WorkCycle activity groups and activities

WorkCycle allows you to create workflows, which complete tasks automatically. A workflow is based on a workflow template, which consists of one or more activities. A template’s function depends on its activities, how they are interconnected, and parameter values set for each of the activities.

During WorkCycle installation, several activity groups are created in the Workflow Designer. Each activity group contains several activities that are related functionally. WorkCycle also supports user creation of SQL-based activities.

This set of topics will help you become familiar with the function and settings of individual activities before you begin creating workflow templates.

You might have other activities and activity groups in your WorkCycle installation beside those described in this chapter.
Some activities require global options to be edited as part of setup, before the activities can be used. See Installation for details.

Interpreting the prefix to Option field names

Most activities include Option fields. Some Option field names are prefaced by one or two letters. These letters describe the field’s data type:

Preface	Definition	Example
b	Boolean expression (Y or N)	bOverwriteExisting
d	directory	dDestinationDirectory
do	directory open	doStartInDirectory
fo	file open	foAttachment1
fs	file save	fsPath
s	secured field	sPassword

Preface

Definition

Example

Boolean expression (Y or N)

bOverwriteExisting

Editing an activity Output Field, Field Prefix, or name

The activity output panel in the Workflow Designer includes the Output Field, Field Prefix, and Activity fields in the lower right corner of the Designer:

The Activity field displays the name of the selected activity, and is always read-only.

The Output Field and Field Prefix fields can be read-only or editable, and can contain text or be empty. You can modify an editable Output Field or Field Prefix to help differentiate the output of one activity from another.

In the following activity descriptions, a read-only empty field is listed as "None," while an editable empty field is listed as "Blank."

You can also edit an activity name to help make a workflow self-documenting. To modify an activity name, double-click the activity in the Canvas area, and edit the name as needed. To save the edited name, click the Canvas outside the activity’s border.

Working with the QueryBuilder window

The QueryBuilder window is used to create SQL-based activities. Use of this WorkCycle feature requires a user to have a working knowledge of the database and writing SQL queries. When you finish entering your query, close the Query Builder. When you close the QueryBuilder, your new activity appears in the Activities panel under the category "SQL Query."

For an example of creating and testing a SQL-based activity, see Examples of workflow applications.

To access the QueryBuilder window, select Options > Query Builder. The QueryBuilder window opens.

Field	Definition
Queries	A drop-down list displaying available SQL queries that you have already created.
Name	This field has multiple uses: If you select an existing activity from the Queries list, the field displays the activity name. When you create a SQL-based activity, you enter the new activity name in this field. If you wish to rename an existing activity, you edit the activity name in this field.
Query Type	Options: Select Query Update Query Delete Query Insert Query Cached Select
Cache Query on Clientside	This checkbox is reserved for future use.
Query	The area where you enter or edit a query.
Parameter	You can include multiple parameters in your query. To set up a parameter, click the Parameter field and enter the parameter name.
Parameter Type	For each parameter you include in your query, select the type from the Parameter Type drop-down list. Options are: String Integer Double Date time

Field

Definition

Queries

A drop-down list displaying available SQL queries that you have already created.

Name

This field has multiple uses:

If you select an existing activity from the Queries list, the field displays the activity name.
When you create a SQL-based activity, you enter the new activity name in this field.
If you wish to rename an existing activity, you edit the activity name in this field.

Query Type

Options:

Select Query
Update Query
Delete Query
Insert Query
Cached Select

Cache Query on Clientside

This checkbox is reserved for future use.

Query

The area where you enter or edit a query.

Parameter

You can include multiple parameters in your query. To set up a parameter, click the Parameter field and enter the parameter name.

Parameter Type

For each parameter you include in your query, select the type from the Parameter Type drop-down list. Options are:

String
Integer
Double
Date time