ProcessFlow: How to call a flow from another flow?

Absolutely, I have a similar flow that triggers other flows. They key is that you need to create a PF Service for the flows you want to trigger, and then you trigger the Service using the WorkObject node.

It's actually very easy to nest flows. Use the "Custom Activity" node, with the Activity called "FlowRunner".

Thank you all.

I am trying to use the CustomActivity node with the FlowRunner Activity. I have set the Action to "runFlow", but when I try to set the "Input" properties (using the Set button or 'double-clicking' I get a pop dialog that says 'Set input property values' and list the name and type of the property, but doesn't allow me to change it.

Questions:

1. How do I set the Input properties?
2. Do you have any samples of how to use the CustomActivity node with the FlowRunner Activity?

I am using the "ProcessFlow Designer" version 9.0.1.9678. The Lawson "ProcessFlow Developer Guide", Version 9.0.1.x, Published November 2008 only lists the properties of the node, but doesn't provide any examples.

Thank you for all your help. Have a great day. Cheers.

I reported the issue to Lawson. There is a bug on the ProcessFlow Designer (Eclipse version) that doesn't allow to change the properties on a CustomActivity node with a FlowRunner Activity (JT 340410). The Designer (classic version) doesn't have the issue.

Thanks for all your help. Happy Friday. Cheers.

I'm also interested in using FlowRunner.  I was able to enter input values.  The first time use click on the 'Set values' button, nothing happens.  Do it a second time and you do get the input dialog box.  John Henley, you knew of FlowRunner, can you tell us anything more about it? or point us to some kind of info.  Thanks...

Did you find any info? I've been searching the Lawson KB with no luck...it is useless, as the Lawson documentation. Thanks for all your help. Have a great day.

Got it to work with the help of Lawson support. Two things to make it work:

1. Copy the 'nested' flows (xml files) to the server's %LAWDIR/bpm/pfrepository directory.
2. On the Run Options, select Run on Server.

IMPORTANT: if your flow 'logs' to a file, the directory structure and log file need to exists on the Server.

The WorkUnit log files can help troubleshooting. They are located on the server's %LAWDIR%/bpm/wflog. You can also check the CustomActivity output variables after calling the 'nested' flow (_flowErrorCode, _flowErrorMessage and _flowReturnMessage).

Hope this helps. Thanks for all your help.

Regarding the ability to enter the property values. When the pop-up window opens, you have to hover your cursor in the lower right corner of the box until it becomes a double-ended arrow - then click and drag the box to make it bigger. When you do the Value field is now displayed and ready to enter values in.

There is little to no documentation I have found of an example of what the Input Values should be set to for FlowRunner. Can someone post an example of which fields need values? Thanks

Anyone have an example of using Flowrunner to call another Flow?

Still looking for information on the Flowrunner activity of CustomActivity. I can't figure out using this or the WorkObject how to "wait" unil the called service completes before resuming. Anywhere documented what values the Java Bean Input field values are used for?

Hi Terry,

 

We don't use the flow runner via custom activity, we instead use the Trigger node introduced for IPA (not PFI?), which essentially appears to be a builtin flowrunner

The custom activity node is "documented" in the latest "Infor ProcessDesigner Help" documentation on pg 45.

There's some pretty detailed examples of how to use custom triggers on page 173 which can be related to how to call custom activity nodes, similar logic should apply.

looking at the screenshot you posted in previously, those fields seem to be pretty clear for their intent-

flowCreateWorkunit : true #-- create a workunit or not

flowDataArea : yourDataArea #-- maybe your < !approdline >

flowInputData : YourJBean #-- trigger documentation has some similars ideas for integrating your Jbeans, and might be helpful

flowName : YourFlowName

flowSyncExecution : true # if you want it to run in sync (often for grabbing a return variable) , false if you want to run it Async (runs wild)

service: TheServiceName # build the service in landmark and set this variable to the name of the service you want to call. 

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All this being said, the trigger node seems alot clearer to me.

 

~Peter