Workflow Sample: Episode 495: Variations of Data Processing at Automated Step (Part 2)

A) A document before translation
B) A document after translation

Want to record the "number of characters" of these automatically.

If "a human is required to count the number of characters", you will never implement this operation. However, if "a Workflow system would tell the number automatically", you might think of leaving it as a record...

In "Questetra BPM Suite", a Cloud-based Workflow, you can easily add automatic processing of the following, since Auto-step icons have been incorporated in it in advance.

To combine string A and string B (M227)
To Sum numeric A and numeric B (M227)
To generate a PDF by embedding strings into Template PDF (M228)
To store files at Google Drive (M229)

However, in order to automate an operation like this example of "Count the number of characters", you were required to place a versatile automated Step referred to as [Script Task] (Script Step) (M230), and to set Scripts (ECMA-Script/JavaScript) as its property. (As of Ver. 11.0)

[Translation Process-Characters Counter]

[Modeling Screen]

Specifically, you set a Script as the following.

= Setting Sample for Script Step "Character Number Counter" (Server side JavaScript)

//// == Retrieving == 
var myText = data.get("q_mytext") + ""; // JavaScript String 

//// == Calculating == 
var countC = myText.replace(/\r|\n/g, "").replace(/\s+/g," ").length; 
// Not including "Line break" 
// Counting "consecutive spaces" as one character. 
// Note) Tab and double byte space are included in "\s" (UTF-8) 

//// == Updating == 
retVal.put("5", java.math.BigDecimal( countC ) );

Even though it is indeed a "simple Script", it might be too difficult for a person who does not have knowledge of Script (programming).

First of all, person who designs Business Processes with familiarity with actual work floor should not be required skills of Script (programming). It is something like "an Excel file in which too many functions have been set", which nobody will be able to improve in the future. Imagine a person who has those skills, he or she would never want to be responsible maintaining this Script.

Here is good news for you.

On and after the next version (v11.1), it will allow you to add new auto-step icons of your needing onto Business Process Modeling screen.

Specifically, you get a packaged "Add-on XML", and import it as an Additional feature file (Service Task definition). I will introduce you the way how to get and to create them in the next post.

[Data Items list]