JR61525: HARD-CODED VALUES ARE INCORRECTLY VALIDATED IN DATA MAPPINGS IN CLIENT-SIDE HUMAN SERVICES

workflow.19003.delta.repository

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The input mapping to ANY is not recommended because limitations
  exists when it works at run time. The inputs are serialized in a
   loosely type environment (JavaScript in web browser) and
  deserialized in a strongly typed environment (Java in
  application server). Even though the variable is classified as
  ANY, the actual value on the server is an object with a specific
   type; in many cases the necessary information to deserialize
  the object is not available.
  
  For example, a service flow fails if it's passed as a complex
  object that was initialized in the client-side human service
  because the type of object to create is unknown. During
  development time, the following error message is displayed on
  all data mappings to ANY types:
  
  "The data type for the data mapping {0} differs from the
  interface on element {1}."
  
  {0} is a passed value and {1} is the element containing the data
  mapping.
  
  Nevertheless, primitive types are considered fine.
  
  The same behavior applies to values passed to the client-side
  human service (such as task input) that is then returned to the
  server as service flow input because they retain additional
  metadata when the value is passed from the server to the
  browser. Accordingly, the validation error is too restrictive on
  primitive types.
  
  PRODUCTS AFFECTED
  IBM Business Process Manager (BPM)
  IBM BPM Express
  IBM Business Automation Workflow
  

Local fix

• Although using ANY in data mappings in client-side human
  services is marked as an error, it is processed correctly at run
   time.
  
  You can ignore the error if
  
  -The object passed in was initialized on the server side
  (therefore, it was already passed to the client-side human
  service)
  -The object is a primitive type, such as a hard-coded value in
  the data mapping itself.
  
  In other scenarios, the error message is valid and should be
  thoroughly reviewed to prevent issues at run time.
  

Problem summary

• No additional information is available.
  

Problem conclusion

• A fix that ensures data mappings of hard-coded values to inputs
  of ANY type are validated correctly will be available in a
  future release of Business Automation Workflow.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  BUS AUTO WORKFL

• Fixed component ID

  5737H4100

Applicable component levels