Using WorkItem Variables: Summary

As you can see from the preceding scenarios, you can control the size of WorkItem objects through the careful use of top-level variables. Identity Manager creates a WorkItem object for each manual action that is processed in a workflow. By default, these objects contain a copy of all top level variables from the executing workflow. There are three ways to control the variables that are passed into and assimilated back from WorkItem objects:

• ExposedVariables

• EditableVariables

• ViewVariables

ExposedVariables

You can use ExposedVariables to control which variables from the workflow are copied into the WorkItem object. If you have defined ExposedVariables, only those variables in the list are copied to the WorkItem. Using this option controls the size of WorkItem objects reducing memory usage, database size, and CPU processing time. The definition should be a list containing string representations of the workflow variables. Two example definitions follow.

<!-- Pass the entire view object but no other WF variables -->
<ExposedVariables>
  <List>
     <String>userView</String>
  </List>
</ExposedVariables>


<!-- More optimized to only pass the Lighthouse attributes and 
     email value -->
<!-- Note the definition of a partial GenericObject path and a complete 
     GenericObject path -->
<ExposedVariables>
   <List>
     <String>userView.accounts[Lighthouse]</String>
     <String>userView.waveset.email</String>
     <String>managerFlag</String>
   </List>
</ExposedVariables>

Passing only the data that the UserForm requires to operate optimizes the WorkItem processing time. This reduces the time required when processing the workItemEdit.jsp and also reduces total memory consumption and GC activities for the JVM. Without this option, the system can quickly consume a large amount of CPU time during concurrent user operations.

EditableVariables

You can use EditableVariables to control which variables from the WorkItem object are assimilated back into the workflow. The classic usage of this definition is to control which variables can be edited by the approver. EditableVariables is most useful during parallel approvals to prevent two approvers from overwriting the same data. Make sure you read the note regarding ExposedVariables.

<ExposedVariables>
<List>
   <String>userView.accounts[Lighthouse]</String>
   <String>userView.waveset.email</String>
</List>
</ExposedVariables>
<!-- Only the firstname, lastname fields should be assimilated 
     from the WorkItem -->
<-- Note the inclusion of the formButton variable which is used to 
    store the button value -->
<EditableVariables>
<List>
   <String>userView.accounts[Lighthouse].firstname</String>
   <String>userView.accounts[Lighthouse].lastname</String>
   <String>formButton</String>
</List>
</EditableVariables>

<Field button='true'>
   <Display class='Button'>
      <Property name='name' value='variables.formButton'/>
      <Property name='label' value='Submit'/>
      <Property name='command' value='Save'/>
      <Property name='value' value='submit'/>
   </Display>
</Field>

To debug, see workflow.fileTrace attribute of the System Configuration object to identify which variables are being assimilated back into Workflow from the view. ViewVariables is used to control which variables represent view objects which should be refreshed when a refreshView operation is executed from the workItemEdit.jsp page. In general a refreshView operation reloads the view data from all of its sources such as resource adapters.

ViewVariables

You can use ViewVariables to control which variables represent view objects that should be refreshed when a refreshView operation is executed from the workItemEdit.jsp page. In general, a refreshView operation reloads the view data from all of its sources such as resource adapters.

<!-- The userView variable should be refreshed during a refreshView -->
<ViewVariables>
   <List>
      <String>userView</String>
   </List>
</ViewVariables>

Use ViewVariables only when absolutely necessary for correct form and user interaction. This is option is seldom used.