"Happy" end: Workflow execution problem in version 4.6B (now version 4.6C)

[Kjetil Kilhavn]

Yesterday afternoon I left a message via OSS and received an answer this
morning. It seems repetition of attempt number four until success is acheived is
the way to go.
 
My message: A copy has been made of the generic decision task TS8267 in order to
be able to transfer additional parameters used in the task description. When
executing the task it will not display the decision texts, the only choice
available is Cancel. When not using HTML in decision tasks the WI appears to not
execute, but in reality Cancel is selected automatically. When using TS8267 the
decision texts display.
The function SWU_PROCESS_MANUEL_DECISION was tested for the work items and the
result was the same.
 
SAP's answer: Because of the functionality of the task TS8267 there are some
problems if you try to copy this task.
To solve the problem please try the following solutions:
1. Copy the task more than once. Normally there is one correct copy!
 
2. delete the whole data-definition between the decision-task container
   and the method DECISION  >PROCESS. In this case the whole task
   container will be copied into the method-container.
 
I hope this information will help you to solve the problem.
 
 
Thus I found myself creating a second, a third, and a fourth copy while testing
all the time. Finally! I am not sure if I got any further in discovering what
the problem was since it suddenly worked. After the first three it seemed that
what caused the trouble was defining new container elements in the copy. On the
fourth attempt I was going to verify that by doing one change after the other. I
did that, and the last thing I changed was adding container elements. Then it
worked! What a great day. The sun is shining and the workflow works. (It doesn't
take much to please a developer.)
--
KjetilK
 
 
---------------------- Forwarded by Kjetil Kilhavn on 08.03.2001 10:13
---------------------------
 
From:  Kjetil Kilhavn on 07.03.2001 12:02
 
To:    sap-wug at listserv.mit.edu
cc:
 
Subject:  Re: Workflow execution problem in version 4.6B
 
Thank you all for the suggestions on how to fix this. Here's the story titled
"My rejection workflow does not understand me" (subtitled "I hate SAP").
 
First attempt:
All bindings from workflow to tasks were removed, and I saved the workflow. Then
I recreated all the bindings and regenerated the workflow. No luck.
 
Second attempt:
For the step I had problems with the work item text on the task was removed
(left empty), and the step title was kept. There was already a difference
between the two, so this was really just a matter of deleting the task's work
item text. The workflow was regenerated. No luck.
 
Third attempt:
I refreshed the object method bindings in the task for the problem step. There
were no bindings there (Decision::Process does not take parameters in version
3.1H), so I added them. No luck.
 
Fourth attempt:
I made a new task, as a fresh copy of the generic decision task (TS 8267), and
replaced the task in the workflow step. No luck......
 
Fifth attempt:
Made a completely new workflow (type WS of course) with the same steps as in the
previous (type WF) workflow except for my new decision task copy.
 
Looked for OSS Notes on "Decision text" and on "SWU_PROCESS_MANUEL_DECISION":
214388 shows up in both cases and is about differences in logon language. That
is not the problem here.
 
Tested the function SWU_PROCESS_MANUEL_DECISION, and the result was of course
the same
 
Sixth attempt:
Replaced my copy of the decision task with the generic decision task in my new
workflow template. That helped..... but I can't use that task because I have
additional parameters that I need to transfer. Aaarrggggghhhhhhh!
--
KjetilK
 
 
 
 
From:  Kjetil Kilhavn on 26.02.2001 13:14
 
To:    SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
cc:
Subject:  Workflow execution problem in version 4.6B
 
We have a workflow (task type WF) which has been in production for some time. In
our upgraded development system (from 3.1H to 4.6B) I am encountering a strange
error in the first step. The task (task type T) which the step is based on is a
decision task. A copy was made of the standard decision task in order to change
some texts, no other changes were made. It is a general task. This workflow has
worked fine in production a long time and is used each day.
 
A change has been requested which I have implemented in the upgrade system (did
it in the production line already - no problem). I have changed the order of two
of the decision texts and the description of the underlying task. No other
changes have been made. (Of course I have also moved the blocks following the
decision events in accordance with the changed decision text order.)
 
A work item has been created for which some other user is the selected agent.
Since this is a general task I can take over. So I enter via the work item
selection report (swi1) and select Extras, Execute for testing in the WI display
window. This is where the strange error occurs. Instead of showing me the
decision window the status is changed to "In process" and the information
message says "Cancellation by user".
 
The brain finally started working and I tried to change my personal workflow
settings. When I removed the check from "No HTML in decision tasks" the
behaviour was explained (somewhat). I now see the decision window, but my
decision texts are missing. The only possible choice is "Cancel and keep work
[...]".
 
Is it just me, or does someone else think this is strange. Although we are not
supposed to create new WF tasks I'd assume that maintaining the ones we have
should be supported and thus not be the cause of this problem. I have looked at
release notes for all 4.6 releases and searched for OSS Notes with no success.
 
Any suggestions?
--
KjetilK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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