Beginning WF - Windows Workflow in .NET 4.0

Contents at a Glance

Table of Contents

About the Author

About the Technical Reviewer

Acknowledgments

Introduction

How to Use This Book

Chapter Outline

Section 1: Basic Concepts

Section 2: Designing Workflows

Section 3: Communication

Section 4: Workflow Extensions

Section 5: Advanced Topics

Appendix

PART 1 Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Building a Simple Workflow

A Simple Workflow

Exploring the IDE

Designing the Workflow

Reviewing Program.cs

Running the Application

Adding Procedural Elements

Using Variables

Assign

While

Sequence

Delay

More Embellishments

Running the Application

Navigating the Designer

Looking a Bit Deeper

Differences from Previous Versions

CHAPTER 2 Coded Workflows

Creating a Console Application

Defining the Workflow

Implementing Level 1

Implementing Level 2

Expressions

Implementing Level 3

Assign Activity

Sequence

Running the Application

Review

CHAPTER 3 Flowchart Workflow

Creating a Flowchart Workflow

Designing the Flowchart

Defining Connections

FlowDecision

Running the Application

Flow Switch

Adding a FlowSwitch Activity

Adding the FlowStep Activities

Running the Application

Parallel

Adding a Parallel Activity

Adding the Branches

Running the Application

PART 2 Designing Workflows

CHAPTER 4 Passing Arguments

Creating a New Solution

Defining the Order Class

Implementing the Workflow

Defining the Arguments

Designing the Workflow

Switch Activity

Expression Activities

Invoking the Workflow

Running the Application

CHAPTER 5 Replicated Activities

Reusing the Chapter 4 Project

Adding OrderItem Processing

ForEach Activity

Adding Order Items

Running the Application

ParallelForEach Activity

CHAPTER 6 Exception Handling

Reusing the Chapter 5 Project

Adding the Check Stock Activity

TryCatch Activity

Defining an Exception

ForEach Activity

If Activity

Throw Activity

Catch Activity

Running the Application

Exceptions

CHAPTER 7 Extending the Built-In Activities

Reusing the Chapter 6 Project

Using Custom Activities

Implementing a Custom Activity

Using the LookupItem Activity

Running the Application

InvokeMethod Activity

Creating a Discount Class

Using the InvokeMethod Activity

Specifying the Target Object

Specifying the Parameters

Specifying the Result

Adding the Discount

Running the Application

Summary

PART 3 Communication

CHAPTER 8 Send and Receive

Creating the Project

Define the Messages

MessageContract

ServiceContract

Application Configuration

Defining the Workflows

Client–SendRequest

Send Activity

Custom Activity—CreateRequest

ReceiveReply Activity

Server–ProcessRequest

Receive Activity

Custom Activity—CreateResponse

SendReply Activity

Implementing the Application

WorkflowServiceHost

Service

Endpoint

WorkflowInvoker

Running the Application

Configuring a Library Branch

Expected Results

CHAPTER 9 Communicating withthe Host Application

Creating a WPF Project

Reusing the Classes from Chapter 8

Defining the Window Form

Implementing a TextWriter

Providing a Static Application Reference

Implementing ListBoxTextWriter

Implementing the Workflows

Listening for Messages

Implementing the Service Contract

Implementing a ServiceHost

Bookmarks

Implementing the SendRequest Workflow

Implementing the ProcessRequest Workflow

Implementing the Application

Maintaining Workflow Instances

Event Handlers

ApplicationInterface Methods

Running the Application

CHAPTER 10 Web Services

Creating a Workflow Service

Defining the Service Contract

Configuring Receive and SendReply

Creating the PerformLookup Activity

Testing the Service

Using Parameters

Creating a Second Service

Creating a Modified PerformLookup Activity

Testing the Service

Creating a Client Workflow

Defining the Workflow

Implementing the Host Application

Running the Application

Using Pick

Review

PART 4 Workflow Extensions

CHAPTER 11 SQL Persistence

Creating the Application

Renaming the Window

Defining the Window Form

Implementing a TextWriter

Setting Up the Database

Creating a Database

Installing the Schema

Creating the LINQ to SQL Classes

Designing the Workflow

Custom CreateLead Activity

Custom WaitForInput Activity

Defining the Workflow Activities

Implementing the Application

Application Configuration File

Configuring the Persistence Provider Factory

Creating Leads

Assigning Leads

Loading Existing Leads

Running the Application

Digging a Bit Deeper

Persisting Arguments and Variables

CHAPTER 12 Extensions

Setting Up the Solution

Copy Solution from Chapter 11

Setting Up the Database

Implementing SetupInstance

Running the Application

Extensions

Implementing a Simple Extension

Configuring the Extension

Using the Extension in an Activity

Updating the Application

Participating in Persistence

Creating the Extension

PersistenceParticipant

AddComment Activity

GetComments Activity

Modifying the Workflow

Accessing the Extension from the Application

Event Handler Syntax

Running the Application

CHAPTER 13 Tracking

Setting Up the Solution

Copy Solution from Chapter 12

Setting Up the Database

Tracking Participants

ListBoxTrackingParticipant

Overriding the Track() Method

Configuring a Tracking Participant

Configuring a Tracking Profile

WorkflowInstanceQuery

BookmarkResumptionQuery

ActivityStateQuery

CustomTrackingQuery

CustomTrackingRecord

Running the Application

Event Tracing for Windows (ETW)

Setting Up the Extension

Configuring the TrackingProfile

Running the Application

SqlTrackingParticipant

Setting up the Database

Implementing the SqlTrackingParticipant

Configuring the Tracking Participant

Running the Application

CHAPTER 14 Transactions

Setting Up the Solution

Assignments

Adding the LINQ to SQL Class

AssignLead Activity

RuntimeTransactionHandle

CreateAssignment Activity

Application Changes

Updating the List of Leads

Removing Database Updates

Adding Workflow Event Handlers

Workflow Changes

TransactionScope

InvokeMethod

Running the Application

CHAPTER 15 Transactions with Persistence

Setting Up the Solution

PersistenceParticipant

PersistLead Extension

Connecting to the Database

Performing the Updates

Using the PersistLead Extension

Modifying the CreateLead Activity

Modifying the AssignLead Activity

PersistAssignment Extension

Using the PersistAssignment Extension

Application Changes

Running the Application

CHAPTER 1 6 WorkflowServiceHost

Setting Up the Solution

Adding LeadResponse

Renaming the Window

Defining the Window Form

Copying Classes from LeadGenerator

Implementing the Application

WorkflowService

Behaviors

DBExtensionBehavior

PersistAssignmentBehavior

Defining the Workflows

CompleteAssignment

EnterLead Workflow Modifications

WorkAssignment Workflow

Persist

Final Application Changes

ApplicationInterface

Adding the app.config File

LINQ Conflict

Running the Applications

Review

PART 5 Advanced Topics

CHAPTER 17 Compensation, Confirmation, and Cancellation

Designing the Workflow

Modifying the Application

Configuring a TryCatch Activity

Using a Parallel Activity

CompensableActivity

Designing the Wedding Activity

Designing the Reception Activity

Designing Confirmation Activities

Designing the Invitations Activity

Designing the Confirmation Activities

Running the Application

Cancellation Handlers

More on the Parallel Activity

Designing Compensation Handlers

Designing the Wedding Compensation

Designing the Reception Compensation

Running the Application

Customizing Compensation and Confirmation

Adding the Token Variables

Setting the Result Property

Custom Confirmation

Custom Compensation

Rethrow Activity

CHAPTER 18 Collections

Creating a Collection

Defining the Shopping List

Initial Workflow

AddToCollection Activity

Invoking a Workflow

Running the Application

Printing and Sorting

Printing the Collection

Sorting the Collection

Searching the Collection

Overriding the Equals() Method

ExistsInCollection Activity

RemoveFromCollection Activity

ClearCollection Activity

CHAPTER 19 Interoperability with Workflow 3.5

Creating a 4.0 Workflow

Creating a 3.5 Workflow

Interop Activity

Running the Application

Executing a Custom 3.5 Activity

Creating a Custom Activity

Throwing an Exception

Invoking the Custom Activity

Running the Application

CHAPTER 20 Policy

Creating a Custom Activity

Defining the Data Structures

PolicyActivity

Adding Dependency Properties

Creating a Rule Set

Defining the Rules

Understanding Rule Sets

Rules

Chaining

Halt and Update

Rules File

Determining the Priority

Entering the Priority Rules

Creating a Workflow Application

Creating a Custom Activity

Incrementing the Activity Counters

Creating the Main Workflow

Configuring the Arguments

Implementing the Console Application

Running the Application

Review

APPENDIX Sample Workflow Project

Project Overview

Configuring the Database

Running the Application

Logging In

Submitting a Request

Processing Requests

Tracking the Workflow

Generic Queue Logic

Database Design

Activities

CompleteInstance

QCPolicy

Tracking

Service Layer

Service Contract

Database Design

Activities

Workflow Design

SubmitRequest

Processing a Request

Correlation

Using WorkflowServiceHost

Writing Extensions

Configuring Extensions

Configuring Persistence

Configuring Tracking

Summary

Index