[Zope-CMF] Query about DCWorkflow

[mcolli@SyscomCipher.com.ar]

Hi John,

I have no "destination state pulldown menu..." for transitions. I have
created a plone test site and the I access portal_workflow. There,  I go to
Contents tab and I choose the add a workflow. Then, I access my workflow
created and go to States tab, add my states and go to Transitions tab to
add theml, but in 'destination state:' says "(Remain in state)" and this
can not be changed or at least I can not find where to assign any state to
it...

What I am doing wrong?

Thanks and regards
Mariela


                                                                                            
                    John Morton                                                             
                    <jwm@plain.co        To:     mcolli@SyscomCipher.com.ar,                
                    .nz>                 zope-cmf@zope.org                                  
                                         cc:                                                
                    25/06/2002           Subject:     Re: [Zope-CMF] Query about DCWorkflow 
                    22:54                                                                   
                                                                                            
                                                                                            



On Tue, 25 Jun 2002 05:08, mcolli@SyscomCipher.com.ar wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have installed DCWorkflow product and I have seen the examples
available
> but when I try to create my own workflow from one existing I can not
define
> some of the things as appear in the examples: For example the
'destination
> state' when you define a transition. Is there any place I should go in
> order to define this kind of things?.

The destination state pulldown menu for a particular transition will list
all
the states you've already defined under the states tab for the workflow.

Here's how I generally go about putting together a new workflow:

1) Draw up a state diagram with the notes as states and the arcs as
transitions. I usually do this on paper, then do a good copy in dia or some

other diagram tool, so I have an image to go with the documentation. I
usually spot several corner cases in the process.

2) Start by creating an example DCworkflow, rather than a new one, as it's
faster to delete all the states and transitions than it is to create all
the
standard review_state variables.

3) In the permissions tab, select all the permissions that you want the
workflow to govern.

4) Define any extra variables that you need.

5) Set up the states for your workflow, one for each node in your state
diagram. Try to stick to the standard names for a publication workflow, as
some badly behaved products have states like 'published' hardcoded into
their searches (ie CalendarTool, last I looked). Set up the permissions on
the states now, as well. I find that using aquisition for the site visible
states, and using explicit permissions for the private and interim states
works well. Reviewer roles should either have view permissions on every
state
or you should change the appropriate skins to take them somewhere sensible
after a transtion or they'll end up with an ugly access denied page after
sending some content back to private state.

6) Set up any scripts that you'll need for transtions - pre and post
transition scripts and ones to handle complex guard conditions. Just set up

skeletons for now, if you haven't though through all the details.

7) Create your transtions from all the arcs on your state diagram. You
should
be able to pick the right destination state as all your states are already
defined, and set up the right scripts to run, as you've defined those as
well. It's worth noting that the guards are or'ed - if any guard matches,
the
transition can occur. You can specify more than one permission, role or
expression by seperating them with a semicolon.

That about covers it. By working in this order, you tend to step through
the
creation process one tab at a time, rather than switching back and forth. I

find it tends to be faster and less confusing that way.

John