Fellow Southampton coordinator Rich Allen is running a HUGE distance (10K, ow!) this weekend to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.
So if you want to sponsor Rich, go along here and chuck some money at him.
Best of luck Rich! We want photos :)
As previously mentioned, there has been a shift in the way we create and implement our Workflows. We no longer need to write C# to create a workflow, instead we use XAML. This is also true for Activities, as there are 2 kinds of Activities we can create in WF 4.0 which are Composite and Workflow Elements.
The Composite Activity is built up from other Activities and uses one of the Workflow types as it’s basis. This is a change in the way we think about Workflows, in 3.x we saw Workflows as containers that could only contain Activities, now Workflows can contain Workflows which contain Workflows etc. This new approach will allow us to capture and declare far more complex Processes and State Machines than in 3.x.
Composite Activities
So lets start by creating a Composite Activity. In this example we’re going to create a new Activity that is going to be used in the theoretical process of a User Group member arriving at a meeting and signing in. The Activity will basically be in charge of asking them there name, some sort of password and saying hello to them.
So first off we create a new Blank Activity and its designer is displayed. At this point we can either add in a single existing Activity or a Workflow.
Because my Activity is essentially making decisions, I am going to add a FlowChart Workflow to be the basis of my new Activity, this will allow me to add multiple Activities that will execute in a specific order.
Now the steps needed to perform our activity are as follows:
Now this Workflow is actually going to loop forever until a valid code is input, but in real life we’d give the user some sort of option to give up.
I’m going to be using our old friends the WriteConsole and ReadConsole Activities for this, as well as a new custom activity that checks the Users input against a confirmation code. The process is exactly the same as creating a Workflow, I drag the Activities on I want to use and connect them together. This leaves me with an Activity that looks like this:
Here are Variables and Arguments:
So what does the XAML look like for this?
1: <p:Activity x:Class="DemoChart.GreetingActivity" xmlns:c="clr-namespace:CustomActivities;assembly=CustomActivities" xmlns:p="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2009/xaml/workflowmodel" xmlns:p1="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2008/xaml/schema" xmlns:p2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/xps/2005/06" xmlns:scg="clr-namespace:System.Collections.Generic;assembly=mscorlib" xmlns:swd="clr-namespace:System.WorkflowModel.Debugger;assembly=System.WorkflowModel" xmlns:swdv="clr-namespace:System.WorkflowModel.Design.View;assembly=System.WorkflowModel.Design" xmlns:swdx="clr-namespace:System.WorkflowModel.Design.Xaml;assembly=System.WorkflowModel.Design" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" xmlns:x2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2008/xaml">
2: <p1:SchemaType.Members>3: <p1:SchemaProperty Name="AttendeeName" Type="p:InArgument(p1:String)" />
4: </p1:SchemaType.Members>5: <p:Flowchart DisplayName="Flowchart" swd:XamlDebuggerXmlReader.FileName="C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Visual Studio 10\Projects\1_Designer_Demo\DemoChart\GreetingActivity.xaml">
6: <p:Flowchart.Variables>7: <p:Variable x:TypeArguments="p1:Int32" Name="_attendeeCode" />
8: <p:Variable x:TypeArguments="p1:Boolean" Default="[False]" Name="_codeValid" />
9: </p:Flowchart.Variables> 10: <p:FlowStep> 11: <p:FlowStep.Action>12: <c:WriteLine DisplayName="GreetAttendee" Text="[String.Concat("Welcome ", AttendeeName)]">
13: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>14: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
15: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">160,82.02</p2:Point>
16: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">160,35.96</p2:Size>
17: </scg:Dictionary> 18: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 19: </c:WriteLine> 20: </p:FlowStep.Action> 21: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>22: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
23: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="PolylineLocation">240,117.98 240,142.02</p2:PointCollection>
24: </scg:Dictionary> 25: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>26: <p:FlowStep x:Name="__ Reference ID 0">
27: <p:FlowStep.Action>28: <c:WriteLine DisplayName="RequestMeetingCode" Text="["Please enter your metting confirmation code"]">
29: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>30: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
31: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">160,142.02</p2:Point>
32: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">160,35.96</p2:Size>
33: </scg:Dictionary> 34: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 35: </c:WriteLine> 36: </p:FlowStep.Action> 37: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>38: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
39: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="PolylineLocation">240,177.98 240,222.02</p2:PointCollection>
40: </scg:Dictionary> 41: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>42: <p:FlowStep x:Name="__ Reference ID 1">
43: <p:FlowStep.Action>44: <c:ReadLine DisplayName="GetAttendeeCode" outArgument="[_attendeeCode]">
45: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>46: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
47: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">160,222.02</p2:Point>
48: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">160,35.96</p2:Size>
49: </scg:Dictionary> 50: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 51: </c:ReadLine> 52: </p:FlowStep.Action> 53: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>54: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
55: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="PolylineLocation">240,257.98 240,282.02</p2:PointCollection>
56: </scg:Dictionary> 57: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>58: <p:FlowStep x:Name="__ Reference ID 2">
59: <p:FlowStep.Action>60: <c:CodeCheck CodeToCheck="[_attendeeCode]" IsValid="[_codeValid]">
61: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>62: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
63: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">160,282.02</p2:Point>
64: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">160,35.96</p2:Size>
65: </scg:Dictionary> 66: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 67: </c:CodeCheck> 68: </p:FlowStep.Action> 69: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>70: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
71: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="PolylineLocation">240,317.98 240,350</p2:PointCollection>
72: </scg:Dictionary> 73: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>74: <p:FlowDecision False="{x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 0"}" x:Name="__ Reference ID 3" Condition="[_codeValid]">
75: <p:FlowDecision.True>76: <p:FlowStep x:Name="__ Reference ID 4">
77: <p:FlowStep.Action>78: <c:WriteLine DisplayName="Thanks" Text="["Thanks for coming!"]">
79: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>80: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
81: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">20,462.02</p2:Point>
82: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">160,35.96</p2:Size>
83: </scg:Dictionary> 84: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 85: </c:WriteLine> 86: </p:FlowStep.Action> 87: </p:FlowStep> 88: </p:FlowDecision.True> 89: <swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>90: <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="p1:String, p1:Object">
91: <p2:Point x:Key="ShapeLocation">210,350</p2:Point>
92: <p2:Size x:Key="ShapeSize">60,60</p2:Size>
93: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="TruePolylineLocation">210,380 100,380 100,462.02</p2:PointCollection>
94: <p2:PointCollection x:Key="FalsePolylineLocation">270,380 398.5,380 398.5,160 320,160</p2:PointCollection>
95: </scg:Dictionary> 96: </swdv:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState> 97: </p:FlowDecision> 98: </p:FlowStep> 99: </p:FlowStep> 100: </p:FlowStep> 101: </p:FlowStep>102: <x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 1" />
103: <x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 0" />
104: <x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 2" />
105: <x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 3" />
106: <x2:Reference Name="__ Reference ID 4" />
107: </p:Flowchart> 108: </p:Activity>
And if we look at the Properties for the placed Activity, we can see our AttendeeName argument that we added to allow us to greet individuals by name.
In the next part, we will look at creating our own custom Activities in code (items called Workflow Elements) and how to skin them.
Southampton NxtGenUG member and Agile speaker Plamen Balkanski has set the date for the first meeting of his new UK South Scrum User Group. The meeting will be on the 27th April at the Inn of the Furlong pub in Ringwood. You can get details of how to get to the pub and register here.
This is a very exciting User Group dedicated to all things Agile and Scrum! So something not to be missed!
See you there!
This years Fest has now opened for registration. Places are limited to paid up members only at the present time, but may open up to everyone else at a later date.
So if you’re a paid up member head over to registration now and grab your spot as places are rapidly disappearing!
This year we’re be at the Microsoft Research in Cambridge, and have some of the research guys from Microsoft giving talks! It promises to be an excellent day :)
As part of the Live Writer you get a whole host of tools you can also I install, most of which I passed on except for the Office tools and Messenger. I’m glad I did!
The new messenger has disappeared from the system tray and now lives full time in the Task Bar. Here’s the new icon:
and when I become busy, the little green circle goes red.
As you’d expect with apps designed for Windows 7 it has a new menu that you can open from the Task Bar. This is basically all the options you had on the menu from the System Tray.
The final change I really liked, is a change in how the conversations are organised. It's now grouped by the speaker, so if you're doing all the talking, your bits are all grouped together.
I know it’s a lot of little changes, but somehow it improved the whole experience :) It’s also nice to see apps beginning to move away from living in the System Tray, as I think far too many apps end up living in the System Tray.
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