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Opening and Saving Item Types

All processes are associated with an item type. An item type can include one or more processes. You can save an item type to a database or to a flat file. When you save your work to a database, you actually save everything in the current data store that has been modified. When you save your work to a flat file, you actually save everything in the current data store to the file. You can also load an item type into Oracle Workflow Builder from a database or flat file. Opening an item type automatically retrieves all the attributes, messages, lookups, notifications, functions and processes associated with that item type.

Attention: Always save a copy of your workflow process definition as a flat file and check that file into a source control system to maintain a working version of your process definition. Avoid using the process definition stored in your database as your source controlled version, as others with access to the database can update the definition.

   To Access Process Definitions in an Existing Data Store:

Note: You can also drag and drop a .wft file from the Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 Explorer or Microsoft Windows NT File Manager into the navigator tree to open that file in Oracle Workflow Builder.

Note: When you copy item types to the new store, you may get validation errors due to foreign key references. You should pay attention to these errors as they may indicate that you need to also copy other item types into the new store to resolve the foreign key references.

Attention: Oracle Workflow Builder can save your work to the database using one of two modes. In the "About Oracle Workflow Builder" dialog box from the Help menu, there is a check box called "Allow modifications of customized objects". If you check this check box, Oracle Workflow Builder saves your edits in 'upload' mode, overwriting any protected objects that you have access to modify and as well as any previously customized objects. If you uncheck this check box, Oracle Workflow Builder runs in 'upgrade' mode and will only save edits to protected objects that you have access to change and will not overwrite objects that have been previously customized. These two modes match the upgrade and upload behavior of the Workflow Definitions Loader program. See: To Set the Access Level for an Object and Using the Workflow Definitions Loader.

Note: If you save your work to a database with a future effective date, and then in the same Oracle Workflow Builder session, continue to modify your process and later choose Save from the File menu, you automatically save the process definition to the same database using the previously specified effective date.

Attention: The Close Store and Exit options from the File menu are enabled only when the Navigator window is the current window.

   To Start Oracle Workflow Builder from the MS-DOS Prompt:

Rather than starting Oracle Workflow Builder by double-clicking on its Windows icon, you can also type in a command at the MS-DOS prompt and specify the file or database to connect to.

	wfbldr20 <filename.wft>

	wfbldr20 -c <username/password@connect>

Note: If you run Oracle Workflow Builder in Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, you can also double-click on a workflow data file (.wft) from the Windows Explorer to automatically open that file and start Oracle Workflow Builder.

	-E <item_type>

	wfbldr20 wfdemo.wft -E wfdemo

	-E <item_type:process>

	wfbldr20 wfdemo.wft -E WFDEMO:NOTIFYAPPROVER

See Also

Using the Workflow Definitions Loader

Creating a Shortcut to a Workflow Process


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