5.1
Table Of Contents
- Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator
- Contents
- Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator
- Developing Workflows
- Key Concepts of Workflows
- Phases in the Workflow Development Process
- Access Rights for the Orchestrator Client
- Testing Workflows During Development
- Creating and Editing a Workflow
- Provide General Workflow Information
- Defining Attributes and Parameters
- Workflow Schema
- Obtaining Input Parameters from Users When a Workflow Starts
- Requesting User Interactions While a Workflow Runs
- Add a User Interaction to a Workflow
- Set the User Interaction security.group Attribute
- Set the timeout.date Attribute to an Absolute Date
- Calculate a Relative Timeout for User Interactions
- Set the timeout.date Attribute to a Relative Date
- Define the External Inputs for a User Interaction
- Define User Interaction Exception Behavior
- Create the Input Parameters Dialog Box for the User Interaction
- Respond to a Request for a User Interaction
- Calling Workflows Within Workflows
- Running a Workflow on a Selection of Objects
- Developing Long-Running Workflows
- Configuration Elements
- Workflow User Permissions
- Validating Workflows
- Running Workflows
- Generate Workflow Documentation
- Use Workflow Version History
- Restore Deleted Workflows
- Develop a Simple Example Workflow
- Create the Simple Workflow Example
- Create the Schema of the Simple Workflow Example
- Create the Simple Workflow Example Zones
- Define the Parameters of the Simple Workflow Example
- Define the Simple Workflow Example Decision Bindings
- Bind the Action Elements of the Simple Workflow Example
- Bind the Simple Workflow Example Scripted Task Elements
- Define the Simple Workflow Example Exception Bindings
- Set the Read-Write Properties for Attributes of the Simple Workflow Example
- Set the Simple Workflow Example Parameter Properties
- Set the Layout of the Simple Workflow Example Input Parameters Dialog Box
- Validate and Run the Simple Workflow Example
- Develop a Complex Workflow
- Create the Complex Workflow Example
- Create a Custom Action for the Complex Workflow Example
- Create the Schema of the Complex Workflow Example
- Create the Complex Workflow Example Zones
- Define the Parameters of the Complex Workflow Example
- Define the Bindings for the Complex Workflow Example
- Set the Complex Workflow Example Attribute Properties
- Create the Layout of the Complex Workflow Example Input Parameters
- Validate and Run the Complex Workflow Example
- Scripting
- Orchestrator Elements that Require Scripting
- Limitations of the Mozilla Rhino Implementation in Orchestrator
- Using the Orchestrator API
- Access the Scripting Engine from the Workflow Editor
- Access the Scripting Engine from the Action or Policy Editor
- Access the Orchestrator API Explorer
- Use the Orchestrator API Explorer to Find Objects
- Writing Scripts
- Add Parameters to Scripts
- Accessing the Orchestrator Server File System from JavaScript and Workflows
- Accessing Java Classes from JavaScript
- Accessing Operating System Commands from JavaScript
- Exception Handling Guidelines
- Orchestrator JavaScript Examples
- Developing Actions
- Creating Resource Elements
- Creating Packages
- Index
6 Define the External Inputs for a User Interaction on page 50
You specify the information that users must provide during a workflow run as the input parameters of
a user interaction.
7 Define User Interaction Exception Behavior on page 51
If a user does not provide the input parameters within the timeout period, the user interaction returns
an exception. You can define the exception behavior in a scripted function.
8 Create the Input Parameters Dialog Box for the User Interaction on page 52
Users provide input parameters during a workflow run in an input parameters dialog box, in the same
way that they provide input parameters when a workflow first starts.
9 Respond to a Request for a User Interaction on page 53
Workflows that require interactions from users during their run suspend their run either until the user
provides the required information or until the workflow times out.
Add a User Interaction to a Workflow
You request input parameters from users during a workflow run by adding a User Interaction schema element
to the workflow. When a workflow encounters a User Interaction element, it suspends its run and waits for
the user to provide the data that it requires.
Prerequisites
n
Create a workflow.
n
Open the workflow for editing in the workflow editor.
n
Add some elements to the workflow schema.
Procedure
1 Drag a User Interaction element to the appropriate position in the workflow schema.
2 Link the User Interaction element to the elements that precede and follow it.
3 Click the User Interaction element to display its properties tabs in the bottom half of the Schema tab.
4 Provide a name and a description for the user interaction in the Info tab.
5 Click Save.
You added a user interaction element to a workflow. When the workflow reaches this element, it waits for
information from the user before continuing its run.
What to do next
Set the security.group attribute of the user interaction to limit permission to respond to the user interaction
to a user or user group. See “Set the User Interaction security.group Attribute,” on page 46.
Set the User Interaction security.group Attribute
The security.group attribute of a user interaction element sets which users or groups of users have permission
to respond to the user interaction.
Prerequisites
n
Create a workflow.
n
Open the workflow for editing in the workflow editor.
n
Add some elements and a user interaction to the workflow schema.
Developing with VMware vCenter Orchestrator
46 VMware, Inc.