Developing a Java Step Processor

This topic assumes you have:

Planning and Design Checkpoints

Modifying the Sample Java Step Processor

To modify and deploy the supplied sample Java Step Processor:

  1. Compile and run MainSample and the sample classes called (including the sample Java Step Processor and/or Launch Step Processor) to verify that they work correctly in your development environment. See MainSample.
  2. Customize the sample Java Step Processor.
  3. Complete the Java Step Processor.

Building Your Own Java Step Processor

To build your own Java Step Processor:

  1. Use standard Swing or AWT, or the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit. If you use the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit, add the vwpanel.jar file (supplied with the Process development environment) to your IDE panel container.
  2. When a workflow user opens a step assignment that references a Step Processor, the user is presented with a popup window containing the Step Processor user interface. For information on the algorithm used to determine which application to select for this step, see Opening Step Processors.
  3. Create the Step Processor class. Use the Process Java API to:
  4. Use the Content Java APIs to integrate with the Content Engine. If you are using an IDE, you can use the VWTabbedPane control and the VWAttachmentPanel beans (included with vwpanel.jar) to access attachments stored in Content Engine Object or File Stores; otherwise, you can use the VWAttachmentPanel bean in a manner similar to that used with the Java Step Processor UI Toolkit to access Content Engine attachments (see Working with the VWAttachmentPanel).
  5. See Completing the Java Step Processor.

Completing the Java Step Processor

Completing your Java Step Processor development is the same regardless or whether you modify the sample or build your own:

  1. Compile your Java Step Processor.
  2. Create and sign a JAR file that includes the customized Java Step Processor.
  3. Deploy the Java application.
  4. Add the custom Processor to a workflow.