jBPM With Seam

[divakar.satyanarayan]

Hi,

We are exploring options of using jBPM with Seam for a workflow process. We had certain queries around the approach that we are planning to take.

1. We plan to retrieve tasklist and assign task to the user using jBPM API's and not through Seam annotations as we found out that annotations dont provide the kind of flexibility that we need. We are not sure how would the application behave in following scenario
a. User kicks of a workflow process. Process is in progress.
b. Lets assume that we have some production issue and we fix the bug and redeploy the Seam Application. NOw since jPDL file is part of Seam application, jPDL would also get deployed and a new version is assigned to this. What would happen to processes that were in progress? How would task retrieval work since you dont have access to process id that was instantiated?
c. Lets assume that I modify the workflow and redeploy the process definition. How would the tasks that were pending behave when we have new process defined?

Are there any documentation available that we can look through for these scenarios?

Divakar

[fady.matar]

You need to explore further more Seam's functionality. Seam has a very useful class which is the ManagedJbpmContext that can be used to retrieve the current jBPM context.

Make sure you have jBPM enabled in your components.xml a workaround might need to take place to expose the jBPM database without having any process deployed.

The next versions of the console are based on Seam, there's already work in progress in CVS.

Cheers,
Fady

[kukeltje]

b: you can also deploy the processdefinition outside of seam
c: Search the forum for other topics around processupgrades.

@Fady,

Where is it in CVS? I just do not seam to be able to find it (pun intended)....

[fady.matar]

It's in the bamconsole module. accessible at /bam-console url. Generate a distribution from CVS and it will have it embedded

[kukeltje]

ah... I did see that part... just did not look at it as the next-gen console due to the name....

Does that mean a there will become a separation between the 'admin' part and a gui for RAD purposes? I'd favour that...

[fady.matar]

It's not about a separation even though I'd like to take that route as well.

What I would like to have is this:
1. Management console: Serving as the management of the whole system, identities, workflows deployment, notification engines, connection to other EAI, etc...
2. Workflow console: Task lists / group tasks / workflow status, etc..
3. BAM / BI console: Bam dashboard, Jasper Reports, BIRT, office integration, etc...

I'm in favor of a modular approach in this regards.

Cheers,
Fady

[kukeltje]

Me to... cool... what about using Gravel? The current ui is full with it and I have a hard time getting to grips with it. Not that I don't like it or something, but it seams (pun/typo intended) so much more complex than it could be.... You have any clue on the status of gravel? I see David is still working on it....

[kukeltje]

Oh... and what about a full separate usermanagement system? combined with/extracted from/shared with/.... the portal?

[fady.matar]

Gravel is completely scratched out ;)

Regarding a full user management system I would like to do the following approaches:
1. Derive from portal integration
2. Enhance the jBPM identity component
3. Use an LDAP integration

Cheers,
Fady

[kukeltje]

Fady,

Locally I already have an ldap based identity management system (user, group, mail, role). Quite configurable. The jBPM core needs some changes tough I think where user/group/identity service should become interfaces in the core. This has some influence on the user/group hibernate configs so it is a little more work before I can demonstrate.

But deriving from the portal would be even better. Maybe I have a quick look at this next week. I would not like to have to include the full portal, just for this. Maybe they (portal) or JBoss can split something off.

[fady.matar]

I've been refraining from the implementation of an LDAP module because no matter how generic it won't be generic enough to fit all structures.

I think where user/group/identity service should become interfaces in the core.

I totally agree, this has to start with an abstract scheme and could be extended to match all users requirements.

JBoss portal has some module for Ldap integration you could have a look or you can even have a look at the JBoss authentication Ldap modules.

Cheers,
Fady

[fady.matar]

You might take a look at the Ldap component developed by the Seam guys, haven't looked much at the details yet, but it could be a good effort to reduce duplicate effort across multiple projects

[kukeltje]

cool... I indeed did not do (or even know) that. Will do over the weekend.

[jue]

Does anybody know when the jBPM console on Seam will be completed?

Feel like trying to reinvent the wheels if they are already working on that part., unless the next-gen console is again designed for admin/demo only...

Thanks,

-Jue

[kukeltje]

jue,

I've created several applications with jBPM and none, I repeat none, would have been accepted by customers as end-user applications. Look and feel, menu items wordings etc...etc... the generated forms, nothing would have been right. Customizing this would have been a lot more difficult than writing a ui for the application. So that is what I did. With Seam and with Jsf.. (without using the jbpm4jsf tags) both work fine.

So it probably will be for admin/demo purposes only, but will probably result in some reusable jsf components

The console will not be ready before the 3.3 release and it might even be released with the 4.0 release