Bypass Form.HTMLProcess task

[Former Member]

Hi there,

in:

Ramki said:

> You need ITS to execute a task that uses

> Form.htmlprocess from a non-SP front-end.

>

> I don't think you can execute any other dialog tasks

> directly without the SAP GUI other than using UWL

> (Universal Work List, available with SAP-EP).

My question now is whether I can at least bypass execution of such a task, such that the workflow continues as if it had been executed.

But I'm not sure about what is possible at what effort. Here are my ideas:

- Use a terminating event, as in

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/c5/e4b4c0453d11d189430000e829fbbd/frameset.htm

and create the event using an RFC. (But I'm not sure what such an event can do, and I did not find much information about that)

- Modify the concerned workflows to allow the bypassing of the task, using a fork and a bypass branch waiting for some event. (Not sure about that one either)

- Modify concerned workflows to use Decision.Process instead, since we are talking about Approval Workitems anyway, not about complex forms. (I believe you cannot change standard workflows, but you can copy them and modify that copy, right?).

- Use the alternative method Form.ProcessExternally as suggested in http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/c5/e4b4c0453d11d189430000e829fbbd/frameset.htm

(I really don't know where to set this, and what it'll do)

- Desperately trying to connect to SAP simulating SAPForms, since there seems to be a SAPXmit plugin communicating to SAP via RFC, there must be some way to transfer all necessary information via RFCs.

- Using some (yet unknown to me) RFC to tell WebFlow engine "The task is completed(approved?), go on with the workflow, thank you very much."

Any suggestions/comments on one of these?

cheers,

Thibault

[ramki_maley]

Hi Thibault,

First let me correct what I have said:

> You need ITS to execute a task that uses

> Form.htmlprocess from a non-SP front-end.

I should have said Web browser instead of non-SP front-end.

You are on the right track with terminating events and forks as alternates as long as you can accomplish whatever the R/3 database updates are needed for the workflow to proceed using either BAPIs or developing custom RFC modules on the SAP side.

BTW, method Form.ProcessExternally does not do anything (there is no code in the method), even in release 6.20.

Cheers,

Ramki Maley

[Former Member]

Hi Ramki,

> You are on the right track with terminating events and

> forks as alternates...

I am a little confused now. I thought that I could either use a terminating event (to be set in the "Terminating events" tab of a standard task) and would not need a fork,

or

use a fork and a "wait for event" step, allowing the workflow to go either branch of the flow (mutually exclusive, if that can be granted).

Are you suggesting doing both, or did I get you wrong?

> BTW, method Form.ProcessExternally does not do anything

> (there is no code in the method), even in release 6.20.

Good to know. Is that intentionally left blank? Meaning:

SAP will execute doing nothing this way, since it expects the task to be processed "externally"?

Anyway, I haven't found the place to set the alternative method in my SAPGui, can someone tell me how to find it? And how can you then tell SAP Workflow to use the alternative?

[ramki_maley]

You are correct. You don't need both terminating event and fork for your need.

As for Form.ProcessExternally being blank, I would think SAP will eventually do something in there.

Can you explain what this alternate method in SAPGUI supposed to do? I am not sure what you are asking for.

Thanks,

Ramki Maley.

Message was edited by: Ramki Maley

Sorry folks, I had to edit as the message is not getting formatted correctly.

Message was edited by: Ramki Maley

Message was edited by: Ramki Maley

[Former Member]

Hi Ramki,

> Can you explain what this alternate method in SAPGUI

> supposed to do?

sorry, I posted the wrong link in my first posting:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/c5/e4b51b453d11d189430000e829fbbd/frameset.htm

"If the task is executed as a form task for SAPforms, you can specify a method as an alternative. You enter this method on the tab page Alternative methods in the line Form task. The alternative method must have the same interface as the method entered on the tab page Basic data.

The alternative method ProcessExternally should be entered for form tasks that use the method Process . The alternative method is used if the execution is not started form the Business Workplace in SAP GUI for Windows."

I wonder from where you can start execution other than from the Business workplace. Note that this was added to the SAP library for SAP 4.6c, in 4.6b it does not appear.

[ramki_maley]

Hi Thibault,

I haven't had an opportunity to work with SAPForms before and after reading the link, I played around a bit with the demos available in the system. I was at a slight disadvantage because I do not have the SAPForms installed on my desktop and neither the GUI (we use Citrix to access the GUI). I could get the workitem with the form link to my external email account but could not execute it from there but I was able to do it from my SAP inbox.

I could not find any place where you could define Alternative methods in the Task or Workflow definition. I am assuming this is a setting in the SAPForms application. I think the ProcessExternally method is deliberately blank so that the workitem cannot be executed from Business Workplace. The Form.Process method can only exchange data between the Frontend form and the task container. Using an alternate method, you may be able to actually process the data.

If you have not done so already, please see this documentation link : http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/65/9b6034e37ca662e10000009b38f83b/frameset.htm

Within, please see the links:

Starting workflows with electronic forms

Executing a work item as an electronic form.

Cheers,

Ramki Maley.