Building a Step Processor with the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit

Included with your Process Development Environment are a set of sample Java Step Processor and Launch Step Processor applications along with a Java Step Processor UI Toolkit that contains the Java interfaces and beans that are used to provide the user controls for the samples.

Topics covered in this section include:

Using the Sample Java Step Processors

The sample Java Step Processors included with your installation represent a close approximation of the default Java Step Processors and Launch Step Processors as implemented on the Application Engine. These sample Java Processors are designed to show how to extend the existing Java Step Processor and Launch Step Processor applets and applications using the reusable Java user interface (UI) components and controls included with the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit. These Java Step and Launch Step Processor samples are not meant to be the starting place for developing a custom Java workflow application. Rather, these samples should be seen as an example of developing Java applications to process workflow steps (Step Processor) or to launch workflows (Launch Step Processor), as well as providing the user interfaces for these applications. The Java classes and interfaces (typically used in conjunction with a Java IDE, such as JBuilder, etc.) that provide the UI controls for these sample applications are available in the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit, which is provided for your use in customizing the user interface of these sample Java Processor applications.

Note In order to use these sample applications, both the Process Java APIs and the Content Engine Java APIs must be installed on the Application Engine server (these are in the eProcess.jar and wcm.jar files, respectively, located in the <application server>...\Workplace\download directory on the Application Engine server).

The following sample Java Processor files are provided on the Installation CD (for FileNet Web Services and Open Client, on the PJAC and Toolkit Installation CD; for Workplace, on the P8 Platform CD); for details on these files, click on the indicated links:

For information on how to use or customize these samples, see Using the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit to Build a Step Processor.

Java Step Processor UI Toolkit

As indicated in the introduction to this topic, the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit includes Swing-based re-useable interfaces, support classes, and beans that provide the user interface (UI) components and controls for the sample Java Step Processor and Launch Step Processor applications. These components and controls may be used in either of two ways: (1) with a text-based editor to program directly using the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit components, or (2) more typically, with a Java Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as JBuilder, for drag-and-drop RAD (Rapid Application Development). You may use these UI Toolkit interfaces and classes in conjunction with (mix and match) or instead of Swing components, as you wish.

The runtime versions of the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit classes are included in the eProcess.jar file on the Application Engine server. If you are using an IDE for RAD, you should add the vwpanel.jar file to your IDE (for details, see your IDE's documentation). The vwpanel.jar contains the necessary classes and images that are used for the sample Java Step Processor and the sample Launch Step Processor. The vwpanel.jar file is located on the Installation CD in the ...\Developer Files directory.

For information on using the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit to customize the user interface of the samples, see the following topics:

Using the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit to Build a Step Processor

The procedure in this section describes the basic steps required to use or customize the sample Step Processor or Launch Step Processor with the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit. Click on the indicated topic link for details on each of these steps.

To build a Java Step or Launch Step Processor with the Toolkit:

  1. Compile, deploy, and run the sample Java Step Processor and/or Launch Step Processor to verify that they work correctly in your development environment. For details, see the Deploying Java Applications/Applets topic.
  2. Determine whether to deploy your customized version of the Java Processor as an application or an applet. For a discussion of the pros and cons and Process Engine requirements associated with this issue, see the Developing Custom Java Processors - Applications vs. Applets topic.
  3. Customize the sample Java Step or Launch Step Processor. This consists of creating a new version of the sample Processor and then using the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit to help in customizing the code. For details, see the Customize the Sample Java Step Processor topic.
  4. Compile your customized Java Step Processor in a manner similar to the way you compiled the sample Java Step or Launch Step Processor. For details, see the Compiling the Application/Applet topic.
  5. Create a JAR file that includes the customized Java Step Processor. For details, see the Creating the JAR file topic.
  6. Sign the JAR file in a manner similar to the way you signed the sample Java Processor. For details, see the Signing a JAR File topic.
  7. Deploy the JAR file on the Application Engine server. Once deployed, you will need to create a JSP event page to make the Processor available to the Process Engine server. In addition, you will need to create a JSP view (UI) page. For details on these steps, see the Deploying Java Applications (Step Processors) topic.
  8. Using the Configuration Console, add your new custom Java Step or Launch Step Processor to the workflow. For details, see the Add Custom Processors to the Workflow topic.