Direct Style Effect Systems -The Print[A] Example- A Comprehension Aid
Windows Workflow Foundation Demystified - overview and business cases
1. Windows Workflow Demystified
// overview, business cases
Andrei Oros
CTO @ Flowster Solutions GmbH
orosandrei@gmail.com | @orosandrei
2.
3. Andrei Oros
Head of Software Development | CTO at Flowster Solutions GmbH
10+ years of experience in Software Engineering linkedin.com/in/orosandrei
Computer Science Engineer
Master Business Administration & Strategic Management
andreioros.com | github.com/orosandrei | @orosandrei | orosandrei@gmail.com
9. Robotic Process Automation
Central European Startup Awards (CESA):
startup of the year & Best AI Startup
* cofounders: Daniel Dines (CEO) & Marius Tirca (CTO)
13. Microsoft
VSTS | TFS 2017 RTM | XAML builds
We introduced XAML build automation capabilities based on the Windows Workflow
Foundation in Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2010. We released another version of XAML
builds in TFS 2013.
After that we sought to expand beyond .NET and Windows and add support for other kinds of
apps that are based on operating systems such as macOS and Linux. It became clear that we
needed to switch to a more open, flexible, web-based foundation for our build automation
engine. In early 2015 in VSTS, and then in TFS 2015, we introduced a simpler task- and script-
driven cross-platform build system.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/vsts/build-release/actions/migrate-from-xaml-builds
15. When should we use WWF ?
Business cases
• Long Running Business Logic
• Stateful Processes
• Often Changing Logic
• Transparency of Process & Execution
• Business Process Management Engines
• Integration - Middleware Layer
• Automation *
...
Examples
• Banking - credit req.
• HR - on/off boarding
• Purchasing - Orders
• Document Management
• IT Operations & Infrastructure
Management
...
17. WWF vs BizTalk Server
Visual Studio
Windows Workflow
Foundation
.NET 3
WWF <-> .NET 3
BTS R2 - WWF & WCF
Interceptors
BTS Extensions WWF
SDK (2007)
btsSend & btsReceive
BizTalk Server 2006
Orchestration
Design Tools
Messaging
WF SDK & Interceptors
...
35. WWF Activity Libraries
Custom
Activity base class
CodeActivity execute, tracking, variables & args
NativeActivity + abort/cancel exec, bookmarks, ..
DynamicActivity DOM like - IcustomTypeDescriptor
38. Workflow Runtime & Hosting
WorkflowInvoker WorkflowApplication WorkflowServices
Simple Scenarios
No Hosting
Short Lived WFs
No Instance Control
No Persistence
No Bookmarks
Long Running WFs
Single Instance
Hosting
Instance Control
Persistence
Bookmarks
(Un)Loading
Long Running WFs
Multiple Instances
WorkflowServiceHost
Instance Control
Persistence
Bookmarks
Service Messaging
.NET
Framework
39. Workflow Execution Logs & Output
Tracking Records
Custom tracking participant
Result - Output(s)
44. Workflow Manager
WF .NET Framework (full)
“For the next version of .NET, we're adding some
accessibility items to the Designer. Most of our
work is going into Workflow Manager right now”
https://github.com/dotnet/corefx/issues/2394#issuecomment-171471805
Powershell Workflow
automation runbooks
Azure
Dustin Metzgar
PM of Windows Workflow Foundation
@dustinmetzgar
//September 2017
52. Reference / Links
Windows Workflow Foundation
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/jj684582.aspx
What's new in WF 4.5
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh305677.aspx
A Developer's Introduction to WWF
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee342461.aspx
Workflow Manager
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj193504(v=azure.10).aspx
Powershell Workflows & Azure Automation
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/automation-graphical-authoring-intro/
WF 4x Code Samples
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21459
WF runtime ported to work on .NET Core
https://github.com/dmetzgar/corewf
Rehosting the Workflow Designer
https://github.com/orosandrei/Rehosted-Workflow-Designer