Administering Data within WebLogic Process Integrator

 

The following sections describe the data administration tasks within WebLogic Process Integrator:

• Security

• Maintaining Organizations

• Maintaining Users

• Maintaining Roles

• Administering Task Routing

• Administering Business Calendars

• Understanding Business Operations

 

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Security

User, role, and organization information within WebLogic Process Integrator is maintained in BEA WebLogic Server(TM) security realms. Creating a new user, role, or organization within WebLogic Process Integrator means adding those entities to the WLS security realm. Therefore, the functions of creating and deleting users, roles, and organizations are accessible only if a manageable realm is used and detected by WebLogic Process Integrator.

When using a non-manageable security realm, such as the WebLogic properties file, only certain updates can be performed to the data kept within the WebLogic Process Integrator database. For example, the business calendar attached to a user, role, or organization can be changed. However, in order to add a new user, role, or organization, or to add a user to a role or an organization, the addition must be made directly within the security realm and not through use of the WebLogic Process Integrator user interface. WebLogic Process Integrator cannot persist information to the security realm.

In the sections that follow, the following functions can be performed only when using a manageable realm:

• Create New User, Role, or Organization

• Delete User, Role, or Organization

• Add a User to an Organization

• Remove a User from an Organization

• Add a User to a Role

• Remove a User from a Role

 

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Maintaining Organizations

Use the Organization option to define organizations, which can represent different business entities, geographical locations, or any other distinction relevant to the particular business of the company.

The Organization drop-down list is located on the main menu of the WebLogic Process Integrator main window. Selecting an organization from the drop-down list displays information in the folder tree for that organization only.

Adding an Organization

The Add Organization facility adds a group, representing the organization, to the security realm and also adds the organization to the WebLogic Process Integrator database.

This facility is available from the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio application only if it is operating within a manageable security realm.

To add an organization:

1. From the Configuration menu, choose Organizations to display the Define Organizations dialog box.

   Figure 2-1 Define Organizations Dialog Box

   

2. In the Define Organizations dialog box, click the Add button to display the Organization Properties dialog box.

   Figure 2-2 Organization Properties Dialog Box

   

3. Enter a meaningful ID for the organization in the Organization Id field.

4. From the Calendar Id drop-down list, select a calendar to assign to the organization. See Administering Business Calendars for details on this feature.

5. Click OK.

Updating an Organization

The Update Organization facility allows you to update the business calendar of an existing organization; it is accessible to you regardless of whether WebLogic Process Integrator Studio operating within a manageable realm.

To update an organization:

1. From the Configuration menu, choose Organizations.

2. In the Define Organizations dialog box, highlight the organization to update.

3. Click the Update button to display the Organization Properties dialog box.

   Figure 2-3 Organization Properties Dialog Box

   

4. Make changes as needed to the Organization Id or Calendar Id fields, and click OK.

Deleting an Organization

The Delete Organization facility allows you to remove an organization from the security realm as well as from the WebLogic Process Integrator database. This facility is only available to you if WebLogic Process Integrator Studio is operating within a manageable realm.

To delete an organization:

1. From the Configuration menu, choose Organizations.

2. In the Define Organizations dialog box, highlight the organization to delete.

3. Click the Delete button to display the Delete Organization dialog box.

   Figure 2-4 Delete Organization Dialog Box

   

4. Click Yes to confirm or No to cancel.

 

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Maintaining Users

Create, update, and delete users with the Users feature. You can also add or remove users from organizations.

A user is an individual defined in WebLogic Process Integrator who has permissions to perform tasks. A role is an area of responsibility, ability, or authorization level that is shared by a particular group of individuals.

The User folder is located in the WebLogic Process Integrator folder tree. Expanding it displays a list of users who have already been defined for the current organization. Double-clicking on an existing user displays the properties for that user.

Right-clicking the User folder displays a menu with the following options:

• Create User — adds a user to the WebLogic Server security realm.

• Add User — adds a user already defined in the WebLogic Server security realm to the current organization.

• Delete User — deletes defined users from the WebLogic Server security realm.

  Figure 2-5 User Folder Menu Options

  

Right-clicking a user within the User folder displays a menu with the following options:

• Properties — displays the User dialog box, where you create a new user or update a selected user.

• Remove — removes the highlighted user from the current organization. To remove a user, all of the user's tasks must first be reassigned to other users.

• Open User Worklist — opens a list of tasks assigned to the user. (See Using Workload Reports in Monitoring Workflows.)

• Close User Worklist — closes the list of tasks assigned to the user.

  Figure 2-6 Users Menu Options

  

Adding a User to the Current Organization

The Add User facility adds a user that is already defined in the WebLogic Server (WLS) security realm to the current WebLogic Process Integrator organization. This facility is accessible only if WebLogic Process Integrator Studio is operating within a manageable realm.

To add a user to the current WebLogic Process Integrator organization:

1. Right-click the Users folder, and select Add Users to display the Add Users dialog box.

   Figure 2-7 Add Users Dialog Box

   

2. A list of valid users is displayed. (Valid users are those users registered in WLS). Click the check box to the left of the user to add, and click OK.

3. The user is added to the folder tree. Right-click the user name, and choose Properties from the pop-up menu to display the User dialog box.

   Figure 2-8 User Dialog Box

   

   The User dialog box contains the following fields:

   • User Id — uniquely defines the user. The user enters this ID to log in to WebLogic Process Integrator applications. In the User dialog box, this field is already populated with the name of the user selected in Step 2.

   • E-mail Address — enter the e-mail address of the user.

   • Default Organization — assign one default organization to the user.

   • Calendar — select the appropriate business calendar to assign to the user. See Administering Business Calendars for details on this feature.

4. Click OK to save the new user information, or click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Creating a User

The Create User option is available only if the security realm is a manageable one. To create a new user in the security realm and WebLogic Process Integrator database:

1. Right-click the Users folder, and select Create Users to display the Create User dialog box.

   Figure 2-9 Create User Dialog Box

   

2. Enter values in the following fields, and then click OK.

   • User Id — uniquely defines the user. The user enters this ID to log in to WebLogic Process Integrator client applications.

   • Password and Re-enter Password — enter a password for the user.

   • E-mail Address — optionally enter the e-mail address of the user.

   • Default Organization — select a default organization for the user.

   • Calendar — optionally select a business calendar for the user.

Deleting a User

To delete defined users from the WebLogic Server security realm and WebLogic Process Integrator database:

1. Right-click the Users folder, and select Delete Users to display the Delete Users dialog box, which contains a complete list of valid users for the current organization.

   Figure 2-10 Delete Users Dialog Box

   

2. Select the checkbox to the left of each user that you will delete, and click OK.

   A confirmation dialog box prompts you to confirm your selection.

3. Click Yes to delete the selected user(s).

Updating User Properties

To update user properties:

1. Right-click a user and choose Properties to display the User dialog box.

2. Make the necessary changes to the E-mail Address, Default Organization, and Calendar.

3. Click OK to save the update the user information, or click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Removing a User from the Current Organization

The Remove User facility removes a user that is already defined in the WebLogic Server (WLS) security realm from the current organization. It does not remove the user from the WLS security realm.

To remove a user from the current WebLogic Process Integrator organization:

1. Right-click a user and choose Remove to display the Remove User dialog box.

   Figure 2-11 Remove User Dialog Box

   

2. To remove the user, click Yes. To cancel the delete, click No.

 

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Maintaining Roles

Use the Roles feature to create, update, and delete roles. A role is a common area of responsibility, ability, or authorization level that is shared by a group of individuals. A single user can belong to one or more roles.

Roles are displayed within each organization. Selecting an organization from the Organizations drop-down list in the WebLogic Process Integrator main window and double-clicking the Roles folder displays the roles belonging to that particular organization. Double-clicking on an existing role displays the properties for that role.

Right-clicking a role displays a menu with the following options:

• Properties — displays the Role dialog box, where you create a new role or update a selected role.

• Delete — delete the highlighted role from the WebLogic Server (WLS) security realm. To delete a role, all of the role's tasks must first be reassigned to other roles.

• Open Role Worklist — opens a list of tasks assigned to the role. (See Using Workload Reports in Monitoring Workflows.)

• Close Role Worklist — closes the list of tasks assigned to the role.

Creating a Role

The Create Role facility allows you to create a new role in the WebLogic Server (WLS) security realm and is accessible only if WebLogic Process Integrator Studio is operating with a manageable realm.

To add a new role:

1. Right-click the Roles folder and choose Create Role from the menu to display the Role dialog box.

   Figure 2-12 Role Dialog Box

   

2. Enter a meaningful ID for the role in the Id field.

3. Use the Calendar drop-down list to assign a calendar to the role. See Administering Business Calendars for details on this feature.

4. In the Members section of the dialog box, select the check box(es) to the left of the users that you will make members of this role.

5. Click OK to save the new role. Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Updating a Role

To update an existing role:

1. Right-click the role and choose Properties from the menu to display the Role dialog box.

   Figure 2-13 Role Dialog Box

   

2. Make changes as needed to the calendar and role members.

3. Click OK to save the update. Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Deleting a Role

Use the Delete Role dialog box to delete a role from the WebLogic Server security realm and WebLogic Process Integrator database.

To delete a role:

1. Right-click the role and choose Delete from the pop-up menu to display the Delete Role dialog box.

   Figure 2-14 Delete Role Dialog Box

   

2. To delete the role, click Yes. To cancel the delete, click No.
   

 

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Administering Task Routing

Use the Routing feature to reroute currently assigned tasks from one user to another user or role for a specified, albeit temporary, period of time.

Right-click Routing in the folder tree to display a menu containing two options: Open and Close. Choose Open to display the Routing dialog box. The Routing dialog box contains a list of defined routings, showing users whose tasks were rerouted and the users or roles to whom the tasks were rerouted. The Effective and To dates represent the time period for which the tasks are rerouted.

Figure 2-15 Routing Dialog Box

Adding a Task Routing Specification

To reroute a task:

1. In the Routing dialog box, click Add to display the Reroute Tasks dialog box.

   Figure 2-16 Reroute Tasks Dialog Box

   

2. From the Route From drop-down list, select the user from which all tasks should be rerouted.

3. From the Route To drop-down list, select the User, User In Role, or Role to which all tasks should be rerouted, and select the corresponding radio button.

   Note: When you assign to a User in Role, the system performs workload balancing by first reviewing the number of tasks assigned to all users in the role, selecting the user with the least number of assigned tasks, and assigning all of the rerouted tasks to this user.

4. Specify an Effective date by selecting a month and year, and clicking on a day in the month display.

5. In a similar fashion, specify the Expiry date for the task rerouting.

6. Click OK to save the rerouting specification. Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Updating a Task Routing Specification

To update a task rerouting specification:

1. Right-click the Routing feature in the folder tree, and choose Open from the pop-up menu to display the Routing dialog box.

2. In the list of displayed task reroutings, locate and highlight the task rerouting you want to update.

3. Click Update to display the Reroute Tasks dialog box.

4. Make changes as needed to the Route To, Effective, and Expiry values.

5. Click OK to save the changes. Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Deleting a Task Routing Specification

To delete a task rerouting specification:

1. Right-click the Routing feature in the folder tree, and choose Open from the pop-up menu to display the Routing dialog box.

2. In the list of displayed task routings, locate and highlight the task routing you wish to delete.

3. Click Delete to display the Delete Reroute dialog box.

4. To delete the task rerouting, click Yes. To cancel the delete, click No.

Refreshing the Task List

Click Refresh on the Routing dialog box to refresh the rerouting task list and display any changes that have been made since you first invoked the Routing dialog box.

 

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Administering Business Calendars

The WebLogic Process Integrator business calendar feature defines the operating hours for the current organization. Business calendars make possible business time-related calculations, such as "Set a task's due date to three business days from today."

Calendars can be associated with the following, as described in the sections indicated:

• Organizations (See Adding an Organization.)

• Users (See Adding a User to the Current Organization.)

• Roles (See Creating a Role.)

• Time-related actions:

  • Set Task Due Date action (See Set Task Due Date in Using Actions.)

  • Timed Event action (See Timed Event in Using Actions.)

You can define and assign the same business calendar to organizations, users, roles, and actions. You can also assign different business calendars to users, roles, and actions within the same organization.

Calendar assignment within WebLogic Process Integrator is hierarchical in nature. The hierarchy places time-related actions at the lowest level, followed by roles and users, and finally, organizations at the highest level. If a time-related action is not assigned a calendar, it will, by default, be assigned the calendar of the user or role to which it is assigned. If a user or role is not assigned a calendar, it will, by default, be assigned the business calendar (organization level). In other words, calendar assignment is made at the most detailed component level.

Business calendars are rule-based. The calendar facility leads you through the definition of each rule, much as the WebLogic Process Integrator Expression Builder allows you to select from lists of functions, operators, variables, and so on in order to create an expression.

Creating a Calendar

To create a new calendar:

1. Right-click Calendars in the folder tree, and choose Create Calendar to display the Calendar Properties dialog box.

   Figure 2-17 Calendar Properties Dialog Box

   

2. Enter a meaningful name for the calendar in the Name field.

3. Select a time zone for the calendar from the Time Zone drop-down list.

4. To add a rule, click the Add button. This displays the Rule dialog box.

   Figure 2-18 Rule Dialog Box

   

5. Select either Exclude or Include. These buttons determine the method by which you will define your calendar rules (by exclusion or by inclusion). It is recommended that you use one or the other method and not both throughout your rule defining process.

6. Define calendar rules using the following buttons:

   • Days — displays the Days dialog box. Excludes or includes certain calendar days. (Hold the CTRL key down to select more than one day of the week from the Days dialog box.)

     Figure 2-19 Days Dialog Box

     

   • Hours — displays the Days dialog box. Excludes or includes certain hours of the day. Select a From and To value.

     Figure 2-20 Hours Dialog Box

     

   • Date — displays the Date dialog box. Excludes or includes a certain date.

     Figure 2-21 Date Dialog Box

     

   • Month — displays the Month dialog box. Excludes or includes certain month(s) of the year. (Hold the CTRL key down while clicking with your mouse to select more than one month of the year from the Month dialog box.)

     Figure 2-22 Month Dialog Box

     

   • Date Interval — displays the Date Interval dialog box. Enables you to specify a specific date interval to be excluded or included.

     Figure 2-23 Date Interval Dialog Box

     

     New calendar rules are displayed in the Rules area of the Calendar Rules dialog box.

     Figure 2-24 Calendar Rules

     

     Note: You can update or delete a calendar rule by highlighting the rule in the Rules portion of the Calendar Properties dialog box, clicking the Update or Delete button, and following the prompts.

7. Once you define your calendar rules (using either the Exclusion or Inclusion method), use the Period From: and To: calendars to specify the period for which this calendar will be in effect.

8. Click the OK button to save your changes, or click Cancel to terminate the operation.

Updating a Calendar

To update an existing calendar:

1. In the folder tree, right-click the calendar you want to update, and choose Properties.

2. Make the necessary changes to the business days and hours.

3. Click OK to save the changes. Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Deleting a Calendar

To delete an existing calendar:

1. Right-click the calendar you want to delete and choose Delete to display the Delete Calendar dialog box.

   Figure 2-25 Delete Calendar Dialog Box

   

2. To delete the calendar, click Yes. To cancel the delete, click No.

 

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Understanding Business Operations

The WebLogic Process Integrator Business Operations facility enables you to display all Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) or Java classes that are registered in WebLogic Sever and their remote methods and parameters. Using this Business Operations facility, you provide a descriptive name for EJB/Java class method and its parameters that you wish to deploy, hence providing non-technical users with an understanding of the business meaning behind the bean and its methods.

In WebLogic Process Integrator, a business operation represents a method call on an EJB or Java Class instance. This method call is added to a workflow in WebLogic Process Integrator through use of the Perform Business Operation action. The invocation results of this action can be assigned to the workflow variables.

EJBs represent a component architecture for developing and deploying object-oriented, distributed, enterprise-level applications. The Business Operations feature, in effect, allows for the creation of customized actions, which create the connection between WebLogic Process Integrator and end-user applications and components.

In WebLogic Process Integrator, workflows can instantiate serializable Java objects by invoking their constructors as business operations and can store the resulting object reference in a variable. Such serializable Java objects are persisted as part of a workflow instance. Additionally, calls to stateful session EJBs are supported; this requires support of non-persistent workflow variables. The content of such variable types are cleared at transaction boundaries. (See Understanding the WebLogic Process Integrator Transaction Model in Handling Workflow Exceptions.)

Using the Business Operations Dialog Box

In the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio main window, choose Business Operations from the Configuration menu. This displays the Business Operations dialog box.

Figure 2-26 Business Operations Dialog Box

The Business Operation dialog box (accessed from the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio Configuration menu) contains the following:

• Description — description assigned to the business operation. See Defining a Business Operation for more information.

• EJB/Class — Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) or Java class to be invoked.

• Method — associated EJB method.

• Add — invokes the Define Business Operation dialog box, where you define business operations.

• Update — updates the highlighted business operation; invoke the Define Business Operation dialog box and make changes as needed.

• Delete — deletes the highlighted business operation.

Defining a Business Operation

To define a WebLogic Process Integrator business operation, proceed as follows:

1. From the Business Operations dialog box, click the Add button to display the Define Business Operation dialog box.

   Figure 2-27 Define Business Operation Dialog Box

   

2. A business operation represents a method call on an EJB or Java class instance. In the Name field, enter a description of the method that is meaningful to a business analyst. A method which returns the number of items available in stock might be called, for example, CheckInventory.

   Next, you will select the type of business operation that you are defining. The choices are:

   • Java Class — used in a business operation that wraps a call to a standard Java class that is accessible on the server. In order for a Java class to be wrapped to the server, it must be a serializable class. Java classes are persisted through the workflow instance.

   • Session EJB — used in a business operation that wraps a session-type EJB on the server. A session EJB is a server-side process EJB that acts as an interface between the server and the client. Although Session EJBs can be placed in workflow variables, they are not persisted with workflow instances. Instead they exist only for the life of the transaction in which they are created.

   • Entity EJB — used in a business operation that wraps an entity-type EJB on the server. An entity EJB represents an internal state of the WebLogic Process Integrator engine; the client accesses that state indirectly through Session EJBs. Entity EJBs are persisted through the workflow instance.

Defining Business Operations for Java Classes

To define a business operation for a Java class, proceed as follows:

1. Select the Java Class radio button.

2. Click the Set button to display the Java Class Name dialog box.

   Figure 2-28 Java Class Name Dialog Box

   

3. Enter a fully qualified Java class name (for example, java.lang.String), and click OK. The Java class name is set in the Fully Qualified Java Class Name field of the Define Business Operation dialog box.

4. Use the Method to Call drop-down list to select a method to call upon invocation of the business operation in the workflow. There are three types of Java class methods in the list:

   • Constructor Type — these method types are first in the list and begin with the word String. Constructor methods return an object of the type you entered as the Java Class Name.

   • Method Type — these method types are second in the list. They are invoked on Java objects and can return any type.

   • Static Type — these are last in the list and begin with the word Static. Static methods require no object to be invoked and can return any type.

     Figure 2-29 Method to Call Drop-down List

     

5. The Parameter Name and Parameter Type fields are populated with the parameter values of the selected method. You can optionally rename the parameter and give it a more meaningful name by highlighting the parameter and clicking the Update button to display the Parameter dialog box.

   Figure 2-30 Parameter Dialog Box

   

6. Change the parameter name in the Description field, and click OK.

Defining Business Operations for Session EJBs

To define a business operation for a Session EJB (Enterprise Java Bean), proceed as follows:

1. Select the Session EJB radio button to display fields relevant to Session EJBs in the Define Business Operation dialog box.

   Figure 2-31 Define Business Operation: Session EJB

   

2. From the JNDI Name for Session EJB drop-down list, select the JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) name for the Session EJB. JNDI is a service provided by WebLogic Server; this service stores objects much like a database. Here, you are selecting the JNDI name for the Session EJB; a Session EJB is an object stored in this service.

3. The Method to Call drop-down list contains a list of methods (or operations) that you can perform on the Session EJB by calling it. Select the method to call from the drop-down list.

4. The Parameter Name and Parameter Type fields are populated with the parameter values of the selected method. You can optionally rename the parameter and give it a more meaningful name by highlighting the parameter and clicking the Update button to display the Parameter dialog box.

   Figure 2-32 Parameter Dialog Box

   

5. Change the parameter name in the Description field, and click OK.

Defining Business Operations for Entity EJBs

To define a business operation for an Entity EJB (Enterprise Java Bean), proceed as follows:

1. Select the Entity EJB radio button to display fields relevant to Session EJBs in the Define Business Operation dialog box.

   Figure 2-33 Define Business Operation: Entity EJB

   

2. From the JNDI Name for Entity EJB drop-down list, select the JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) name for the Entity EJB. JNDI is a service provided by WebLogic Server; this service stores objects much like a database. Here, you are selecting the JNDI name for the Entity EJB; an Entity EJB is an object stored in this service.

3. The Method to Call drop-down list contains a list of methods (or operations) that you can perform on the Entity EJB by calling it. Select the method to call from the drop-down list.

4. The Parameter Name and Parameter Type fields are populated with the parameter values of the selected method. You can optionally rename the parameter and give it a more meaningful name by highlighting the parameter and clicking the Update button to display the Parameter dialog box.

   Figure 2-34 Parameter Dialog Box

   

5. Change the parameter name in the Description field, and click OK.

Once you have defined all of your business operations, click OK on the Define Business Operations dialog box to confirm your changes. The business operations are added to the list of valid business operations in the Business Operation dialog box.

You use the Perform Business Operation action to invoke a defined business operation. For more information, see Perform Business Operation in Using Actions.