Advanced project configuration

Note: For this section you need to have some skills on Alfresco Models and Javascript API's

Project module is very powerfull and can be used to achieve advanced goals instead of creating worflows.

Some of the advanced features are:

• Role assignment;
• User wizard;
• Javascript deliverable.

Imagine you want to create a new project for implementing a supplier portal.

You want :

1. Supplier to be assigned to a task and have a wizard to setup raw material properties;
2. Custom actions and emails at the end or start of a task.

In this documentation we will follow this example as tutorial.

Creating the supplier project template

Our sample project will contain two tasks:

1. One that will be assigned to a supplier role.
2. One assigned to the initiator of the project in order to validate data.

For this purpose, create a new project and add tasks like this:

Once done, you can set your new project as a template to reuse it later.

Creating user roles

Out of the box, project module comes with two roles:

• Project Manager (PROJECT_pjt_projectManager)
• Project Creator (PROJECT_cm_creator)

A role is simply an Alfresco group.

To create a new project role, you should create a group with name starting by PROJECT_ plus the qName of an Alfresco association.\ That property will be read on the project node and should be of type person.

Example of the Supplier role:

• First create your custom Alfresco aspect with the association to Supplier.

You can use the beCPG model designer.

Go to designer --> Open ext model --> Add a new association to Custom Aspect of type cm:person.\ Create the corresponding form and publish your model.

Or you can create it using xml.

First the model:

<code class="xml">
<aspect name="ext1:customAspect">
    <title>Adv project tutorial aspect</title>
    <associations>
        <association name="ext1:extSupplierRef">
            <title>Supplier role</title>
            <source>
                <mandatory>false</mandatory>
                <many>true</many>
            </source>
            <target>
                <class>cm:person</class>
                <mandatory enforced="false">false</mandatory>
                <many>false</many>
            </target>
        </association>
    </associations>
</aspect>
</code>

Then the Share form configuration:

<code class="xml">
<alfresco-config>
    <config condition="ext1:customAspect" evaluator="aspect" replace="false">
        <forms>
            <form>
                <field-visibility>
                    <show force="false" id="ext1:extSupplierRef" />
                </field-visibility>
                <appearance>
                    <field id="ext1:extSupplierRef" mandatory="false" read-only="false" />
                </appearance>
            </form>
        </forms>
    </config>
</alfresco-config>
</code>

• Second add your aspect to the project template.

You can use the javascript console:

<code class="javascript">
var node = search.findNode("workspace://SpacesStore/1c99529c-3719-4381-bf29-4175ec3ee255");
node.addAspect("ext1:customAspect");
</code>

You should then have your new field, where you can add a supplier to your project.

• At least create a new Alfresco group named PROJECT_ext1_extSupplierRef and add it like a resource to your task.

That's it you have created a new project role.

Your users can now start a new project, choose the Supplier template and affect a person to the Supplier role.

Creating task scripts

Task scripts are very powerfull way to execute arbitrary code during the project flow.

Task scripts are defined with Alfresco repository scripts plus some custom variables:

• project a reference to the project. Caution this is not an Alfresco node but a beCPG ProjectData.java wrapper. To get the project Alfresco node use this:

<code class="javascript">
 var projectNode = search.findNode(project.nodeRef);
</code>

• shareUrl url to share

Note: All the variables present in ProjectData should be set by the project data accessor, do not try to use Alfresco Api for this or you will get unpredictible results.

Example :

<code class="javascript">
    project.state = "InProgress";
    project.hierarchy1 = "workspace://SpacesStore/678c2a75-1c2c-4b00-91e7-594788c004d3";
    project.hierarchy2 = "workspace://SpacesStore/4d2a7e69-4b02-4458-a61f-dcd87416ea7c";
</code>

Have a look at the Alfresco documentation to see all the API: http://docs.alfresco.com/4.2/concepts/API-JS-intro.html

In our example we will use this functionality to send a custom mail to supplier once the raw material has been review.

Create a file post-validation.js with the following content under Alfresco:

<code class="javascript">
function main()
{
    var supplier = null, rawMaterial = null;

    var projectNode = search.findNode(project.nodeRef);


    if (projectNode.assocs["ext1:extSupplierRef"] != null && projectNode.assocs["ext1:extSupplierRef"].length > 0)
    {
        supplier = projectNode.assocs["ext1:extSupplierRef"][0];
    }

    if (projectNode.assocs["pjt:projectEntity"] != null && projectNode.assocs["pjt:projectEntity"].length > 0)
    {
        rawMaterial = projectNode.assocs["pjt:projectEntity"][0];
    }

    if (supplier != null && rawMaterial!=null)
    {
                try
                {
                    var mail = actions.create("mail");
                    mail.parameters.html = "html";
                    mail.parameters.to = supplier.properties["cm:email"];
                    mail.parameters.subject = "[" + projectNode.name + "] Raw material validated";
                    mail.parameters.from = "support@becpg.fr";
                    mail.parameters.ignore_send_failure = true;
                    mail.parameters.text = "<html>Hi, <br/><br/>" + "Raw material is validated. Thanks"
                    +"<a href=" + shareUrl + "/page/entity-details?nodeRef=" + rawMaterial.nodeRef + ">" + rawMaterial.name + "</a></html>";
                    mail.execute(projectNode);
                }
                catch (e)
                {
                    logger.error("Cannot send mail :");
                    logger.error(" - subject: " + subject);
                    logger.error(" - e: " + e);
                }
    }
}

main();
</code>

In your project, add a new deliverable to the project. Choose the js file in document and set the option Execution order to Post.

The script will be launched once the task is done. Use Pre to launch it before.

Conclusion

As you can see, project module allows to make advanced process flow without any workflow. The main advantage of this approach is that you can manage planning of your process and change it at run time. Project is also easier to set up as it can be deployed without restarting the server.

You also have the choice to create validate and refuse tasks. By choosing to refuse task under task settings, adhoc task will show a refuse button.

You'll need to use workflow when the process isn't changing in time and you need advanced flow return and fork.