I also think this sounds pretty promising. While I love mav's stripped down core and "do one thing and do it right" mentality, some people I have talked to about it find it a bit too spare for their needs--particularly when it comes to how to handle multi-page forms. To this end, I think an optional workflow package would be excellent. By being a separate piece (unlike struts' tightly coupled form beans), it would still allow the maverick core to stay lean, but it could add a lot of extra value to those who need this type of functionality.
+1 --jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "Schnitzer, Jeff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:03 AM Subject: RE: [Mav-user] Presentation workflow framework proposal (long) > It sounds cool to me; Roy, if you end up with something you think would be > of general interest, we can create an optional maverick package for it and > put it in CVS. > > Jeff Schnitzer > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: James Strachan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 3:58 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: [Mav-user] Presentation workflow framework proposal (long) > > > > Hi Roy > > > > There's recently been a new mail list setup for folks interested in > > workflow > > and workflow-related projects... > > > > http://lists.werken.com/mailman/listinfo/workflow-discuss > > > > so far there's a bunch of folks there from various projects and > > perspecitves > > (e.g. Craig McClanahan of Struts/commons-workflow, Patrick Lightbody of > > OSWorkflow, Jason van Zyl & Bob McWhirter of Werkflow and me who tinkers > > with Jelly in a workflow setting). > > > > The list is just started to get going. It might be interesting to share > > your > > ideas over there too; there seems a few of us doing similar Java/XML > > workflow stuff. > > > > James > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Roy Truelove" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 10:08 PM > > Subject: [Mav-user] Presentation workflow framework proposal (long) > > > > > > > Hello everybody, > > > > > > I have a proposal for a presentation workflow that I'd like to submit > > as > > a > > > plug-in to Maverick. I've already started working on it so some of the > > > functionality is already complete, but I'd like to run it by the list to > > see > > > what functions people want / need in a presentation workflow framework. > > I'm > > > sure there are situations that I have not considered that others have > > run > > > into. Here is a rundown of what I'm starting with. > > > > > > * Functions * > > > > > > - A workflow is a set of commands (or states) that complete some "unit > > of > > > work", i.e. registering for a site, completing a purchase, etc. > > Workflows > > > can > > > consist of any number of nested workflows. > > > > > > - Each workflow has a scope, and attributes added to that scope are only > > > visible within that workflow. These are "workflow attributes". > > > > > > - Workflows can be written modularly. This means that one workflow can > > > "call" another workflow to get something done. The caller can pass > > > parameters to the callee, and the callee can return values to the > > caller. > > > When the callee is complete it simply returns to the state specified by > > the > > > caller. Calls are put on a stack to keep track of workflow attributes. > > > > > > - Workflows can have an entry point, meaning that if a user tries to > > enter > > > that workflow s/he will be redirected to the entry point. > > > > > > - Workflows can be modal - the user cannot leave the workflow until the > > > "unit of work" is complete. If they try to go to another page, they > > will > > be > > > redirected back. The user *is* allowed to jump around within that > > workflow. > > > > > > - For workflows that must be completed step by step, states can be > > numbered > > > within a workflow. A user will be able to go backwards in a workflow > > but > > > not jump forward. > > > > > > * How it works (basically) * > > > > > > - Workflows are specified within the maverick.xml file. > > > > > > - Each Command class must subclass WorkflowCommand (which subclasses > > > throwawaybean2. if you don't want to use throwawaybean2 you can create > > your > > > own WorkflowCommand class.) The WorkflowCommand class processes each > > > request to let the Workflow Manager know where the user is, if the user > > > should be bounced somewhere else, etc. > > > > > > - When a workflow wants to call another workflow, it calls a > > GenerateCall() > > > method which pushes the stack and redirects the client to the called > > > workflow. The called workflow returns by calling generateReturn(), > > which > > > pops the stack and redirects to the page specified. > > > > > > * Simple Example * > > > > > > A user wants to register for your website, but his company can't be > > found > > in > > > your pulldown menu. You write a workflow of about 3 steps that lets a > > user > > > type in a company, makes sure that the company is not in there (as an > > > acronym or whatever) and lets the user create a company if it's not. > > This > > > workflow returns a company_id to the registration workflow, and now that > > > workflow can continue. That same "add company" workflow can then be > > used > > > anywhere else in the application where a company needs to be added to > > your > > > database. > > > > > > Thanks for any input, and thanks for reading this far. :) > > > Roy > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek > > > Gadgets, caffeine, t-shirts, fun stuff. > > > http://thinkgeek.com/sf > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Mav-user mailing list > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mav-user > > > Archives are available at http://www.mail-archive.com/ > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Everything you'll ever need on one web page > > from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts > > http://uk.my.yahoo.comm > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek > > Welcome to geek heaven. > > http://thinkgeek.com/sf > > _______________________________________________ > > Mav-user mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mav-user > > Archives are available at http://www.mail-archive.com/ > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek > Welcome to geek heaven. > http://thinkgeek.com/sf > _______________________________________________ > Mav-user mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mav-user > Archives are available at http://www.mail-archive.com/ ------------------------------------------------------- This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek Welcome to geek heaven. http://thinkgeek.com/sf _______________________________________________ Mav-user mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/mav-user Archives are available at http://www.mail-archive.com/
