Represents a workflow definition, an XML document of class "WorkflowDefinition" that is stored in a Content Engine object store. A workflow definition describes the instructions, paths, and queues available to a workflow, and acts as a processing template that the Process Engine uses each time the workflow runs. Workflow definition documents are versionable, containable, and can have a lifecycle associated with them.

The IWorkflowDefinition interface extends the IDocument interface, and can, therefore, be treated as a Document object. For example, a WorkflowDefinition object can have workflows linked to it. Therefore, a user selecting a workflow definition can either launch it, or launch a linked workflow.

To create a new WorkflowDefinition object and persist it to a Content Engine object store, call the CreateInstance method on the Factory.WorkflowDefinition class.

After you create a workflow definition, you link it to an object that implements the Subscribable interface by setting the SubscriptionTarget and WorkflowDefinition properties on a workflow subscription object (InstanceWorkflowSubscription or ClassWorkflowSubscription object). Note that you cannot delete a WorkflowDefinition object if a workflow subscription object refers to it in its WorkflowDefinition property.

To return all of the workflow subscription objects associated with this WorkflowDefinition object, retrieve the WorkflowSourceSubscriptions property.

You can instantiate a WorkflowDefinition object in the following ways:

  • By calling the GetInstance or FetchInstance method on the Factory.WorkflowDefinition class.
  • By retrieving the WorkflowDefinition property on a workflow subscription object.
  • By instantiating a WorkflowDefinitionSet collection, then returning a WorkflowDefinition object from the collection.

The following tables list the members exposed by IWorkflowDefinition.

Public Properties

 NameDescription
Public propertyVWVersionA unique identifier for a compiled (transferred) workflow definition. The Process Engine assigns this property's value after a workflow definition is transferred to the Process Engine server (either via the Process Designer application or the filenet.vw.api.VWSession interface's transfer method).
Public propertyWorkflowSourceSubscriptionsA ISubscriptionSet collection containing the workflow subscription (IInstanceWorkflowSubscription and/or IClassWorkflowSubscription) objects associated with a workflow definition.
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