When is an error not an error?

[Alon Raskin]

Hi Michael,
 
I am with you on this. I think this is a nasty 'feature' and I also agree that
this is a bug with the Workflow sub-system. if the item has gone to error then
so should the Workflow. I took this up with SAP on the last project and they
refused to admit that this was a bug. I ended up going back and forth with them
on this for quite some time to no avail. It even got to the point where myself
(and another on site SAP Consultant) debugged the Workflow code.
 
I think the error is caused if an attribute that you are accesssing does not
exist. The property you are accessing should be returning a
EXIT_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND if the attribute does not exist.
 
In your binding you have bound Object1.Object2.Key The expression errors
(sometimes) because Object2 reurns a EXIT_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND which for some
unknown reason errors the Task! (but not the WOrkflow).
 
The way 'around' this is to do a 'EX' Condition (object Exists) on Object2
before calling the method (which has the problem binding). If the EX condition
check fails then dont call the method.
 
Regards,
 
Alon Raskin
www.desktopworkplace.com
 
 
Quoting Michael Pokraka <workflow at quirky.me.uk>:
 
> Hmm, problem is that there _is_ an exception (red light in the log), and
> the error happens in the binding - i.e. before any method execution.
> The error itself is arbitrary, what does worry me is that a  binding
> error can cause a WF to simply come to a silent stop whilst remaining 'in
> process'....
> Sure one can argue that the design needs to be robust enough to handle
> it, but when you're working at a client who already has a whole bunch of
> their own flows this is not always an option.
>
> By the way, what would a little report look for in this case?? Other
> than deadlines or trawling through the logs I can't see much of a
> concrete option.
>
> Thanks for the input,
> Cheers
> Mike
>
> On Tue, Mar 18, 2003 at 01:51:41PM +0100, Becker Stephan (extern) wrote:
> > Hi Michael,
> >
> > Think about it what you will, but if a method does not return an explicit
> exception, the behaviour that you see is all you get..
> >
> > The only solution in my experience is explicit exception coding, plus a
> little report that finds abended workflows in production..
> >
> > Hth,
> > Stephan
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael Pokraka [mailto:workflow at quirky.me.uk]
> > Sent: Dienstag, 18. Mdrz 2003 12:47
> > To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> > Subject: When is an error not an error?
> >
> > Hi all,
> > I have a bit of a troublesome situation:
> > Two steps, a user decision followed by a background task.
> > User executes item, and bg task fails due to binging/object issues. The
> > problem itself is another topic, but the most troublesome part is that
> > the WF remains in status 'In Process'!
> >
> > In more detail:
> > Decision step logs look normal, ending with 'WI processing complete';
> > status 'COMPLETED'.
> > The next step does not appear in the log, but a red light appears in the
> > tech log with a message. No subsequent steps, nada. The only 'In
> > process' item on the whole log is the WF itself.
> > SWI2_DIAG doesn't show this up, which is why it's worrying.
> > The error is due to an uninstantiated object (resulting from a document
> > without line items) "Object 0 does not exist", "Syntax error in
> > expression" etc. I've no problem solving these, but more concerned about
> > other WF's in production.
> >
> > Any input appreciated.
> > Cheers
> > Mike
>
 
 
Alon Raskin
3i Consulting Group
http://www.3i-consulting.com
 
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