1 2 Previous Next 17 Replies Latest reply on Dec 4, 2007 9:45 PM by kukeltje

    Problems

    kaledev

      I am very new to the product, got it up and running, and was going through the tutorial. I have 3.2.2 and the tutorial itself seems outdated to another version. There are all kinds of things not mentioned, and things that are mentioned that don't exist in the same way. For instance right clicking and creating a task on a node.

      I worked my way through myself and somewhat got the hang of things. But I wanted to bring attention that this needs to be badly updated because I cannot find another tutorial. Does anyone have a better tutorial that is updated I can look at?

        • 1. Re: Problems
          kaledev

          Meant to post this as a reply to the sticky above, sorry.

          • 2. Re: Problems
            kukeltje

            care to contribute?

            • 3. Re: Problems
              kaledev

              I'm sorry, are you asking if I can contribute to the tutorial? Seeing as I know nothing about this product I would rather not. I do not mean to offend the person who wrote the tutorial - I am just pointing out that I cannot find one that is up to date. If you know of any other tutorials then please let me know - I have spent days and days on google coming up with only a few sparse blog pages and the wiki tutorial I have mentioned. But unfortunately it is impossible to use past a certain point - although I appreciate the portion I did get. Anywhere you can point me? Other documentation? Websites? Cave drawings?

              • 4. Re: Problems
                kukeltje

                sorry, I was kind of in a bad mood and seeing a post with just the subject 'problems' and no reference to where this specific document is found (this is a forum for public users, so we do not know everything) made me not want to respond in more detail.

                Now to the point. Yes, that was my intention. There is a getting started for 3.2.x in the wiki so have a look there

                • 5. Re: Problems
                  kaledev

                  sorry for not being more specific with the title - it was meant to be posted in the sticky topic for the tutorial but I accidentally hit new post thinking it would post there ... this was the tutorial I was speaking of. I was able to use it until a certain point. I do have 3.2.2 but all of my menus in eclipse are completely different than the ones in the tutorial and some don't exist. Such as right clicking does not allow me to add actions - I have to do so through the properties menu at the bottom.

                  I am not sure whether the tutorial is out of date for this version or if I have something going wrong on my end. I can also not find a tutorial on creating a process from scratch. Although I learned a lot from the tutorial I appear to not be able to create forms because when I deploy it shows a blank screen where my forms and buttons should be. I have compared xhtml files with working examples but I cannot find the problem.

                  Aside from that I cannot figure out what variables should go where, how to name swimlanes, assigning them, and just general from scratch usage. when comparing working files I keep getting a message to convert to the format I am using which leads me to suspect I have a newer version. I have basically hit a brick wall with the designer and need some help.

                  Like I said I have tried to search google for tutorials and only come up with the one you gave me and sparse blog entries. Is there anything else that has a step-by-step tutorial that explains the basics of the designer and what all the attributes are, how to set them, what to set? Thanks!,
                  Mike

                  • 6. Re: Problems
                    dleerob

                    Perhaps for now, it would be worthwile for you to download the version of Jbpm that the tutorial was created for, and learn that Jbpm version. I think it was for 3.2.1, but I may be mistaken. Either way, once you have gone through the tutorial, you can upgrade to the latest Jbpm, and you should be able to easily pick up the differences yourself. The logic / ideas are pretty much the same, just the cosmetics / interface of the designer has changed slightly. Options and buttons can be found in different places, but they do the same thing.

                    • 7. Re: Problems
                      dleerob

                      Sorry silly me. Jbpm version wont make much difference, it's the designer that will make the difference. Use the tutorial with the older designer. So you can still use Jbpm 3.2.2, but get the designer/GPD that was used in the tutorial.

                      • 8. Re: Problems
                        kukeltje

                        I personally would not use the older designer, but instead use the new one and just try to find the corresponding menu options in the newer designer

                        • 9. Re: Problems
                          kaledev

                          Well if I stay with this designer how can I go about learning the basics of creating something from scratch? I am still limited because the tutorial only shows how to manipulate an existing process and leaves out a bunch of details like creating the forms and such.

                          All of the forms I think I create, never show up (just a blank page). Thanks!,
                          Mike

                          • 10. Re: Problems
                            kukeltje

                            The real basics are not that different. The nodes are on the left just like with the previous designer. Putting an action on a node is in a different place, but everything for all nodes is in the properties pane/tab so you can always find things there. You, as an intelligent person, should be fairly quickly up to speed with this new editor.

                            Regarding the forms... are xhtml files generated? and is the forms.xml file filled with references to these files?

                            • 11. Re: Problems
                              anuragpaliwal

                              Hi All,

                              I am also currently exploring the jBPM and have got the same issues regarding xHTML.

                              I can see the generated xHTML file and those files have got entry in forms.xml as well.
                              Inspite of that I always get blank page.

                              Moreover, I never managed to give custom names to variables while creating task form using 'Generate Task Form' dialog box. I am just wondering if anyboby has got this problem as well.

                              • 12. Re: Problems
                                kaledev

                                My xhtml pages are generated, and the forms.xml seems in order. Blank pages are all that I get.

                                Unfortunately as I have said since my original post, the tutorial does not cover all the basics and I have never used the product. Therefore assuming that any person, or at least a smart one as you put it, can look at the tutorial and learn everything is wrong. I am here because I want to learn the basics and the tutorial only taught me how to, sort of, manipulate an existing example. This existing example shows me nothing about form creation, very little about varibles, a vague mentioning of swimlanes, actors, nothing about assigning them. I am left with a brick wall I cannot get through.

                                After two pages no one has answered my original simple question of is there another step-by-step tutorial that may help me get ahold of the basics. I can ask every question I have here but I don't want to fill up your forum with questions, causing everyone to be angry with me. Like I said I am only here to learn, and am opening asking for help. I have exhausted every means I have of finding something myself and I am sure people here have a better idea than I of where to find these things.

                                • 13. Re: Problems
                                  simonbaker

                                  I've seen reference to a book: Business Process Management with JBoss jBPM book by Matt Cumberlidge which you may want to check, but I have doubts on whether it can be up-to-date, unless there is an online version that he constantly updates.

                                  I too wish jBPM was better documented, that is it's main weakness as a "product" for developers such as myself who need to integrate workflow into their system in a timely manner. My opinion is that right now, jBPM is not so much a product that is ready to be easily used by developers, but more of a toolkit for consultants who want to provide workflow solutions for their customers. Such consultants are prepared to thoroughly read all the code and reverse-engineer how it all works and somewhat specialize in workflow solutions. jBPM seems to be beautifully written code but not much guidance for best practice usage or thorough explanation of the concepts and features. As time goes on hopefully better documentation will arise.

                                  • 14. Re: Problems
                                    kukeltje

                                    Simon,

                                    I fully disagree. There are many, many developers that use jBPM. There are many small and big companies that use jBPM. The testcases, examples, the forum, wiki AND 'normal' documentation cover most functionality fairly well. The web console which all these posts are referring to is constantly under development and currently only meant to be used for admin functionality and RAD.

                                    If something is missing and you find it out. please report it, instead of a general remarks and things like 'after 2 pages no one has answered my original question'... I DID answer it, on the first page, in my SECOND post.... 11 days ago... and this forum IS for questions... so please... ask them...

                                    The other topics like variables, assignments etc are in many testcases in the source... lots to learn from that.. If you really think you hit a brick wall, then I'm sorry..... you should have tried to evade it and go around it, instead of through.

                                    And why do you think everybody gets angry? The only one that get's angry now and then is me after someone accused me of certain things.... often after asking a question that is in the docs (including testcases!!!) and then they want more from me than pointing them in that direction.

                                    Now it is time to go to sleep (03:27 here)

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