Workflow Engine

Deprecations in WorkFlowEngine

Deprecations in WorkFlowEngine are shown in the table below.

Starting Jobs with Incorrect DataTypes

When starting a job with variables, users will no longer be able to input incorrect values for those variables. For example, let's take a simple automation like this one below.

Figure 1: Example Automation

The correct types for the job variables are pictured below. Notice the form_name should be a string, resembling "this is a string", and the instance_data should be an object, resembling { "key": "data" }.

Figure 2: Input Job Variables

With the example below, the variables are set incorrectly, where an object is used for the form_name and a string for the instance_data.

Figure 3: Set Variables

Even with the incorrect variable types that were supplied, the automation will actually run when the user clicks Start.

Figure 4: Run Automation

Beginning with IAP 2020.2, however, the system will now display a warning message (at the bottom) to alert users they have given the job incorrect variables.

Figure 5: Warning Message for Incorrect Input Types

What should I do?

At a minimum of two releases from IAP 2020.2, this automation will no longer run if the job variable inputs do not match the type defined in the task. Begin now to modify your task input behavior to only start jobs with the correct input types for job variables so that once it becomes required, it will not impact your operations.

Replacement for Activate Property within Service Config Layer

Workfow Engine will no longer support the activate property within its service_config. Currently, this property allows a specific configuration of the Workflow Engine application to allow or disallow working tasks upon startup. The replacement for this call is the processTasksonStartup property that exists in the properties.json. The replacement property can be set to true to allow working tasks on a specific server on startup, or it can be set to false to disallow working tasks on startup. See sample configuration below.

One special case is if a job is started via child job and passes in a value of undefined for a variable. This will be processed as type null instead of being processed with an undefined type.

Sample configuration in properties.json

{
  "processTasksonStart" : false ,
  "pathProps": {
    "description": "File Path Variables",
    "sdk_dir": "/opt/pronghorn-applications",
    "encrypted": true
  },
  "id": "profile1",
  "mongoProps": {
    "credentials": {
      "passwd": "itentialPassword",
      "user": "itentialUser"
    },
    "db": "pronghorn",
    "url": "mongodb://localhost:27017"
  }
}