Use this instruction to specify the beginning
of a series of steps to be run within a specified time period. The EndTimer system
function indicates the end of the steps.
The BeginTimer system
function indicates the timer name, the duration, and the name of the
workflow submap to run if the timer expires. The BeginTimer function
gets its times from the server.
Entering
a specific time can limit the reusability of the workflow definition.
The timer expires immediately if the system function runs after the
specified time.
To specify a BeginTimer system function:
- From the Timer Palette, drag a BeginTimer step onto the
workflow map.
- In the Timer Name Expression field,
enter a name for the timer. The name can be a string literal (enclosed
in double quotation marks), a data field (of type string) in the workflow
definition, or a complex expression that resolves to a string.
- In the Expiration Time field,
specify one of the following items:
Time period
|
Enter a valid time expression that returns the wanted
expiration time. The expression must comply with the general guidelines
for expressions.
For example, to specify that a
time expire after 45 minutes, enter the following expression: addminutes(systemtime(), 45)
|
Specific time
|
Enter the time as a string expression that you
convert to type time by using either stringtotime or convert.
For example, to specify an expiration time of 01/01/2001
12:00:00, enter one of the following expressions:
-
convert("01/01/2001 12:00:00", time)
-
stringtotime("01/01/2001 12:00:00", "mm/dd/yyyy hh:tt:ss")
|
- Select a workflow map to call if the timer
expires before an EndTimer system function runs.