Restarting tasks that don't exist

[Michael Pokraka]

Oooohh, I like that idea! Been toying with something similar, but not quite as neat.
I'll have a play with that an post back any success stories.
 
Thanks
Mike
 
On Wed, Jul 23, 2003 at 10:08:55AM +0200, Dart, Jocelyn wrote:
>  Yep, Mike. Understand the problem and sympathise.
> Just a suggestion - why not create a delegated subtype of USR01 - and redefine the existence check method to swap the object key to the wf administrator if the user id does not exist instead of throwing an exception.
> Should work.
> Suggest you also set up a virtual attribute to indicate if user-is-wf-administrator - you're bound to need to know sometime if you have a real user or just the administrator.
> Jocelyn.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Michael Pokraka
> To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Sent: 22/07/2003 12:03 PM
> Subject: Re: Restarting tasks that don't exist
>
> Hi Jocelyn,
> This is in a delegated subtype, and is actually something I put in place
> for a few object types without realizing that they wouldn't be
> restartable.
> The idea is to use ZBUS9999.ZsomeUSR01.NAMEWITHLEADINGUS as an agent,
> rather than create two attributes - 'user' and 'user object'. We also
> make further use of the USR01 object for custom email setups - hence the
> object is required anyway.
>
> Perhaps I'm trying to get too generic here, the loop would be to make
> sure an obbject is instantiated or to route to someone to pick an agent
> and then retry with a new person. Though the real reason is to try to
> work around corporate policy to delete users as they leave - no
> forwarding, no substitution, no HR - making this a bigger problem than
> it should be (in my humble opinion).
>
> Thanks for the input,
> Cheers
> Mike
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 22, 2003 at 08:34:30AM +0200, Dart, Jocelyn wrote:
> > Ok Mike, but why don't you just redefine the relevant virtual
> attribute in a delegated subtype instead of changing all your workflows?
> It's got to be easier that adding loops everywhere.
> > Jocelyn.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael Pokraka
> > To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> > Sent: 7/21/03 7:39 PM
> > Subject: Re: Restarting tasks that don't exist
> >
> > Hi Sergey,
> > Thanks for your input. I mostly agree, but it just seems a waste of
> > effort to have to build big workarounds for what could be considered a
> > design issue.
> > For e.g. a virtual attribute used in a binding rather than an agent
> can
> > be changed, and the task does at least get started. The problem with
> > this one is that it cannot be restarted - 'restart after error' just
> > reevaluates the attribute, fails and doesn't create a task. No task =
> no
> > way of fixing attribute.
> > This is on 4.6c by the way - I believe the agent determination works a
> > little differently in later versions (including the option to
> > re-determine agents), so perhaps this has already been addressed.
> >
> > Ah well, looks like we're stuck with changing all agent-object
> > references and building loops all over the show... grrr. (annoyed
> > because these are already quite convoluted flows, now getting messier
> > and messier).
> >
> > Thanks again.
> > Cheers
> > Mike
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Jul 17, 2003 at 03:53:28PM -0500, Breslavets, Sergey wrote:
> > > seems like not much options: since you use virtual attribute to
> > determine an
> > > agent you either have to change it's logic or some input data to get
> > alternative
> > > result.
> > > I use this method too, but check if the found agent exist in the
> > system before
> > > returning ACTOR_TAB, if not - forward Wi to admin.
> > > Another option is to use Org Objects (e.g. return positions instead
> of
> > the
> > > assigned users from the virtual attribute).
> > >
> > > As for existing instances, you can "restart them after error" after
> > fixing the
> > > attribute.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Sergey
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Michael Pokraka [mailto:workflow at quirky.me.uk]
> > > Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 9:55 AM
> > > To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> > > Subject: Restarting tasks that don't exist
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > > Got a situation here: Taking full advantage of the whole
> > object-oriented bit, we
> > > direct a WI to ZBUSwhatever.ZCREATEDBYUSR01.NAMEWITHLEADINGUS, which
> > works very
> > > nicely, except when the user no longer exists.
> > > In this case, the workflow ends in error, but with no step to
> correct.
> > This
> > > means that there is no way to restart the workflow, bar recreating
> the
> > user in
> > > the system.
> > >
> > > I know we can change things and build custom virtual attributes with
> > validation,
> > > but this seems like a lot of work to fix something which should not
> > really
> > > require fixing, as well as getting away from the whole
> object-oriented
> > > philosophy.
> > > Also, this doesn't help the existing error items (which are quite
> long
> > > workflows, so creating new ones will upset some people.)
> > >
> > > Any thoughts on this?
> > > Cheers
> > > Mike