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WFPad - Viewing/Editing Workflow's in XML

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Note: This posting is for Beta 1 of Windows Workflow Foundation. For an updated Beta 2 build, please go to: https://blogs.msdn.com/markhsch/archive/2006/03/02/542596.aspx

Windows Presentation Foundation has XAMLPad as a tool. With this tool, you simply enter in some Xaml at the bottom and view the results within the application itself. Why not create something like that for Windows Workflow Foundation? So I did.

 

WFPad is the XAMLPad for Windows Workflow Foundation (as WF moves to XAML we'll see how XAMLPad works with this). You can use the designer and hit the down arrow for synchronization to instantly view the XOML for that workflow. On the flipside, you can enter in some XOML, hit the up arrow synchronization button and the designer will load that XOML and display the workflow accordingly. Being that it's an editor of sorts, you can save any workflow's to the file system as xoml files as well as load xoml files.

I also gave it the ability to navigate to an assembly containing workflow's, select a workflow within that assembly and then load it. I am able to extract the xoml just fine, but currently the designer is unable to load it (I know why, just not how to fix it yet).

This app only took about an hour to create (which is why I haven't figured out that bug) but would not have been possible without some additional legwork provided by other folks. I used the Workflow Designer Control and I am using the WorkflowAssembly class found in the WorkflowReflector project.

Let me know if you want me to add anything, but since I'm giving the source, it should be easy enough for you to expand.

Click here to download the source/app

Comments

  • Anonymous
    October 09, 2005
    Microsoft should get Hulk Hogan to be the marketing spokesperson for the WWF: I think it would attract a whole plethora of new potential users... I know I used to love him on the WWF Friday night fights...
  • Anonymous
    October 10, 2005
    This rocks! Thanks Mark!
  • Anonymous
    December 07, 2005
    Mark,

    I downloaded your app and played with it a little bit. It is awesome. This can be used as a based for documenting processes.

    One thing I wonder is if a "commenting" feature could be added to it. What I mean is the ability to add "visual comments" to individual activities (like the "annotation" shape in Visio). I know that visual representation does not exist in WF, but it would be interested to see if this could be added. Just a thought.

    Doriak
  • Anonymous
    January 04, 2006
    this really rocks. The developers gonna stay without work (unemployed) in Windows soon.
    Since I have no dedicated time just to Windows and .NET, I'd appreciate if u unveil the "why" in "I know why, just not how to fix it yet", pliiiiiz

    Guennadi Vanine
  • Anonymous
    January 04, 2006
    strange my comment is not accepted?!
    Come on!
    Once again
    this really rocks. The developers gonna stay without work (unemployed) in Windows soon.
    Since I have no dedicated time just to Windows and .NET, I'd appreciate if u unveil the "why" in "I know why, just not how to fix it yet", pliiiiiz

    Guennadi Vanine
  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2006
    Brilliant stuff, however, could you please modify the code to make it build for Beta2?
  • Anonymous
    February 16, 2006
    I second that ... beta2 buildable version please!!
  • Anonymous
    February 23, 2006
    seems like Mark has syndrome of never returning to what he has written
  • Anonymous
    April 19, 2006
    http://blogs.msdn.com/markhsch/archive/2005/10/06/478042.aspx
  • Anonymous
    April 19, 2006
    http://blogs.msdn.com/markhsch/archive/2005/10/06/478042.aspx
    [Cross-Posted from http://www.arquitecturadesoftware.org/blogs/hugobatista...
  • Anonymous
    April 19, 2006
    http://blogs.msdn.com/markhsch/archive/2005/10/06/478042.aspx
  • Anonymous
    April 24, 2006
    I downloaded the sample code, but it doesn't compile.  For example I had to implement CheckType on the WorkflowCompilerOptionsService but after I got that compile error fixed, I'm getting tons of other compile errors.  Did you guys have to do anything special to get this to compile.  Note, I'm using VS 2005 and I've already installed WinFx and WWF.  
  • Anonymous
    June 13, 2006
    By now, you've probably heard about the Windows Workflow Foundation (WF).  WF, like Windows Communication...
  • Anonymous
    August 26, 2006
    Very many thanks for a good work. Nice and useful. Like it!