Windows Vista for Syndication and Workflow

Mike OrmondDeveloper & Platform Group, Microsoft Ltdmike.ormond@microsoft.comhttp://blogs.msdn.com/mikeormond

AgendaAgenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

Windows Workflow Windows Workflow FoundationFoundation• .NET Fx V3.0

– V2.0 Compilers– V2.0 CLR

– VS 2005• Operating Systems

– Vista– XP Sp2– Server 2003 Sp1

…organized into a workflow

A set of activities that coordinate peopleand / or software...

What is a Workflow?What is a Workflow?

EscalateToManagerExample activities…. CheckInventory

Like a flowchart Or state diagram

Windows Workflow Foundation

Host Process

They run in any managed host process

6

Base Activity Library Supplied activities, base for custom activities

WindowsWorkflow Foundation

The Big PictureThe Big Picture

Workflow

Activity Workflows are a set of activities

Custom Activity Library You can build custom activities

Visual Designer Graphical and code-based construction

Runtime Engine Workflow execution and state management

Runtime Services Hosting flexibility, communication,

passivation, and tracking

Rules Engine Declarative modeling of units of app logic

Windows Workflow Windows Workflow FoundationFoundation

• For human and system workflow scenarios

• Framework for building workflow into .NET applications– Not an application or server– Exposed to developers by .NET 3.0

Single workflow technology for Microsoft products and partner / customer ecosystem

AgendaAgenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

9

Workflow BasicsWorkflow Basics

• A workflow is a class

• A workflow class can also be defined using markup

Creating a Workflow Instance

The DesignerThe Designer

• Graphical designer for workflow

• Drag and drop of activities• Support for sequential & state

machine workflows• Full debugging support• Hosted in Visual Studio

– Rehost in your application

AgendaAgenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

Activity BasicsActivity Basics

• Two types of activity– Activity: Does “work”– CompositeActivity: Manages child

activities

• Base Activity Library• Custom Acitivities

– Eg a library of RSS Activities

Feeds PlatformFeeds Platform

DownloadEngine

RSS 0.9xRSS 1.0RSS 2.0Atom

Browsers Photos Contacts …

News Blogs Photos Audio Calendars Lists More

MergeProcessor

CommonFeedlist

Items Enclosures

RSS Object Model

Store

Service

API

Feeds APIFeeds API

• COM API– Two flavors:

• Automation-friendly (IFeed…)

• Early-bound (IXFeed…)

• Use interop from .NET framework– Type library available– Work with IFeed...

classes

FeedsManager

Feed

FeedFolder

FeedItem

FeedEnclosure

NotificationsNotificationsFe

ed E

vents

Feed E

vents

Fold

er

Events

Fold

er

Events

Subscribing to Blogs, News, and Other Web Sites

Initialized

Executing

Closed

Compensating

Canceling

Faulting

Activity State MachineActivity State Machine

An RSS Activity

Agenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

Sequential WorkflowSequential Workflow

Step1

Step2

Sequentialstructure describesprocessing order•Prescriptive, formal

•Automation scenarios•Flowchart metaphor

RSS Sequential Workflow

AgendaAgenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

State Machine WorkflowState Machine Workflow

DVD Player Example

A state machine workflow

AgendaAgenda

• Introduction to WF• Workflow Basics• Activities• Sequential Workflow• State Machine Workflow• Runtime Services

Runtime ServicesRuntime Services

• Rich set of runtime services, all pluggable– Persistence – Error handling– Transactions– Tracking– Data exchange– Custom

• Can be enabled by using code or config

Workflow Persistence Workflow Persistence

• Runtime calls service to persist workflow

• Upon event occurring, runtime will call service to load the workflow

WindowsWorkflow Foundation

Runtime Engine

Workflow

Runtime Services

Persistence serviceDatabase or or …

Write custom service to use any data store

TransparencyTransparency

• Tracking service infrastructure, can track workflow, activity level events, as well as track custom data (PO amount)

• Workflow instances can be visualized and inspected graphically using designer

• State can be inspected and workflow visualized– Events– Tracking (push model)– Querying workflow state (pull model)

WindowsWorkflow Foundation

Runtime Engine

Workflow

Runtime Services

Tracking serviceDatabase or or …

Write custom service to use any data store

Data ExchangeData Exchange

• ExternalDataExchangeService allows host and workflow to communicate

• HandleExternalEvent and CallExternalMethod activities are used in the workflow to receive and send messages

• Messages are defined in contracts (interfaces)

Using Runtime Services

SummarySummary

• Single workflow technology• Human and system workflow scenarios• Framework for building workflow

into .NET applications• Sequential / state machine workflows• Common activities built in• Write custom activities• Rich runtime services

© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.

The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the

date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.

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