Inline user tasks are extensions of regular user tasks.
Each inline user task implements a specific interface that is implicitly
defined by what is exposed to it. When you create a process in Process Designer, an
inline user task is automatically generated for the process. The inline
user task is already implemented by a hidden and non-editable client-side
human service. As a result, you can run your new process immediately
after you create it.
About this task
Inline user tasks enable you to quickly create the process
structure without having to worry about designing and implementing
any user interface (UI) for each of the tasks. Business Automation Workflow generates
a client-side human service with a single coach that renders the UI
that is necessary to work with the data exposed to the inline user
task in the process editor. The UI associated with an inline user
task can be customized by using coach templates that can dictate where
widgets for inputs and outputs are laid out. A default template is
shipped with the UI toolkit.Note: The UI for inline user tasks is
generated using UI views. As a result, inline user tasks are only
supported when the process app has a dependency on the UI toolkit.
If the UI toolkit is not in the dependency list, the task UI will
not be generated and a runtime error will be displayed.
Procedure
- In Workflow Center, create
a process app and open it in Process Designer.
- Create a process. An inline user task is automatically
generated and is wired into the process.
The UI generated
for an inline user task is based on the default coach template that
is included in the UI toolkit. However, you can configure a custom
template to modify the inline user task. Information about templates
for inline user tasks is found in the topic Configuring coach templates for inline user tasks.
- If you need another inline user task, select it from the
palette and wire it into the process.
-
In the process editor, go to Variables, and create the required input,
output, and private variables. These variables will be used to simultaneously create the interface
and data map for the inline user task.
-
In the process diagram, select the inline user task and then open the Data
Mapping properties. At this point, the properties content differs from that of a regular
user task because there is no interface yet.
-
In the Data Mapping properties, add input and output variables and define
the interface by completing the following substeps:
-
Beside the Input Mapping section, click the Add a new
input icon (+) to add the input variables. This opens a list of
the variables that you defined.
-
In the list, select a variable. It is added under the Input Mapping
section.
-
If you need to add more variables to the input mapping, click the Add a new
input icon (+) again. (You can delete any input variable from the
mapping by clicking the X icon to the right of the variable name.)
-
Beside the Output Mapping section, click the Add a new
output icon (+) to add the output variables. This opens a list of
the variables that you defined.
-
In the list, select a variable. It is added under the Output Mapping
section. (You can delete any output variable from the mapping by clicking the
X icon to the right of the variable name.)
-
If you need to add more variables to the output mapping, click the Add a new
output icon (+) again.
You can expose a process variable as an input, output, or both. Input variables will be
generated as read-only fields in the UI.
Note: Inline user task coaches are automatically generated
for the variables. If you change a variable in the Variables page, the variable
is automatically changed in the Data Mapping properties. Any changes to the
mapping causes a regeneration of the affected coach in the backing client-side human service.
What to do next
When you have finished adding inline user tasks, you can
convert one or more of them to use a stand-alone implementation. This
is especially useful for developing advanced user interfaces. Information
about converting inline user tasks is found in the topic "Converting
inline user tasks to use stand-alone implementations".