Chapter 5. Visual Programming

This chapter looks into the basic visual programming tools we can use. We will have a look at the following recipes:

• Scripting with logs

• Scripting with decisions

• Error handling in workflows

• Scripting with loops

• Workflow presentations

• Linking actions in presentations

• Changing credentials during runtime

Introduction

As this chapter focuses on basic visual programming tools, it is a good place to have a quick look at how the programming of workflows works.

A workflow is made up of several sections. This chapter's focus will be on the creation of new workflows. We will work with the general, inputs, outputs, schemas, and presentation.

Variables (general, inputs, and outputs)

Each workflow can have variables in three different areas. Variables are called attributes or parameters depending on where they are.

In JavaScript, the naming convention for variables is to start with lowercase and use uppercase when a new word starts, for example, myFirstAttribute, currentVM, and so on. This is what programmers call a camelCase convention. We should use the same convention when programming in Orchestrator.

Variables in the general section

A variable in the General section is called an attribute. An attribute is accessible throughout the whole workflow, but, not outside it. An attribute can have an initial...

Scripting with logs

In this recipe, we will look into how logging works in scripting. You will learn how to create log entries and where they are stored.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

Additionally, we need administrative (root) access to the Orchestrator's operating system.

How to do it...

We will split this recipe into two sections, Creating logs and Checking the log files.

Creating logs

We will now create log entries during a workflow:

1. Create a new workflow.

2. Drag all log elements from the Log section into the workflow and arrange them as shown here:

   

3. Create the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Binds with
   logText	String	IN	Transports error text
   logObject	String	IN	Transports object text

4. Bind each log element with the required in-parameter.

5. Save and exit the workflow.

6. Run the workflow and enter two different phrases, such as LogText and LogObject...

Scripting with decisions

In this workflow, we will see how decisions can be implemented into scripts. You will learn how to create basic and custom decisions.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

We need a new workflow where we can add a decision. You also should know how to work with logs.

For the Decision activity element, we will be using the example workflow 00.00 BasicWorkflow, which is stored in the Basic Helper folder.

How to do it...

There are three decisions that can be used in Orchestrator; we will discuss them in the following sections.

Basic decision

The Basic decision lets you check a single variable against a condition. A condition is always something that is either true or false. For example, the condition 5 > 3 is true, whereas the condition Team contains i  is false.

1. Create a new workflow and define an in-parameter of the String type.

2. Assemble the structure...

Error handling in workflows

This recipe is dedicated to showing how to handle errors in workflows. We will learn how to catch errors and redirect them.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow. We will reuse this workflow in the recipe, Resuming failed workflows in Chapter 4, Programming Skills.

2. Add the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   number	Number	IN	Used to create an intentional error

3. Assemble the workflow (as seen in the following screenshot) by dragging a Scriptable task into the workflow and then a Throw exception element from the generic section onto the Scriptable task. Add the two log elements to the workflow by just dropping them onto the lines:

   

4. Bind the in-parameter to the scriptable task and add the following script, which will throw an error when the value 5 is entered:

         if (number==5) { 
   ...

Scripting with loops

Here, we will explore how to create loops in scripts. You will learn how to build loops and use them.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

You need to understand how decisions are used in Orchestrator; this was explained in the recipe Scripting with decisions.

For the Foreach element, we will be using the example workflow 00.00 BasicWorkflow, which is stored in the Basic Helper folder.

How to do it...

There are several types of loop one can create; however, they can all be reduced to the following two basic types.

The decision loop

This basic kind of loop runs until a certain condition is met. We will build a so-called for loop in this example. A discussion about the different types of decision loops (for, do-while, and while-do) can be found in the How it works... section of this recipe.

1. Create a new workflow and build the preceding schema.

2. Add the following...

Workflow presentations

In this recipe, you will learn how to configure the input window (the presentation) and make it not only more user-friendly, but also reduce the amount of errors a user can enter. You will learn how to link values, hide inputs on conditions, and use predefined answers.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

How to do it...

We will split this recipe into several sections. We will only create a presentation, not a working workflow.

Preparation

This preparation is just so that we can see some results:

1. Create a new workflow using the following variables:

   Linking actions in presentations

   This recipe will show how to further improve and automate presentations in workflows by linking actions into them. This is done to present to the user only a specific list of options derived on runtime.

   Getting ready

   We will create a new workflow and reuse the action getElementFromArray, which we created in the recipe Creating actions in Chapter 6, Advanced Programming (see the com.packtpub.Orchestrator-Cookbook2ndEdition module in the example pack).

   You should be familiar with the topics we introduced in the recipe Workflow presentations in this chapter.

   How to do it...

   1. Using the Orchestrator Client, create a new workflow.

   2. Create the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   number	Number	IN	This is used for presentations
   string	String	IN	This is used for presentations
   boolYesNo	Boolean	IN	This is used for presentations
   input	Array of Strings	IN	This is used for presentations
   text	String	IN	This is used for presentations ...

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   string	String	IN	This is a placeholder for the linked action
   number	Number	IN	This is used to select a value from an array
   array	Array of string	Attribute	This can take values such as Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

2. Create a log element and bind all variables...

Changing credentials during runtime

This recipe will show you how to use the Change credential element to change the user who is currently executing the workflow.

Getting ready

We need to create a new workflow.

For this recipe, you will need to have more than one AD/LDAP group configured to have access to Orchestrator. Remember that you can use the Orchestrator internal LDAP to test this. To facilitate this, please follow the User management recipe in Chapter 7, Interacting with Orchestrator.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow with the following variable:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   newCredential	Credential	IN	The user name and password of the new user

2. Drag a Change credential element onto the schema.

3. Bind the newCredential in-parameter to the Change credential element.

4. Now, drag one System log element before and one after the Change credential element.

5. Edit the System log elements. Remove the text input and change the log to workflow.runningUserName. This will log the username that...

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Scripting with decisions

In this workflow, we will see how decisions can be implemented into scripts. You will learn how to create basic and custom decisions.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

We need a new workflow where we can add a decision. You also should know how to work with logs.

For the Decision activity element, we will be using the example workflow 00.00 BasicWorkflow, which is stored in the Basic Helper folder.

How to do it...

There are three decisions that can be used in Orchestrator; we will discuss them in the following sections.

Basic decision

The Basic decision lets you check a single variable against a condition. A condition is always something that is either true or false. For example, the condition 5 > 3 is true, whereas the condition Team contains i  is false.

1. Create a new workflow and define an in-parameter of the String type.

2. Assemble the structure...

Error handling in workflows

This recipe is dedicated to showing how to handle errors in workflows. We will learn how to catch errors and redirect them.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow. We will reuse this workflow in the recipe, Resuming failed workflows in Chapter 4, Programming Skills.

2. Add the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   number	Number	IN	Used to create an intentional error

3. Assemble the workflow (as seen in the following screenshot) by dragging a Scriptable task into the workflow and then a Throw exception element from the generic section onto the Scriptable task. Add the two log elements to the workflow by just dropping them onto the lines:

   

4. Bind the in-parameter to the scriptable task and add the following script, which will throw an error when the value 5 is entered:

         if (number==5) { 
   ...

Scripting with loops

Here, we will explore how to create loops in scripts. You will learn how to build loops and use them.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

You need to understand how decisions are used in Orchestrator; this was explained in the recipe Scripting with decisions.

For the Foreach element, we will be using the example workflow 00.00 BasicWorkflow, which is stored in the Basic Helper folder.

How to do it...

There are several types of loop one can create; however, they can all be reduced to the following two basic types.

The decision loop

This basic kind of loop runs until a certain condition is met. We will build a so-called for loop in this example. A discussion about the different types of decision loops (for, do-while, and while-do) can be found in the How it works... section of this recipe.

1. Create a new workflow and build the preceding schema.

2. Add the following...

Workflow presentations

In this recipe, you will learn how to configure the input window (the presentation) and make it not only more user-friendly, but also reduce the amount of errors a user can enter. You will learn how to link values, hide inputs on conditions, and use predefined answers.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

How to do it...

We will split this recipe into several sections. We will only create a presentation, not a working workflow.

Preparation

This preparation is just so that we can see some results:

1. Create a new workflow using the following variables:

   Linking actions in presentations

   This recipe will show how to further improve and automate presentations in workflows by linking actions into them. This is done to present to the user only a specific list of options derived on runtime.

   Getting ready

   We will create a new workflow and reuse the action getElementFromArray, which we created in the recipe Creating actions in Chapter 6, Advanced Programming (see the com.packtpub.Orchestrator-Cookbook2ndEdition module in the example pack).

   You should be familiar with the topics we introduced in the recipe Workflow presentations in this chapter.

   How to do it...

   1. Using the Orchestrator Client, create a new workflow.

   2. Create the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   number	Number	IN	This is used for presentations
   string	String	IN	This is used for presentations
   boolYesNo	Boolean	IN	This is used for presentations
   input	Array of Strings	IN	This is used for presentations
   text	String	IN	This is used for presentations ...

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   string	String	IN	This is a placeholder for the linked action
   number	Number	IN	This is used to select a value from an array
   array	Array of string	Attribute	This can take values such as Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

2. Create a log element and bind all variables...

Changing credentials during runtime

This recipe will show you how to use the Change credential element to change the user who is currently executing the workflow.

Getting ready

We need to create a new workflow.

For this recipe, you will need to have more than one AD/LDAP group configured to have access to Orchestrator. Remember that you can use the Orchestrator internal LDAP to test this. To facilitate this, please follow the User management recipe in Chapter 7, Interacting with Orchestrator.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow with the following variable:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   newCredential	Credential	IN	The user name and password of the new user

2. Drag a Change credential element onto the schema.

3. Bind the newCredential in-parameter to the Change credential element.

4. Now, drag one System log element before and one after the Change credential element.

5. Edit the System log elements. Remove the text input and change the log to workflow.runningUserName. This will log the username that...

The rest of the chapter is locked

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Previous Chapter

Chapter 1 of 19

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Scripting with loops

Here, we will explore how to create loops in scripts. You will learn how to build loops and use them.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

You need to understand how decisions are used in Orchestrator; this was explained in the recipe Scripting with decisions.

For the Foreach element, we will be using the example workflow 00.00 BasicWorkflow, which is stored in the Basic Helper folder.

How to do it...

There are several types of loop one can create; however, they can all be reduced to the following two basic types.

The decision loop

This basic kind of loop runs until a certain condition is met. We will build a so-called for loop in this example. A discussion about the different types of decision loops (for, do-while, and while-do) can be found in the How it works... section of this recipe.

1. Create a new workflow and build the preceding schema.

2. Add the following...

Workflow presentations

In this recipe, you will learn how to configure the input window (the presentation) and make it not only more user-friendly, but also reduce the amount of errors a user can enter. You will learn how to link values, hide inputs on conditions, and use predefined answers.

Getting ready

We just need a working Orchestrator, and you will need the rights to create new workflows and run them. We will work with the Orchestrator Client.

How to do it...

We will split this recipe into several sections. We will only create a presentation, not a working workflow.

Preparation

This preparation is just so that we can see some results:

1. Create a new workflow using the following variables:

   Linking actions in presentations

   This recipe will show how to further improve and automate presentations in workflows by linking actions into them. This is done to present to the user only a specific list of options derived on runtime.

   Getting ready

   We will create a new workflow and reuse the action getElementFromArray, which we created in the recipe Creating actions in Chapter 6, Advanced Programming (see the com.packtpub.Orchestrator-Cookbook2ndEdition module in the example pack).

   You should be familiar with the topics we introduced in the recipe Workflow presentations in this chapter.

   How to do it...

   1. Using the Orchestrator Client, create a new workflow.

   2. Create the following variables:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   number	Number	IN	This is used for presentations
   string	String	IN	This is used for presentations
   boolYesNo	Boolean	IN	This is used for presentations
   input	Array of Strings	IN	This is used for presentations
   text	String	IN	This is used for presentations ...

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   string	String	IN	This is a placeholder for the linked action
   number	Number	IN	This is used to select a value from an array
   array	Array of string	Attribute	This can take values such as Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun

2. Create a log element and bind all variables...

Changing credentials during runtime

This recipe will show you how to use the Change credential element to change the user who is currently executing the workflow.

Getting ready

We need to create a new workflow.

For this recipe, you will need to have more than one AD/LDAP group configured to have access to Orchestrator. Remember that you can use the Orchestrator internal LDAP to test this. To facilitate this, please follow the User management recipe in Chapter 7, Interacting with Orchestrator.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow with the following variable:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   newCredential	Credential	IN	The user name and password of the new user

2. Drag a Change credential element onto the schema.

3. Bind the newCredential in-parameter to the Change credential element.

4. Now, drag one System log element before and one after the Change credential element.

5. Edit the System log elements. Remove the text input and change the log to workflow.runningUserName. This will log the username that...

The rest of the chapter is locked

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Renews at $15.99/month. Cancel anytime

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Previous Chapter

Chapter 1 of 19

Next Chapter

Linking actions in presentations

This recipe will show how to further improve and automate presentations in workflows by linking actions into them. This is done to present to the user only a specific list of options derived on runtime.

Getting ready

We will create a new workflow and reuse the action getElementFromArray, which we created in the recipe Creating actions in Chapter 6, Advanced Programming (see the com.packtpub.Orchestrator-Cookbook2ndEdition module in the example pack).

You should be familiar with the topics we introduced in the recipe Workflow presentations in this chapter.

How to do it...

1. Using the Orchestrator Client, create a new workflow.

2. Create the following variables:

Changing credentials during runtime

This recipe will show you how to use the Change credential element to change the user who is currently executing the workflow.

Getting ready

We need to create a new workflow.

For this recipe, you will need to have more than one AD/LDAP group configured to have access to Orchestrator. Remember that you can use the Orchestrator internal LDAP to test this. To facilitate this, please follow the User management recipe in Chapter 7, Interacting with Orchestrator.

How to do it...

1. Create a new workflow with the following variable:

   Name	Type	Section	Use
   newCredential	Credential	IN	The user name and password of the new user

2. Drag a Change credential element onto the schema.

3. Bind the newCredential in-parameter to the Change credential element.

4. Now, drag one System log element before and one after the Change credential element.

5. Edit the System log elements. Remove the text input and change the log to workflow.runningUserName. This will log the username that...

The rest of the chapter is locked

Unlock this book and the full library FREE for 7 days

Get unlimited access to 7000+ expert-authored eBooks and videos courses covering every tech area you can think of

Renews at $15.99/month. Cancel anytime

Start free trial

Previous Chapter

Chapter 1 of 19

Next Chapter