Adding a Custom Step Processor to the Workflow

Once you have either created a new custom Step Processor or Launch Step Processor or extended the existing versions and deployed it (on the Application Engine for FileNet Workplace, or on the web server for FileNet Web Services or Open Client), you must add it to the workflow before an end user can use it.

Caution If you upgrade to a new Process Engine version or a new (depending upon your web application) Application Engine, FileNet Web Services/PJAC for FileNet Web Services version, or FileNet Open Client/PJAC for FileNet Open Client version, you must redeploy all existing custom Step and Launch Step Processors (for additional information, see Deploying Java Applications/Applets).

If you add the Step Processor or Launch Step Processors while the Process Designer is running, the new Processor will not be available until the next time you start Process Designer. Close Designer before adding custom Processors.

The steps for adding a custom Processor differ very little between HTML (JSP, ASP, or ASPX) and Java Step Processors or by web application (i.e., FileNet Workplace, FileNet Web Services, or FileNet Open Client). The primary difference is that for applets hosted in JSP and HTML Step Processors and Launch Step Processors (hosted in JSP for FileNet Workplace, ASP for FileNet Web Services, or ASPX for FileNet Open Client), you need not specify the package in the Class Name field.

Note Perform the following steps on a client system that can connect to the Process Engine server on which you installed the JAR file containing the Step Processor files. This procedure assumes you have already set the web application properties for either this isolated region or VWServices.

Adding a Step or Launch Step Processor application/applet to the workflow consists of two basic steps:

Each of these steps is described below.

Registering the Step Processor

Use the Process Configuration Console to register a custom Step or Launch Step Processor as follows:

  1. Connect to your Process Engine server, and open the Configuration Console.
  2. Log on to the proper region. Locate and select the router associated with the region.
  3. Highlight the router name, and right-click the highlighted name. Select Properties.
  4. From the Isolated Region Properties dialog box, select the Step Processor Info tab.
  5. Click add and enter the following step definition information:
  6. Click OK, and commit the changes.
  7. Close Configuration Console.
  8. Open Designer. The newly added Step Processor or Launch Step Processor should now display as one of the available Step Processor options.

Adding the Processor to the Workflow

Use the Process Designer to add a custom Processor to the workflow as follows:

  1. Open the Process Designer and select the step for which this Step Processor is to be added on the map.
  2. Click the General tab in the Properties pane.
  3. Under Step Processor, select the custom Step Processor as the Processor for this step.

For additional information, see Help for Process Designer > Steps > General steps > General properties.