Launch a Workflow

Workflows can be launched using the JS client's Workflows class.

A workflow can be started:

Without any document attached to it
With a single document attached to it
With multiple documents attached to it

How to Start a Workflow

With the Nuxeo JavaScript client, you can use the nuxeo.workflows().start('workflowId') method. The workflow ID to pass is the one defined in Nuxeo Studio. Doing so will start a workflow without attaching a document.

How to Attach Documents

Using the Document Class

Once the document is fetched, use the startWorkflow method:

Starting a Workflow On a Document

document.startWorkflow('workflowId');

Using the Workflow Class

Before starting the workflow, you need to create an object containing the IDs of the documents to attach.
Workflow Options Object
```
 var workflowOptions = {
       "attachedDocumentIds":
         ["docId1", "docId2", ...]
   };
```

Then pass the object when starting the workflow.

 nuxeo.workflows().start('workflowId', workflowOptions)...

How to Complete a Task

When a workflow is started, you are given a Workflow class instance in the response. Using this object, retrieve the tasks it contains.

You end up with an array containing Task class instances. Iterate over the tasks.

You can fill in the task form using the Task's variable method or during the complete method.

Completing a task is done using the complete(action, taskOptions) method.

The action variable defines the button ID the user clicks on.
The task options can be used to fill the task form if you didn't do it through the variable method.

Practice - Workflows

Create an Automation chain

In Nuxeo Studio, create a simple automation chain, ValidateDocumentChain, that modifies the lifecycle of a document to "approved" and adds a comment.

- Context.FetchDocument
- Document.FollowLifecycleTransition:
value: approve
- Document.SetProperty:
xpath: dc:description
save: 'true'
value: WorkflowVariables["validationComment"]
- Audit.LogEvent:
event: Document validated
category: RESTAPIWorkflowExercise
comment: "Validation comment: \n@{WorkflowVariables[\"validationComment\"]}"

Create a simple workflow

Create a workflow, ValidateDocument.
Under the Variables tab, add the String field validationComment.
Under the Activation tab, allow for Read & Edit permissions and the document type of your choice.
Under the Graph tab, add an Accept/Reject user task node, and click on the Edit icon to edit the node properties.
Under the General tab, add the Context["workflowInitiator"] assignees expression.
Under the Variables tab, add the validationComment variable.
Under the Form tab, add the Validation Comment widget from the var_ValidateDocument schema.
Under the Transitions tab, add the ValidateDocumentChain to the validate transition, then Save.
Add your transitions to the graph, then Save your workflow.
Deploy your Studio project on your Nuxeo Platform instance or perform a Hot Reload from the Dev Tool extension.

Launch the workflow using the Nuxeo JavaScript Client

Download workflows.js or open in another tab to copy and paste.
Replace NUXEO_SERVER with your Nuxeo Server URL.
Create an object containing the ID(s) of the document(s) to attach.
Start the workflow, passing in the object, then call getWfTasks method.
Retrieve the workflow tasks and call the completeWfTasks method.
Iterate through the tasks, presuming that the user adds a validationComment and clicks the validate button.
Call the asserResult method.
When your code is ready, run it with the following command:
```
 $ node workflows.js
```

Launching Workflows - Solution


            const Nuxeo = require('nuxeo');
            
            var nuxeo = new Nuxeo({
              // Replace with your Nuxeo Server URL
              baseURL: 'http://NUXEO_SERVER/nuxeo',
              auth: {
                method: 'basic',
                username: 'Administrator',
                password: 'Administrator'
              },
            });
            
            nuxeo.schemas("*");
            
            // Create an object containing the document ID(s)
            var workflowOptions = {
                // Replace with existing document ID(s)
                  "attachedDocumentIds":["907d1fb1-d0d1-4160-8533-4fc2f30b897d"]
            };
            
            // Start the workflow, passing in the object, then call getWfTasks method
            nuxeo.workflows()
              .start('ValidateDocument', workflowOptions)
              .then(getWfTasks)
              .catch(function(error) {
                throw error;
              });
            
            function getWfTasks(workflow) {
                console.log("Workflow:");
              console.log(workflow);
            
            // Retrieve the workflow tasks, then call the completeWfTasks method
                workflow
                  .fetchTasks()
                .then(completeWfTasks)
                .catch(function(error) {
                throw error;
              });
            }
            
            function completeWfTasks(tasks) {
                console.log("Tasks:");
              console.log(tasks);
            
            // Iterate through the tasks, presuming that the user adds a validationComment  and clicks the validate button
              var tasksNb = tasks.entries.length;
                for (var i = 0; i < tasksNb; i++) {
                tasks.entries[i]
                    .variable("validationComment", "Looks great.")
                    .complete("validate")
                  .then(assertResult)
                  .catch(function(error) {
                    throw error;
                  });
              }
            }
            
            /************
            DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE
            ************/
            
            
            function assertResult(result) {
                console.log("Your result:");
              console.log(result);
              if (result['entity-type'] !== 'task') {
                console.log("Pass the completed task to the assertResult method.");
                return false;
              }
            
              if(result.targetDocumentIds.length <= 0) {
                console.log("There is no document attached to your workflow.");
                return false;
              }
            
              if(result.state !== "ended") {
                console.log("The task you passed is not completed yet.");
                return false;
              }
            
              if(!result.variables.validationComment
              ||  result.variables.validationComment.trim().length <= 0
              ) {
                console.log("Fill in validationComment variable.");
                return false;
              }
            
              console.log('Congratulations, you have successfully completed this exercise.');
            }