here is the action

.....
public class UpdatingTimerActionHandler implements ActionHandler {

 private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;



 /**
 * update
 */
 public void execute(ExecutionContext context) throws Exception {

 System.out
 .println("start timer updating");
 String timerName = "actionTimer";
 String delay = context.getContextInstance().getVariable("action_delay").toString();
 //System.out.println("new delay : "+ delay);
 if (delay!=null && !delay.equals("")){
 try{
 SchedulerSession schedulerSession = context.getJbpmContext().getSchedulerSession();
 Duration duration = new Duration(delay);
 Date newDueDate = new BusinessCalendar().add(new Date(), duration);
 List timers = schedulerSession.findTimersByName(timerName, context.getToken());
 for(Object o : timers) {
 Timer timer = (Timer)o;
 log.info("Timer '" + timer.getName() + "' due date is " + timer.getDueDate());
 try{
 timer.setDueDate(newDueDate);
 }catch(Exception e) {
 throw new Exception("Timer '" + timer.getName() + "' due date was not updated to " +
 newDueDate + "': " + e);
 }
 schedulerSession.saveTimer(timer);
 log.info("Timer '" + timer.getName() + "' due date updated to " + timer.getDueDate());
 }
 }
 catch(Exception ex){
 ex.printStackTrace();
 }
 }
 System.out
 .println("finish timer updating");
 }
 public Log log = LogFactory.getLog(this.getClass());

}

thanks again

[dleerob]

Great, thanks for posting your solution. I'm sure it will come in handy...

[mbaker]

Hi,

I'm afraid your code will not work with jBPM 3.2, but i'm currently looking for a solution to set the duedate in an ActionHandler with Version 3.2. Does anybody know a way to do that? In the forum I only found solutions for older jBPM Versions and I couldn't get it work by trying out either.

Thank you very much for any hints.