Deploying Applications / Applets for FileNet Web Services

In order to run a Process application or applet for FileNet Web Services, you must deploy it on your FileNet Web Services server.

Caution If you upgrade to a new FileNet Web Services, PJAC, or Process Engine version, you must redeploy all existing custom applications and applets. Existing applications/applets, including all Java Step Processors and Launch Step Processors, should be recompiled and then redeployed using the procedure below. If you get compiling errors, correct your Processor applications/applets, for example, by comparing them to the new version's sample Java Processors (see Java Step Processor Sample Files and Java Launch Step Processor Sample Files).

To deploy a Java application/applet, such as a custom Java Step or Launch Step Processor, on the Application Engine server, use the following procedure (for details, click on the step):

Note This procedure assumes that you have already installed the Process Development Environment (for information, see Installing the Process Development Environment and click on the appropriate link according to which FileNet web application you are using), have installed and configured the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), have compiled your application files, and have created and signed (with a Netscape Object Signing Certificate) a JAR file for your application/applet.

  1. Create your ASP page; e.g., by copying and modifying step_main.asp.
  2. Copy the new JAR file to the ...\Redist\WF_Extras directory on the FileNet Web Services server.
  3. Modify the globalInfo.asp file to specify the new (or updated) Step Processor and JAR files.
  4. Configure the server for the web application.
  5. Add the new Step Processor application/applet to the workflow.

Create Your ASP Page

This procedure describes how to create an ASP page as part of the process of providing a customized Java Step Processor (or other Java application/applet) to the FileNet Web Services server, which in turn makes it available to the Process Engine server. Creating an ASP page for a Launch Step Processor is a similar process, although the locations and file names are different (as indicated in the procedure below). Unless you are creating your own ASP page from scratch, the simplest approach may be to copy, rename, and modify the sample step_main.asp file provided with your Process Development Environment.

To create an ASP page for a custom Java Step Processor or Launch Step Processor Processor, use the following procedure:

  1. On your FileNet Web Services server, navigate to the <drive>...\Program Files\FileNET\IDM\Web\IDMWS directory.
  2. Create a new directory under the \Redist\WF_Step directory (at the same level as the \Tabbed directory). For Launch Step Processors, create the directory under \Redist\WF_Launcher.
  3. Copy the step_main.asp file from the \Tabbed sub-directory, and put the copy into your newly created directory. For Launch Step Processors, copy the launcher_main.asp file.
  4. Rename the ASP file (it is recommended that this name reflect the function of the custom Step Processor). Change the file attribute from Read-only to Read/Write.
  5. Open the renamed file and locate the <PARAM> attribute of the <OBJECT> tag that matches the following line:

    <PARAM NAME=CODE VALUE="filenet.vw.apps.steps.tabbed.VWTabbedStepApplet">

  6. Modify the <PARAM> statement to reference the correct applet. For example, if your JAR file was created in the \newStep directory and the applet class is called newStepApplet, your parameter statement would be similar to the following:

    <PARAM NAME=CODE VALUE="newstep.newStepApplet">

  7. Save the renamed ASP file.

Copy the New JAR File

  1. Navigate to the ...\Redist\WF_Extras directory on the FileNet Web Services server.
  2. Copy your custom Step Processor JAR file to the \WF_Extras directory.

Modify the globalInfo.asp File

Modify the globalInfo.asp file in the ...\Redist\WF_Extras directory to specify the new (or updated) Step Processor and JAR files, as follows:

  1. While still in the \WF_Extras directory, locate the globalInfo.asp file. Change the file attribute from Read-only to Read/Write.
  2. Open the globalInfo.asp file, and locate the following commented statement:

    's_jarArchiveTag=s_jarArchiveTag + ", " + "samplestep.jar"'

  3. Copy the statement, and paste a new instance of the line immediately below the first. Do not use or modify the statement that specifies the location for the pw.jar file.
  4. Remove the apostrophe (" ' ") from the beginning of the line to allow the server to parse the statement. (By default, the line is commented out using the VBScript comment convention.)
  5. Delete the "samplestep.jar " reference to the sample JAR file in the statement replace it with the name and location of the JAR file you created and copied to the \WF_Extras directory in the previous step. For example, if <my_JAR_file>.jar is the name of the JAR file you created and copied to the \WF_Extras directory:

    s_jarArchiveTag=s_jarArchiveTag + ", " + "<my_JAR_file>.jar"

Note: You can also, if you wish, place your JAR file in another directory. However, since the JAR file path is relative to ...\IDMWS\Redist\WF_Extras, you must specify the path. If you do this and use unified logon, the folder must have Anonymous Access enabled. Remember, as previously indicated, the JAR file must be signed (for details, see Signing a Jar File).

  1. Save the modified globalInfo.asp file.

At this point, you are ready to configure the server for the web application and add the new or updated Step Processor to the workflow.