Workflow Trigger
Digest
A workflow trigger is a plug-in that enhances an action in the workflow process by executing code as the transition from a source step to a destination step occurs. It encapsulates some system logic to accomplish a non-workflow related function.
Concept
Cascade Server comes with a series of pre-defined triggers, and custom plug-in triggers may also be added to execute custom code during a step transition. More than one workflow trigger may be attached to a workflow action.
A trigger may be enhanced by a parameter, which is an optional element that further specifies the system logic that should occur.
Available Workflow Triggers
The following is a list of workflow triggers. Click the title of a trigger to learn more and for implementation instructions:
- Preserve Current User Trigger
Acts as a workaround solution when a workflow is submitted to a group instead of a user. - Assign To Group Owning Asset Trigger
Used to assign the workflow’s current step to the group that owns access rights to the folder containing the asset associated with the workflow. - Assign Step If User Trigger
Advances a workflow to the step specified by the next parameter, if previous step was executed by a specified user. - Assign To Workflow Owner Trigger
Assigns the next step to the user that initiated the workflow. - Email Trigger
Provides an email notification for the step immediately following. - Version Trigger
Creates a version of the page that will be stored as the most current version. - Merge Trigger
Merges any changes into the system repository. - Publish Trigger
Publishes the current asset in workflow (if able to be published) to all of its available destinations. - Publish Set
Publishes all assets in a designated Publish Set. - Delete Trigger
Deletes the asset in the workflow. - Unpublish and Delete Trigger
Allows for un-publishing content and deleting it at the same time. - Create New Workflow Trigger
Starts new workflows for analogous assets to support translation capabilities or cross-site content synchronization. - Publish Parent Trigger
Publishes the parent folder of the asset in workflow. - Delete Parent Trigger
Deletes the parent folder of the asset in workflow, as well as all contents of that folder. - Copy Folder Trigger
Copies the parent folder of the asset in workflow into a designated location. - Publish Containing Publish Set Trigger
This trigger is used to publish out publish sets that the asset in workflow is a member of. - Assign to Specified Group Trigger
This trigger is used to assign a workflow to a group.
Technical
Adding a Workflow Trigger
The Cascade Server workflow builder utilizes centrally managed triggers. For a trigger to be available in a workflow created by the Workflow Builder, the trigger must first be defined and assigned a name in the system-wide trigger base. Defining triggers in this way allows the Java files that contain each trigger’s functionality to be referenced later in the workflow definition.
If a new custom trigger has been written or Cascade Server has been upgraded without including the default database, the new triggers will need to be added before they become available in the Workflow Builder.
To add a workflow trigger:
- In the Administration area, select ‘Workflow Definitions’.
- Click ‘Manage Workflow Triggers’.
- All currently available triggers in the default database are shown, along with the ‘Add a Trigger’ field.
- Type in the name of the new trigger and click ‘Submit’.
- The new trigger will now appear on the list of available triggers and will be available for use within the Workflow Builder.
Adding a trigger using this interface ensures that the triggers will be defined in all workflows created using the Workflow Builder. For workflows created without the Workflow Builder, triggers must be defined individually for each workflow.