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Frequently Asked Questions

Support and Administration

1. Running SpiffWorkflow in PyCharm

Q: Is there a setup where I can run it within PyCharm?
A: Yes, you can run SpiffWorkflow within PyCharm. For detailed settings, refer to the provided screenshot of flask server details.

2. Adding Python Libraries to SpiffWorkflow

Q: Is there documentation available for adding python libraries to SpiffWorkflow? For example, if I want to run a process to send emails, I would need smtplib.
A: The default answer for something like sending emails would be to use a service task. We have an SMTP connector designed for this purpose. If you're using Spiff Arena, a connector proxy can provide a nice integration into the UI. Here are some helpful links:

3. Tutorials on Using SpiffWorkflow

Q: Are there any tutorials available on how to use SpiffWorkflow?
A: Yes, here are some references:

4. Understanding Task Data in Custom Connectors

Q: What kind of data can I expect from task_data?
A: The task_data param contains data comprised of variables/values from prior tasks. For instance, if you have a script task before your service task that set x=1, then in the task_data param, you should see {"x": 1}.

5. Understanding and Using Custom Connectors

Q: What are custom connectors and how do I use them?
A: Custom connectors in SpiffWorkflow allow for integration with external systems or services. They enable the workflow to interact with other platforms, fetch data, or trigger actions. To use them, you'll typically define the connector's behavior, specify its inputs and outputs, and then use it within your BPMN process as a service task.

6. Using Data Object Reference and Data Store Reference

Q: What are some good references for "Data Object Reference" and "Data Store Reference" in SpiffWorkFlow?
A: Here are some references to help you understand and implement "Data Object Reference" and "Data Store Reference" in SpiffWorkflow:

7. Resetting a Workflow

Q: Is there a way of "resetting" a workflow without reloading the BPMN and DMN files?
A: Yes, you can reset a workflow using the following code:

start = workflow.get_tasks_from_spec_name('Start')[0]
workflow.reset_from_task_id(start.id)

8. Integrating SpiffWorkflow with other Python code

Q: How do you integrate your workflow with another python code?
A: Integrating SpiffWorkflow with other Python code is straightforward. You have two primary methods:

Script Tasks: These allow you to execute Python code directly within your workflow. This method is suitable for simpler integrations where the code logic is not too complex.
Service Tasks: For more complex integrations, you can write services that can be called via service tasks within your workflow. This method provides more flexibility and is ideal for scenarios where you need to interface with external systems or perform more intricate operations.

9. Using Call Activity for preconfigured modular subprocesses

Q: I need my users to generate many BPMN workflows by dropping preconfigured subprocesses into their workflows. Is this possible?
A: Yes, you can use a "Call Activity" in SpiffArena to reference other processes in your diagram. SpiffArena provides a way to search for other processes in the system that can be used as Call Activities. This means you can create modular workflows by designing subprocesses (like ‘send to accounts’) and then incorporating them into multiple main workflows as needed. This modular approach not only streamlines the design process but also ensures consistency across different workflows.

10. Integrating SpiffWorkflow with External Role Management

Q: How do I make external application user roles affect permissions on a task?
A: You can manage the roles externally in an OpenID system and access the user and group information in the Lanes of your BPMN diagram.

11. Understanding Workflow Data vs Task Data

Q: What is the difference between the workflow.data and task.data?
A: Task data is stored on each task, and each task has its own copy. Workflow data is stored on the workflow. If you use BPMN DataObjects, that data is stored in workflow data.

12. Understanding Secrets and Authentications in SpiffArena

Q: What are 'Secrets' and 'Authentications' used for in SpiffArena?
A: Secrets are used for communicating with external services when you use service tasks and connectors. Authentications are used when you need to OAuth into an external service. Check out more information here.

13. Determining the Lane of a Task in a Workflow

Q: In the pre/post script of a task in a workflow, how do I determine what lane the current task is in?
A: You can access the task and use task.task_spec.lane to get the lane as a string. This allows you to programmatically determine which lane a task belongs to during its execution.

14. Understanding Script Attributes Context

Q: I'm trying to understand the details of script_attributes_context. Where can I find more information?
A: The ScriptAttributesContext class is defined here.

15. Using Message Start Event to Kick Off a Process

Q: How do I use a message start event to kick off a process?
A: This script is an example of using a message start event to kick off a process.

16. Making REST API Calls in SpiffArena

Q: How do I make REST API calls in SpiffArena?
A: You can use Service Tasks driven by a Connector Proxy. Check out the Connector Proxy Demo for more details.

17. Assigning User Tasks in SpiffWorkflow

Q: How does one use camunda:assignee="test" in a userTask with Spiff?
A: In SpiffWorkflow, user task assignments can be managed using Lanes in your BPMN diagram. Each Lane can designate which individual or group can execute the tasks within that Lane. If you're looking to interface permissions based on external application user roles, you can manage roles externally and pass the user and group information to assign them to the Lanes.

18. Mimicking an Inclusive Gateway in SpiffWorkflow

Q: How can we mimic an inclusive gateway since SpiffWorkflow doesn't support it?
A: You can work around the absence of an inclusive gateway in SpiffWorkflow by using a Parallel Gateway. Within each path following the Parallel Gateway, you can place an Exclusive Gateway to check for the conditions that are or are not required. This approach is effective if the flows can eventually be merged back together.

19. Designing an Approval Process in SpiffWorkflow

Q: I am designing an approval process using SpiffWorkflow. Can SpiffWorkflow handle scenarios where a task should complete if more than 2 users approve out of 3 assignees?
A: Yes, SpiffWorkflow can handle complex approval processes. The provided video link offers insights into managing such scenarios using SpiffWorkflow.

20: I restarted docker-compose, and my process instances in Spiff Arena aren't persistent. How can I ensure they remain after a restart?

A: Make sure you're using the updated "getting started" docker-compose.yml file that uses sqlite to persist the database between docker compose restarts. This will ensure that your process instances remain after a restart.

If you're still facing issues, refer to the provided documentation on admin and permissions for further guidance.

21: Is it possible to download a process model in Spiff Arena and then re-upload it?

A: Yes, in Spiff Arena, you can download a process model and then re-upload it. However, it's essential to note that all process IDs must be unique across the system. If you're re-uploading a process model, its ID might need to be modified to ensure uniqueness.

22: What are the "notification addresses" and "metadata extractions" fields when creating a new process model in Spiff Arena?

A: When creating a new process model in Spiff Arena, the "notification addresses" field is used to specify recipients for notifications related to that process. The "metadata extractions" field is used to extract specific metadata from the process. Detailed documentation for both fields is available. It's worth noting that the functionality of "Notification Addresses" might undergo changes in the future to centralize the logic and avoid splitting configurations.

23: Why doesn't the Spiff Arena frontend always load completely?

A: The issue might arise when the frontend cannot communicate with the backend. Recent updates have been made to address this specific problem. Previously, the backend could deadlock when it received a high number of concurrent requests, exhausting the available worker processes.

Since it uses built-in openid, each request would need to communicate with the backend itself. This issue has been resolved in the newer versions. To potentially fix this, you can update your setup by running the following commands in the directory where you downloaded the docker-compose.yml file:

docker compose pull
docker compose down
docker compose up -d

By doing this, you'll pull the latest images, shut down the current containers, and then start them up again with the updated configurations. This should help in ensuring that the frontend loads completely and communicates effectively with the backend.

24: I'm using an M1/M2 Mac and facing issues with docker-compose in Spiff Arena. How can I resolve this?

A: Ensure that you're using the latest versions of Docker and docker-compose. If you encounter messages about platform mismatches, note that these may just be warnings and not errors. Update your images and restart the containers as needed. Instructions in the getting started guide reference curl, but if that is not working for you, wget may be an option that is already installed on your system.

25: Why can't I import an external module in a script task in Spiff Arena?

A: In Spiff Arena, script tasks are designed for lightweight scripting and do not support importing external modules. If you need to communicate with external systems, it's recommended to use a ServiceTask instead. ServiceTasks in Spiff Arena utilize a concept called Connector Proxy, an externally hosted system that adheres to a specific protocol. For tasks like checking if an API is functioning correctly, you can set up a Connector Proxy to handle the request. Detailed documentation available here. If you want to bypass security features of the restricted script engine and import modules from your script tasks, you can set the environment variable: SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_USE_RESTRICTED_SCRIPT_ENGINE=false

26: Where is the properties data stored in the properties panel?

A: The properties data is stored directly within the XML of the BPMN diagram. Some of this data is stored in extension elements. For instance, the configuration for a service task can be found here and instructions can be found here. If you're considering bypassing the properties panel, it's essential to ensure that the XML output remains consistent with the expected format.

27: How do I start a task? What do I need besides BPMN?

A: To start a task, you'll need to have a proper BPMN diagram and a configured environment. The docker compose file, as mentioned on the spiffworkflow.org website, provides a containerized environment for both the API and asynchronous processing. For a more robust production deployment, it's recommended to use separate containers for different functionalities.

28: Any documentation on how to set up our own openid provider?

A: If you're using the spiff-arena/spiffworkflow-backend, there's a script named ./keycloak/bin/start_keycloak that can initiate a container serving as an example OpenID provider. This can be a good starting point if you're looking to set up your own OpenID provider.

29: Where can I configure an SMTP server for Spiffworkflow to send email notifications?

A: To configure an SMTP server for email notifications, you can utilize connectors and service tasks within SpiffWorkflow. For instance, connectors can be set up to send notifications to platforms like Slack.

30: Is there any way to access the timer event value/expression in my code?

A: Yes, in SpiffWorkflow, you can access timer event values directly from the backend. There are specific sections in the codebase where timer event values are checked and utilized for various functionalities.

31: How can I create new users for my co-workers in SpiffWorkflow? A: There are multiple methods to manage this, such as using OpenID or the process model. However, for beginners eager to add a user quickly, you can adjust the 'example.yml' configuration file within the app identified as 'SPIFFWORKFLOW_BACKEND_PERMISSIONS_FILE_NAME: "example.yml"

After making changes, restart the container to update user details. For more information, refer to the Spiff-Arena documentation. The mentioned file can be found here.

32: Explain the functionality and purpose of the collaboration flag in spiff-example-cli?

A: The collaboration flag enables the simultaneous loading of multiple top-level processes within a single workflow. This results in the creation of a subworkflow for each process, allowing them to initiate concurrently.

A practical application of this might be when two processes need to interact but remain independent of each other.

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