General Guidelines

Variables and Arguments

In general terms of parameters in WF4, there are two main concepts: Variables and Arguments. The definitions for each are that Variables are used to store data within a workflow and Arguments are used to passing data in/out of a workflow. The concept of „binding" parameters has been replaced with the usage of variables and arguments.
Variables are to be used in a workflow whenever the need to store data is limited to the current workflow and the output/input of the workflow is not used anywhere else (for example in Admin Suite).
Arguments are to be used whenever the input parameters of an activity are given by the user using for instance a web-based application, (for example when running a workflow in Admin Portal) and if the output of an activity is to be returned and used outside of DesignStudio application . (for example Admin Portal)
All parameters that have an Expression editor in Activity Properties panel can be used for value storage and passing, through variables and arguments.

Example: Collection From String activity


Defined IN arguments, with default value to be filled in by the user when running the workflow:




Defined variables to store the output of the Collection From String activity:



Parameters with different editors, like Folder editors or ComboBox cannot be bound to variables nor arguments.




Activity Properties
In general terms of activities properties, there are three main concepts:"Tracking Outputs", „Stop On Error" and „Enabled". 
 
 
The concept of „Stop on error" and „Enabled"mechanisms are defined for Runtime purposes.

 The "Track Outputs" property is defined for Tracking Data panel.  
 

 
 
 
„Stop on error" Property
Th default value for the "Stop On Error" property is set to Yes. When dragging an activity in the Workflow Designer panel, the activity will have this property set to "Yes".

On runtime (nn. Start button), if the "Stop on error" property is set to Yes for an activity, and an error or exception is thrown, the execution of the workflow stops on the activity that caused the error /exception to be thrown. 
 
 


If "Stop on error" property is set to No, the error message is displayed in Tracking Data panel, but the execution of the workflow continues. 

 „Enabled" Property
On runtime, if the Enabled property is set to Yes for an activity,the activity is executed. 
 

 
 
 
If set to No, the activity will be disabled and it will not be executed on runtime. 
  
    
 
 

"Track Outputs" property

If set to Yes, the result of the executed activities will be displayed in the Tracking Data panel.

The result displayed in Tracking Data panel represents the output of the activity "CollectionFromString".

If set to No, the result of the executed activities will not be displayed in the Tracking Data panel.