Introduction

Introduction

This is the System Development documentation for Comflow. Here you find information about how to configure and develop applications and application components in Comflow Studio.

Comflow is built on the workflow idea, which is implemented in two variants:

• Workspace Workflow - the user interaction flow
• Process - the asynchronous flow between users

Workspace Workflow Dialog

Workspace Workflow have a dialog flow with execution points for rules that looks like this:

When you in the portlet trigger an action, like via a press on a button, the right arrow down flow starts with the dialog in, followed by data validation and processing of data from the data model to the data source (e.g. database). Then the workflow engine starts the next part of the flow (the left up arrow), or the same if the action is refresh. The out processing, is first processing of the data model from the data source, followed by a possible sametime start, and finally a dialog out processing.

• Dialog In - The information on screen is harvested into the data instance
• Data Validation - The data in the data instance is validated according to entry rules and constraints
• Data Model Process In - The data in the data instance is executed against the data source based on data instance mode (insert, update...)
• Stack - The workflow engine executes the dialog event to the next (or the same if refresh) portlet
• Data Model Process Out - The data instance is executed and filled
• Sametime Starter - A possible sametime portlet is started
• Dialog Out - The data in the data instance is moved to the screen 

When working with rules, there are a set of workspaces (data areas) available for different purposes, which manages shared information through the flows:

• System Workspace - a common data area that all processes in the system can access, which holds among others all connections to other systems
  • Users - All available users in the system
    • System User - The user that runs background services, which is not registered as a normal user 
  • System Services - Available common services
  • Connection Workspace - Available connections to other systems, like databases and user registries
• Process Data - a data area that is generally available for all interactions made by a user and the common point for accessing anything related to processing
  • Session Workspace - Data area related to the logged in session. Note that one user can have multiple sessions and thereby multiple Session Workspaces. Is complimented with Session Message, which is a data area that holds standard and custom data during the life of the session.
    • Dialog Workspace - Data area related to the processing of a workspace workflow
    • Data instance - The data for the actual portlet, related to the defined data model
    • Render instance - The view of data for the actual portlet, related to the defined portlet (PML-model)
    • (Transition) MapData - The data area for passing information between two points in a workflow
    • Stack - The history data area for what has been executed in the workflow
    • Dialog Child Workspace - the dialog workspace for possible sametimes