5.5
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
- Debugging Workflows
- Running Workflows
- Resuming a Failed Workflow Run
- 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 Scripting 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
Schedule a Workflow
You can call a workflow from a workflow and schedule it to start at a later time and date.
You schedule workflows in another workflow by using the Schedule Workflow element.
Prerequisites
n
Open a workflow for editing in the workflow editor.
n
Add some elements to the workflow schema.
Procedure
1 Drag a Schedule Workflow element from the Generic menu to the appropriate position in the
workflow schema.
2 Search for the workflow to call by typing part of its name in the text box.
3 Select the workflow from the list and click OK.
4
Click the Edit icon ( ) of the Schedule Workflow element in the workflow schema.
5 Click the IN property tab.
A parameter named workflowScheduleDate appears in the list of properties to define, together with the
input parameters of the calling workflow.
6 Click Not set for the workflowScheduleDate parameter to set the parameter.
7 Click Create parameter/attribute in workflow to create the parameter and set the parameter value.
8 Click Not set for Value to set the parameter value.
9 Use the calendar that appears to set the date and time to start the scheduled workflow and click OK.
10 Bind the remaining input parameters to the scheduled workflow in the IN tab of the scheduled
workflow element.
11 Bind the required output parameters to the Task object in the OUT tab of the scheduled workflow
element.
12 Define the exception behavior of the scheduled workflow element in the Exceptions tab.
13 Click Close.
14 Click Save at the bottom of the workflow editor.
You scheduled a workflow to start at a given time and date from another workflow.
What to do next
You can call multiple workflows simultaneously from a workflow.
Prerequisites for Calling a Remote Workflow from Within Another Workflow
If the workflow that you develop calls another workflow that resides on a remote Orchestrator server,
certain prerequisites must be fulfilled so that the remote workflow can run successfully.
n
All input parameters of the remote workflow must be resolvable on the remote Orchestrator server.
n
All output parameters of the remote workflow must be resolvable on the local Orchestrator server.
Chapter 1 Developing Workflows
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