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Please, read another article about WEBCON BPS platform!

In the previous entry concerning WEBCON BPS, our colleague described what exactly WEBCON BPS is and when it can help us – if you have not read it yet, see –Building business processes in WEBCON BPS.

webd 1024x1024 1 - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

In this article I am going to describe:

  • what we should do, when a process does not work properly,
  • how to look for configuration problems successively,
  • how to use databases to locate the root of a problem,
  • how to solve a problem by implementing changes to a configuration (if we already know, what the problem is).

Let’s proceed to the main part of this article.

What causes problems with processes in WEBCON BPS?

There may be a lot of reasons; however, they often stop the process entirely:

  • update of Webcon BPS environment,
  • wrong action configuration,
  • server breakdown,
  • no assigned person to the path,
  • edit view on form,
  • concurrency error.

Let’s focus on processes and action configuration that causes errors in WEBCON BPS processes.

What to do when a process is not working?

Always start from analyzing the prompt displayed on the top of the form:

123 1 - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

The main information can be found in the first part of the prompt and in the description:

No person to assign workflow instance to, check configuration.

That kind of information will often help us to find the reason of a problem, and finally solve the problem.

As I said earlier, we can also use a database that stores all information about actions and is created when the entire environment is used. Database records all events and saves them into the “WFLogs” table. The database that stores this table may have different naming because we can change the name during installation of the whole environment, and then during configuration.

After you find the database, you can filter the results. Below I wrote and described database indications.

swd 1024x74 - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes
  • LOG_ID – log number,
  • LOG_DEFID – number of Webcon BPS process,
  • LOG_WFDID – element ID,
  • LOG_ACTID – process action ID,
  • LOG_Name – log name,
  • LOG_Description – log description – includes error description,
  • LOG_TSInsert – date, when log has been registered,
  • LOG_WFID – process element ID.

The problem presented below concerns no person to assign workflow instance to (to the task created after path transition). To solve this problem you should open WEBCON Designer Studio and the process and step where the problem appeared. Open a tab named “Paths” and, in section “Task assignment”, choose the person who the task will be assigned to after path transition.

Bez tytulu - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

Let’s analyze a different error. Below, I presented another prompt, a bit more complicated.

5yrtdfgvcbnm - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

The above prompt – as you can see – alarms us, that an action called “Start a sub-workflow” on the path “wait for sub-workflow” is not configured properly. Below I’m presenting a database log, which shows us on LOG_ACTID (action id) – 22 and LOG_DEFID (process id) – 7 – it allows us to easily locate the proper action. Now, it is just a matter of repairing the configuration of the action named “Start a sub-workflow”. Note how useful for problem-solving database logs are.

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After retrieving action which is responsible for the error presented above, let’s check the configuration.

ssss 1024x496 - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

We don’t have to go to different tabs of this action (“Advanced” or “Data”), because, as we can see, this action is not configured at all! The prompt shows us that the process that should be started is not determined in the configuration. To fix this problem, we should enter appropriate information in the proper columns in the configuration window, then, in the tab named “Data”, we have to determine required data.

Let’s try to solve one more error:

13redfc - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

Do you know, why system displayed this kind of prompt? Yes, it is how you think.

“SQL Procedure” action produces invalid query. Let’s find the process where the element is run and the path named “archive after sub-workflow”.  Open the action that produces the error and check the configuration.

d3dwddw 1 - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

Can you see the problem?

SELECT WFD_AttText1 as 'WFD_AttText1'
 FROM WFElements
WHERE WFD_AttText1 like '%sii%

In WEBCON BPS we can test database query inside the action, where “Edit” button is available. Let’s click this button:

we1e1e - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

The system displays query edition menu. On the right side, we can use many different dynamic and static variables located in proper sections. On the bottom, WEBCON Designer Studio gives us an opportunity to test our query based on last process element where this exact action is used. First, we click “Load ID” and “Test”. Now, we can see an error message, if the query is invalid. We can easily see that the error concerns exactly this  part of the query:

'%sii%;

There are quotation marks missing in this part of the query – after “%” character. Let’s see what we can get if we add the missing quotation marks:

sadasdasd - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

After clicking the “Test” button, WEBCON Designer Studio returns correct, expected result. From this moment, the error will not be displayed. We have solved the problem.

There is one more error waiting for an analysis.

awswww - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

Below, I quoted one line of the prompt (incomplete on the picture) that should be most interesting for us:

The Web application at http://intranet/workflow/dokumenty/szablon.docx could not be found. Verify that you have 
typed the URL correctly. If the URL should be serving existing content, the system administrator may need to add 
a new request URL mapping to the intended application.

The prompt informs us that a document template path is incorrect. To fix this problem, we should find the action that produces this error and then add proper link to the document template used in this action. Remember that document template has to be uploaded into SharePoint document library beforehand. The correct link should include basic information presented below:

http://<webURL>/<SiteCollection>/<Folder>/<NameOfTheDocument>.docx

For example.:

http://WEB/TestSiteCollection/TestDocumentLibrary/TestTemplate.docx

In the “File Name” field, enter a title of the document that is to be generated and click the “Save” button.

dsaadsfcv - WEBCON BPS – Detecting bugs, debugging and repairing processes

Correct action configuration (generating .docx file) includes mainly a proper document template link used in the action.

Summary…

We end our adventure with repairing WEBCON BPS processes errors. Remember:

  • Read error prompts really carefully.
  • Use the database and WFLogs table.
  • Check action or path configuration before you save it.
  • Test your database query using WEBCON Designer Studio.
  • Test your actions and processes on test elements.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for a help!

If you remember this advice and use it every single day, you can noticeably reduce the number of process errors and problems. You will save your time and your clients will be happier to work with you and your company.

1.8/5 ( votes: 5)
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Daniel Ciećkiewicz

I’m on my last year of college. I decided to take up a job in IT over one year ago. My career started with an internship at Betacom, and then at Sii. That’s how I joined SharePoint Competency Center, which provides SharePoint based solutions for external clients. At the moment, I’m a SharePoint Consultant supporting a number of different processes, so I’m never bored :)

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