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    Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation

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    api-3700231
    The document discusses various ways that a Windows Workflow Foundation workflow can communicate with the host process and external services. It covers topics like calling methods on the host process, handling events from the host, consuming WCF services, and publishing a workflow as a service. Code examples and demonstrations are provided.

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    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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    Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation

    Uploaded by

    api-3700231
    69 views30 pages
    The document discusses various ways that a Windows Workflow Foundation workflow can communicate with the host process and external services. It covers topics like calling methods on the host process, handling events from the host, consuming WCF services, and publishing a workflow as a service. Code examples and demonstrations are provided.

    Original Title

    6462A_03

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    The document discusses various ways that a Windows Workflow Foundation workflow can communicate with the host process and external services. It covers topics like calling methods on the host process, handling events from the host, consuming WCF services, and publishing a workflow as a service. Code examples and demonstrations are provided.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    69 views30 pages

    Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation

    Uploaded by

    api-3700231
    The document discusses various ways that a Windows Workflow Foundation workflow can communicate with the host process and external services. It covers topics like calling methods on the host process, handling events from the host, consuming WCF services, and publishing a workflow as a service. Code examples and demonstrations are provided.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Visual Studio® 2008:

    Windows® Workflow
    Foundation
    Module 3: Communicating with Workflows
    • Calling Methods on the Host Process

    • Handling Events from the Host Process

    • Consuming Services from a Workflow

    • Publishing a Workflow as a Service


    Lesson: Calling Methods on the Host Process
    • Overview of Calling Methods on the Host Process

    • How to Call Methods on the Host Process

    • Generating Strictly Bound Activities for Host Methods

    • Demonstration: Calling Methods on the Host Process


    Overview of Calling Methods on the Host Process
    Windows Workflow Foundation enables a workflow to call
    a method on the host process
    • Invoke functionality on the host process
    • Send data synchronously to the host process

    Host Application

    Workflow Runtime

    ExternalDataExchangeService

    Workflow Instance

    CallExternal
    MethodActivity
    How to Call Methods on the Host Process
    To make host process methods available to workflows:
    • Define an interface that specifies available methods
    • Specify the ExternalDataExchange attribute on the interface
    • Define a service class that implements the interface
    • Register a service class instance with the workflow runtime

    To call a host process method from a workflow:


    • Add a CallExternalMethodActivity to the workflow
    • Specify the interface type and method name to be called
    Generating Strictly Bound Activities for Host Methods
    What is a strictly bound activity for a host method?
    • A subclass of CallExternalMethodActivity
    • Contains code to invoke a specific method on an interface

    To generate strictly bound activities for host methods:

    • Use the workflow communication activity generator


    command-line utility, wca.exe

    Why use strictly bound activities to call host methods?


    • Better designer experience than using CallExternalMethod
    • Improved performance by removing the use of reflection
    • Makes it easier to customize external interfaces in future
    Demonstration: Calling Methods on the Host
    Process
    In this demonstration you will see how to:
    • Define and implement an interface that defines methods
    that can be invoked from a workflow
    • Add a local communication service to the workflow
    runtime engine, to enable the workflow to invoke methods
    • Add a CallExternalMethod activity to a workflow, to
    invoke a method on the host process
    Lesson: Handling Events from the Host Process
    • Overview of Handling Events from the Host Process

    • Raising Events in the Host Process

    • Handling Events in a Workflow

    • Generating Strictly Bound Activities for Host Events

    • Demonstration: Handling Events from the Host Process


    Overview of Handling Events from the
    Host Process
    Windows Workflow Foundation enables a workflow to
    handle events raised in the host process
    • Trigger functionality in the workflow
    • Send data asynchronously to the workflow

    Host Application
    • TODO: Redraw the right-hand
    Workflow Runtime
    side of this diagram, to show
    event handling ExternalDataExchangeService

    Workflow Instance
    Listen Activity
    EventDrivenActivity
    HandleExternal
    EventActivity
    Raising Events in the Host Process
    To make host process events available to workflows:
    • Define an interface that specifies events
    • Specify the ExternalDataExchange attribute on the interface
    • Define a service class that implements the interface and
    raises events
    • Register a service class instance with the workflow runtime

    The service to workflow relationship is one-to-many


    • Many workflows call into a singleton
    ExternalDataExchangeMethod instance
    • Multiple workflows can have multiple conversations with
    the host process through the service
    • Inbound workflow calls must be directed to the correct
    conversation in the correct workflow
    Handling Events in a Workflow
    To handle host process events in a workflow:
    • Add a HandleExternalEventActivity to the workflow
    • Specify the interface type and the event to be handled

    Use the ParameterBinding object to pass data


    • Used in the same way as when calling methods on the host process
    from the workflow

    You can use the ListenEvent to wait for events


    • Workflow execution is blocked until the required event is raised
    • ListenActivity contains HandleExternalEventActivity
    activities in parallel branches
    • Can wait on multiple events until one is raised
    Generating Strictly Bound Activities for
    Host Events
    What is a strictly bound activity for a host event?
    • A subclass of HandleExternalEventActivity
    • Contains code to handle a specific event in an interface

    To generate strictly bound activities for host events:

    • Use the workflow communication activity generator


    command-line utility, wca.exe

    Why use strictly bound activities to handle host events?


    • Better designer experience than HandleExternalEvent
    • Improved performance by removing the use of reflection
    • Makes it easier to customize external interfaces in future
    Demonstration: Handling Events from the Host
    Process
    In this demonstration you will see how to:
    • Define and implement an interface that defines events
    that can be handled by a workflow
    • Add a local communication service to the workflow
    runtime engine, to enable the workflow to handle events
    • Add a HandleExternalEvent activity to a workflow, to
    handle events raised by the host process
    Lesson: Consuming Services from a Workflow
    • Overview of WCF Services

    • Defining a WCF Service

    • Invoking a WCF Service from a Workflow

    • Binding Input and Output Parameters

    • Demonstration: Consuming Services from a Workflow


    Overview of WCF Services
    TODO: Add
    •Windows information and Foundation
    Communication a diagram that explains
    (WCF) what WCF
    provides a is,
    and how
    unified it relates to WF
    architecture to implement services

    A Windows Workflow Foundation workflow can call WCF


    services to consume functionality
    Workflow WCF Service

    Generated
    proxy
    Defining a WCF Service
    Create a WCF Service Library and define a WCF service as
    follows:
    • Define a service interface and annotate with ServiceContract
    • Annotate the interface methods with OperationContract
    • Annotate parameter and return data types with DataContract
    • Define a class that implements the service interface

    [ServiceContract]
    public interface IProductsService
    { 
      [OperationContract]
      ProductInfo GetProduct(int ID);
    } [DataContract]
    public class ProductInfo
    { 
    public class ProductsService :   [DataMember]
    IProductsService public string Name...
    {...}
    Invoking a WCF Service from a Workflow
    To invoke a WCF service from a workflow:
    • Add a reference to the WCF service in the workflow project
    • Add a SendActivity to the workflow
    • Set the ServiceOperationInfo property to an operation on
    the WCF service
    • Create a ChannelToken to specify the endpoint and owner activity
    Binding Input and Output Parameters
    To bind input and output
    properties to a
    SendActivity:
    • Configure the
    ServiceOperationInfo
    property
    • Visual Studio adds
    required properties to
    the SendActivity
    Properties list
    • Click a property, and
    then right-click the
    activity to display the
    binding wizard
    • Select the locally
    available property from
    the list
    Demonstration: Consuming Services from
    a Workflow
    In this demonstration, you will see how to:
    • Define a WCF service containing a method that takes
    parameters and returns a value
    • Add a SendActivity to a workflow to consume a service
    method
    Notes Page Over-flow Slide. Do Not Print Slide.
    See Notes pane.
    Lesson: Publishing a Workflow as a Service
    • Why Publish a Workflow as a Service?

    • Defining a Service Contract

    • Associating an Activity with a Service Contract

    • Implementing Service Behavior in an Activity

    • Invoking the Service

    • Demonstration: Publishing a Workflow as a Service


    Why Publish a Workflow as a Service?
    Publishing a workflow as a service enables:
    • Workflow logic functionality at the service level
    • Granularity of business logic

    Client Workflow
    application published as a
    WCF Service

    Generated
    proxy
    Defining a Service Contract
    Create a class library and define a WCF service as follows:
    • Define a service interface and annotate with ServiceContract
    • Annotate the interface methods with OperationContract
    • Annotate parameter and return data types with DataContract

    [ServiceContract]
    public interface IBasketService
    { 
      [OperationContract]
      void ProcessBasket(Basket b);
    }

    [DataContract]
    public class Basket
    { 
      [DataMember]
    public int NumItems...
    Associating an Activity with a Service Contract
    To associate an activity with a service contract:
    • Add a reference to the class library
    • Add a ReceiveActivity to a workflow
    • Set the ServiceOperationInfo property to an operation on
    the service
    • Bind input and output parameters to fields in the workflow
    Implementing Service Behavior in an Activity
    To implement service behavior
    in an activity

    • Add child activities to a


    ReceiveActivity
    Invoking the Service
    To invoke the service:
    • Add a reference to the service contract assembly
    • Add a reference to the workflow assembly

    // Create a proxy object for the service workflow.


    BasketServiceClient client = new BasketServiceClient();

    // Invoke the method on the service.


    // This will start a workflow instance implicitly.
    decimal basketTotal = client.ProcessBasket();
    Console.WriteLine("Basket total: {0:c}", basketTotal);

    // Close the client.


    client.Close();
    Demonstration: Publishing a Workflow as a Service
    In this demonstration, you will see how to:
    • Publish a workflow as a service

    • Invoke a method on the published service


    Notes Page Over-flow Slide. Do Not Print Slide.
    See Notes pane.
    Lab: Communicating With Workflows

    • Exercise 1: Invoking a Method on the Host Process

    • Exercise 2: Handling Events from the Host Process

    • Exercise 3: Consuming Services from a Workflow

    • Exercise 4: Publishing a Workflow as a Service


    (If Time Permits)

    Logon information

    Virtual machine 6462A-LON-DEV-03

    User name Student

    Password Pa$$w0rd

    Estimated time: 60 minutes


    Module Review and Takeaways
    • Review Questions

    • Best Practices

    • Tools

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