topic Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins in Discussions

Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:03:19 GMT

How can I enable the Workflow Builder to record actions from Add-Ins like:

- Custom Date Format Writer

- rename columns

https://community.jmp.com/t5/JMPer-Cable/How-the-new-Workflow-Builder-in-JMP-17-will-save-you-time/bc-p/571602/highlight/true#M808

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

jules — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:54:55 GMT

Workflow Builder captures steps based on JSL that is recorded in the JMP log. For JMP's interactive actions from menus/platforms, this works because JMP's internal action recording knows how to generate the equivalent JSL to your interactive actions and writes it to the log. For Workflow Builder to work for an Add-In, the developer of the Add-Ins would need to add code to write the equivalent JSL of the actions it takes to the log so that Workflow Builder can pick up that JSL and build a step. I do not know of any Add-Ins that do this right now, but this would be a good best practice going forward for developers.

Edit: my mistake, Workflow Builder in fact does not automatically capture JSL executed from a script right now. The Add-In would need to call Save to Workflow in the Enhanced Log after generating the equivalent JSL for whatever action is performed by the Add-In.

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

jthi — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:32:46 GMT

I was going to ask if it is even possible to send scripts to workflow's history but I think JMP provided me an answer by crashing (or rather just closing).

Open Workflow Builder, Enhanced Log and Script window (no embedded log).
Run simple script such as Open("$SAMPLE_DATA/Big Class.jmp")
Add it to workflow
JMP will close/crash

Using Windows 10 with JMP17 Pro.

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

jules — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:41:37 GMT

Same behavior on the Mac, I just submitted it as a defect so we can get that fixed. Thanks for catching that!

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Wed, 31 May 2023 22:01:03 GMT

Wish to get at least some info about addIn calls into Woskflows:
https://community.jmp.com/t5/JMP-Wish-List/Workflow-Builder-AddIns/idc-p/583109

minimum: a comment that the addin was called, but not recorded

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

ih — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:36:10 GMT

@jules any chance you have an example of writing some custom jsl to the enhanced log?

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

jules — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 13:40:05 GMT

Hi @ih,

Unfortunately, at present (JMP 17.1) there is not a way to have Workflow Builder pick up jsl items from the enhanced log that originated from a script window or Add-In. We are working on a general fix in 18 so that this will be possible.

@jules

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:12:13 GMT

it could help to following @thomasz wish.

Most of it is already available: The Recall Script by @MikeD_Anderson :

Further on:

If Jmp provides an official way to store GUI settings, the settings could be accessed

1) either to fill the Gui again - via a Recall button

2) to run the Add-In action directly - just piping the settings from the Associative Array of the Recall function to the Add-In.

And an autorun=0/1 flag could control if 1) or 2):

1) default: autorun=0;
run the add-in -> GUI (with a Recall button)

2) first set autorun-flag=1 in the Namespace of the add-in
run the add-in -> no GUI needs to be opened -> the action is directly executed, taking the settings from the stored Recall values

Last step: add a history to the Recall function:

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 12:00:02 GMT

Hi @jules.

I noticed in JMP18: the execution of scripts gets recorded now. This is great.

Unfortunately, triggering an AddIn / command via the Main Menu isn't recorded by default.

Where can I enable it.

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

jules — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:43:10 GMT

Hi @hogi,

That's correct, menu items selected interactively are not captured by action recording/workflow builder, and so interactively selecting a menu item created by an Add-In also won't get recorded. You could create that step manually in WFB using MainMenu("menu item name"). I certainly recognize the value if it were captured automatically, so we can explore this, but it's important to know that because of the way action recording is done internally it's not as easy as just "enabling" the recording of a menu selection.

@jules

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:07:02 GMT

Hi @jules , thank you for the feedback.

Maybe - instead of finding a way how to record the execution of existing addins - add some helper functions which allow JSL coders to develop recordable AddIns?

I have several colleagues who are willing to start recording their workflows via Workflow Builder - but they are no professional coders, so for them it's not possible to add the missing steps. At the moment, any step which involves an AddIn is a killer for them.

As a short term workaround:

@jules , Do you see any possibility to detected (not: record) the execution of commands via the main menu?

Workflow Builder will get much more useful when it gets the possibility to add "dummy" workflow steps like:

a window informs the user that some manual steps are necessary.
"Please click OK when you finished the manual steps".
main workflow ist paused
- in parallel, the AddIn/manual step is triggered, e.g. via main menu("menu item")
[the user can apply the manual steps - and take as much time as needed]
after clicking on OK, the workflow will continue with the next step.

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:13:02 GMT

Wow, the workframe for

a window informs the user that some manual steps are necessary.
"Please click OK when you finished the manual steps".
...
after clicking on OK, the workflow will continue with the next step.

is already there:

A MODELESS window, which pauses the execution of a Scripted Workflow .

Amazingly useful - many many thanks to the invetors : )

Re: Workflow Builder + Add-Ins

hogi — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 19:18:54 GMT

Very helpful functionality in combination with the trick :)

Multiple File Import(
	<<Set Use File List( 1 )
) << create window();

source:
Using-Point-and-Click-and-Basic-Code-Cracking-Skills-to-Import/

by @wendytseng and @monique_lander