Using code entry help functions to create and edit processes

You can use different code entry help functions of the Application Engine Process Editor to create and edit a process.

You can also launch the Select Function, Select Process, and Select ION API Operation dialog boxes by right-clicking the work space and selecting the function.

  1. Create a process or load an existing process.
    You can load a process file from a folder or load a process from an application database of the farm to which you are connected. If you load an existing process, the process code is shown in the work space.

    If you create a new process, a process frame is shown in which you specify the code.

  2. To specify the code, you can use these code entry help functions:
    Function Description
    CTRL+SPACE Shows the list of available functions in a list box. When you select a function, a tooltip on the right side of the list box shows the definition, parameters, and a description of the function. To insert the function in the process code, double-click the function. Alternatively, press the enter key. If you select, for example, the function GetProcessDescription, the tooltip shows this information: 
    String GetProcessDescription() (+1 overload)
Returns the description of the current process as defined 
with the @Description tag.
    Left parenthesis '(' When you have specified a function name, add a left parenthesis to show the parameter definitions of the function. The definition, the description, and the return value of the function are shown in a tooltip. If a function is available with different parameter lists, use the cursor keyboard keys to navigate up and down through the different versions. If you have specified, for example, the function name GetProcessDescription, the tooltip shows this information: 
    1 of 1 string GetProcessDescription()
Returns the description of the current process as defined
with the @Description tag.
Return Value: The description of the current process.
    ALT+I Opens the Select Function dialog box. The dialog box displays a list of available runtime functions that you can use to create your process. You can filter the functions by category. When you select a runtime function in the list, a description of the function, return value, and parameter descriptions is shown. To insert the function in the code, click OK. You can also launch the Select Function dialog box by right-clicking the work space and selecting Insert Function.
    ALT+P Opens the Select Process dialog box. The dialog box displays a list of available processes that you can include. You can filter the processes by category. When you select a runtime function in the list, a description of the process, return value, and parameter descriptions is shown. The dialog box also indicates whether processes are protected. To insert the function in the code, select the function check-box and click OK. You can also launch the Select Process dialog box by right-clicking the work space and selecting Include Processes.
    ALT+R Opens the Select ION API Operation dialog box. The dialog box displays a list of available API suites and their operations. When you choose the service account, then you can select any of the available ION API suites and their operations. When you select an operation in the list, a description of the operation and parameters is shown. To generate a code which creates an ION API request for a selected operation, click OK. The code is inserted to the currently opened process in the cursor position. To generate a code with an example of the request body displayed in the dialog box, select the Generate request body check-box. You can also launch the Select ION API Operation dialog box by right-clicking the work space and selecting Insert ION API Request.

    To refresh the API suites and their operations, click the Refresh button. This also refreshes the cache of all the Application Engine Service workers in your farm.
    SHIFT+F9 Inserts a breakpoint that stops the process at a code line when debugging it. A red dot marks the line number. The Watch tab on the right side shows the variables and variable values that are used by the process when it stops. To remove the breakpoint, press again SHIFT+F9.
  3. To save the process in a folder of the file system, select File > Save As. Navigate to the folder where you store the file, specify the file name, and click Save.
  4. To store the process in the application database of the farm to which you are connected, click Publish on the toolbar. When you publish a process, its version number is automatically incremented by one. If you select the option Publish with overwrite (removes all older versions), all old process versions are removed and the process is published with version number 1. Click Yes to confirm that you want to publish the process. A message is displayed that the process has been published.
    Note: Ensure that the process has been tested and validated before publishing a new version in the application database.
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