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How to register custom types.

I tried this and other tutorials on Http endpoint workflows and am confused.

If i import any of the samples, the UI gives me
No indication the URL or calling pattern.

https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/samples/http/backend-api

I imported sample json above and hit it with the curl command on the page, and got "Nothing there" from the studio app.

In this page: https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/installation/elsa-studio-stencil

On Deprecation Notice the link is incorrect:

we recommend using the Blazor version of the workflow designer.

Create a comprehensive guide on setting up the supported persistence providers, such as EF Core with SQL Server and MongoDB. The documentation should cover the configuration steps for both Workflow Runtime and Workflow Management modules, ensuring users can seamlessly integrate their preferred storage solutions.

Objectives:

• Provide step-by-step instructions on configuring various persistence providers.
• Detail the configuration process for both the Workflow Runtime and Workflow Management modules with each storage option.
• Highlight any prerequisites or considerations specific to each persistence provider or module.

This guide will serve as a valuable resource for developers looking to tailor Elsa Workflows to their project's needs by leveraging different database technologies for persistence.

The Webhooks module is used by the RunTask activity - how does one extend the Webhooks module with custom events?

We need a section about writing activities that are blocking and that can be used as triggers. This should include details about how to resume & trigger them.

See also this discussion containing a few quick pointers about this.

We need to bring example in documentation of how to updating the and/or signaling and/or querying states of any variable states in workflow

// Update state of workflow.
Task UpdateWorkflowParams(GreetingParams greetingParams) => _currentParams = greetingParams;

// Update state of workflow.
Task CompleteWorkflow() => _complete = true;
then
Workflow.WaitCondition(() => _complete == true); triggered

// Query state in Workflow
string GetValueOfName() => _name;

Describe the HTTP Activity. how it works and how to invoke workflows with this activity used as a trigger.

There should be a topic on the ELSA architecture, probably from different levels and perspectives - starting with a high-level description about what happens when a workflow executes.

• Describe logic from start to end as a workflow is executes
• Execute vs Dispatch
• Bookmarks + Triggers + Stimuli
• Workflow Execution, Workflow Runtimes
• Multitenancy
• Mindmap / schema around core functionality and surrounding features + packages

Hi,

I am in search of the equivalent packages for workflow testing/visualisation you had in Elsa V2 - Elsa.WorkflowTesting.Api and services.AddWorkflowTestingServices(); - but for V3? Are these available or are they on your radar for a release anytime soon?

Many thanks

Liam.

https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/extensibility/custom-activities seems to report outdated information.
Please upgrade it or indicate alternative documentation.

We need to bring example of wait condition during workflow execution

// Define condition.
var waitComplete = Workflow.WaitCondition(() => SomeCondition());
if (waitComplete == await Task.WhenAny(waitComplete))

Documentation Improvement Request

Documentation Issue Overview

Is your documentation issue related to a specific problem? Please describe.
https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/guides/loading-workflows-from-json this documentation area has a bug

Proposed Documentation Changes

Describe the changes or additions you'd like
This statement: Add a package reference to Elsa.WorkflowProviders.FluentStorage to the workflow server project.
...is incorrect, it should say:
Add a package reference to Elsa.WorkflowProviders.BlobStorage to the workflow server project.

Affected Sections

Identify which sections of the documentation are affected
setup guide

Impact of Changes

Explain the potential impact
Fixes a bug that makes getting started difficult

Additional Context

Add any other context or visuals
n/a

Add a section about configuring and using the DropIns module.

We need to getting all workflows list, filtering them by status or other filters.

Workflow.ListWorkflows("Status != 'Terminated'");

We need documentation about the V3 version of Workflow Context.

There are some significant onboarding gaps I experienced that the docs could alleviate

This is to just list these out.

1. Using postgres as the storage provider needed to ensure:
   1. I had an AppDbContext with a constructor with a generic DbContextOptions and not a non-generic one.
      • Otherwise you get The DbContextOptions passed to the AppDbContext constructor must be a DbContextOptions<AppDbContext>. When registering multiple DbContext types, make sure that the constructor for each context type has a DbContextOptions<TContext> parameter rather than a non-generic DbContextOptions parameter.
   2. The calls to UseEntityFrameworkCore need to ensure they include the ef => ef.UsePostgreSql(appConfig.DbConnectionString) configuration.
2. If you're using Micrososft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design you're going to have problems with the Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.CSharp.Workspaces dependency version because elsa has it pinned as a specific version
3. elsa-workflows/elsa-core#5385 (If I resolve this, I'll add the necessary finagling here)
4. If you use OpenAPI SwaggerGen, it will explode with:
   • fail: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.DeveloperExceptionPageMiddleware[1] An unhandled exception has occurred while executing the request. Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.SwaggerGen.SwaggerGeneratorException: Failed to generate Operation for action - HTTP: POST /elsa/api/identity/secrets/hash. See inner exception ---> Swashbuckle.AspNetCore.SwaggerGen.SwaggerGeneratorException: Failed to generate schema for type - Elsa. Identity.Endpoints.Secrets.Hash.Request. See inner exception ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Can't use schemaId "$Request" for type "$Elsa.Identity.Endpoints.Secr ets.Hash.Request". The same schemaId is already used for type "$Elsa.Identity.Endpoints.Users.Create.Request"
5. One you do get it running (The Server in asp.net, and the Studio via docker). The documentations recommendation of authentication doesn't work. It logs in, yes, but all requests from Studio to the server result in 401 unauthorized...
   • IDK how to solve this one yet.... Might have to do with the auth schema...? Crap idk.
   • Edit: Day later, still have no idea why the Elsa endpoints refuse auth, I'm going to have to yoink this out unfortunately, I imagine this will be the continued integration experience (Whack-a-mole), the project just isn't ready yet :(
6. If you use Hangfire you're going to have slight pain because the Elsa dependency is pinned to 1.8.6 (Current is 1.8.12). (You'll need to explicitly install the version needed)
   • 
   • The docs don't indicate how to use/install it, or where/how it's used/activated, you have to dig into the source code to figure that out yourself
     • Only use this feature if you are not configuring Hangfire yourself If we are, is there any additional configuration Elsa needs?
   • ⁉ If I don't use the hangfire background activity scheduler, do I not get background activity scheduling? Why hangfire for it vs the default?
7. Integrating to your own auth system seems.... unknown at this point. How to use my own users & permissions? Is there an integration guide/examples for this?

It's been 6h ~11h trying to get this running on an existing application, this is brutal 😰

Hi,

I'm planning to add the Query Builder as the Custom Input in Elsa V2, Please help to provide the documentation or the sample on how to achieve this scenario

Inconsistent:

Document how to provide custom icons for custom activities.

Document how to implement custom UI hints.

https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/guides/loading-workflows-from-json and https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/guides/invoking-workflows link to https://v3.elsaworkflows.io/docs/installation/aspnet-apps-workflow-server with text "ASP.NET workflow server".

Should these links and their text be updated to point to the Elsa Web page or the Elsa Server page?

Document the functionality of Bulk Dispatch Workflows (including one or two examples how to use it).

We need to port the Alterations documentation

In the Elsa Documentation for 3.0, in order to create a new user we are supposed to call the following rest endpoint

https://server-name/elsa/api/identity/applications \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data '{
    "name": "Postman",
    "roles": ["admin"]
}

However, it's applicable only for localhost as the documentation states

By default, creating applications is allowed for anonymous requests from the localhost.

I would like to host the application on my personal azure platform with App Service which will not have localhost. What should be done in that case ?

cc: @sfmskywalker @agriffard @VahidNaderi @mohdali

Originally posted by @Gupta-Krishnaa in #15

The documentation states that the output of an acticity can be retrieved by calling Output.From(string, string?). This leads to a compilation error stating that OutputProxy has no such method.

I took a look into the sourcecode and saw that the real method name is Output.Get(string, string?).

Also, let's make sure to document this: madelson/DistributedLock#74

The doc mentions rabbitMqFeature.ConfigureRabbitMq, but actualy there is no delegate named ConfigureRabbitMq, only one named ConfigureServiceBus.

It's easy to update the doc, but seems the right thing to do is to rename the delegate name from ConfigureServiceBus to ConfigureRabbitMq?
But this will be a break change.

Kindly confirm the right change to do here, then I will be happy to send a PR.

We need a topic about setting up Elsa on a distributed environment. This could be more general-purpose, with more specific configurations for targets like Kubernetes (#32).

How to integrate into:

• React
• Angular
• Blazor
• MVC / Razor Pages

With one or some of the following providers:

• Azure AD
• Auth0
• Identity Server 4
• OpenIddict
• etc...

• Custom Activities
• Workflows
• Concepts

See also: elsa-workflows/elsa-core#4767

More specifically:

1. How to publish a message from another service (outside of Elsa Server)
2. How to consume a message (that's published by an activity) in another service

In a Discord support thread someone asked:

Hey guys, I am new to ELSA world. but i am wondering if we can create custom UI components (new web components, for example select/multiselect, interactive UI inputs) so we can provide the inputs in the designer itself. is this possible to add/alter the current activities to do such things?

or even write my custom components in a framework like react and inject them to be components in ELSA?

@sfmskywalker said that this already possible but not documented yet.

We need a section about the ability to define a workflow from code and then register it with the runtime. For example:

// Define workflow.
var workflow = new Workflow(new Flowchart()) 
{ 
   Metadata = { DefinitionId = "MyDynamicWorkflow" }
   Name = "MyDynamicWorkflow" 
};

// Register workflow.
_runtime.register(workflow);

// Execute workflow.
_runtime.StartWorkflow("MyDynamicWorkflow", new StartWorkflowOptions());

We need a section about configuring the default Identity module and how to set users + roles + applications (with API keys).

There should be an entire section that walks through the process of dockerizing an Elsa Server app and deploying it to a Kubernetes cluster.

• https://github.com/dammitjanet/ElsaSandbox
• https://github.com/dodyg/practical-aspnetcore/blob/net6.0/projects/elsa/README.md

Hi, i noticed that the "Installing Elsa Dashboard"-section in v2 documentation links to a deprecated npm package of the workflow designer: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@elsa-workflows/elsa-workflow-designer

Should be https://www.npmjs.com/package/@elsa-workflows/elsa-workflows-studio

I need an tutorial on how to set an custon ActivityA that return an list of item, then foreach of then pass the value to Activities B and C.
I'm trying this, but without success

namespace CodeGeneratorWPF.Workflow
{
    public class CodeGenerationWorkflow : WorkflowBase
    {
        protected override ValueTask BuildAsync(IWorkflowBuilder builder, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
        {
            var currentValueVariable = new Variable<EntityDefinition>("current", new EntityDefinition());
            var entities = new Variable<List<EntityDefinition>>("entities", new List<EntityDefinition>());

            builder.Root = new Sequence
            {
                Variables = { currentValueVariable, entities },
                Activities =
                {
                    new GetEntityDefinitionStep()
                    {
                        InputContainerModel = new(entities)
                    },
                    new SetVariable
                    {
                        Variable = entities,
                        Value = new(context =>
                        {
                            return builder.Outputs.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Name == "entities");
                        })
                    },
                    new ForEach<EntityDefinition>((ICollection<EntityDefinition>)entities.Value){
                        CurrentValue = new Output<EntityDefinition>(currentValueVariable),
                        Body = new Sequence
                        {
                            Activities =
                            {
                                new NetCore_EntityFrameworkStep(currentValueVariable)
                                {
                                },
                                new WriteLine(context => $"Counter {currentValueVariable.Get(context)}")
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            };
            return ValueTask.CompletedTask;
        }
    }
}

public class GetEntityDefinitionStep : CodeActivityWithResult
{
    public Output<List<EntityDefinition>> OutputEntities { get; set; }
    public List<EntityDefinition> Entities { get; set; }
    public Input<List<string>> InputPathOfClasses { get; set; }
    public Input<ContainerModel> InputContainerModel { get; set; }
    public Output<ContainerModel> OutputContainerModel { get; set; }
    public Output<List<EntityDefinition>> OutputEntityDefinition { get; set; }
    public List<string> PathOfClasses { get; set; }
    class ClassInformatasdfion
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public List<PropertyInfoasdfrmation> Properties { get; set; }
        public bool HasDecorator { get; set; }
        public string SystemType { get; set; }
    }
    class PropertyInfoasdfrmation
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public string Type { get; set; }
        public List<string> Decorators { get; set; } = new List<string>();
    }
    //public GetEntityDefinitionStep(Variable<List<string>> pathOfClasses)
    //{
    //    InputPathOfClasses = new(pathOfClasses);
    //}
    protected override async ValueTask ExecuteAsync(ActivityExecutionContext context)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("BEGIN - " + this.GetType().Name);
        //var a = InputPathOfClasses.Get(context);
        var containerModel = context.WorkflowInput.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Key == "container").Value;
        var container = GetEntityDefinition(containerModel as ContainerModel);
        Console.WriteLine("END - " + this.GetType().Name);
        //Result.SetPropertyValue("entities", container.Entities);
        OutputContainerModel.Set(context, new Variable<ContainerModel>(container));
        OutputEntityDefinition.Set(context, new Variable<List<EntityDefinition>>(container.Entities));
        context.SetVariable("entities", container.Entities);
    }
}

There seems to be a discrepancy between the documentation and the actual behavior of the system. When following the steps outlined in the Elsa-Server documentation to set up an Elsa server, the step to create a new admin results in a 401 Unauthorized error. This is unexpected as the documentation mentions that requests from localhost should be allowed.

The request in question is:

curl --location 'https://localhost:5001/elsa/api/identity/applications' \\
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \\
--data '{
    "name": "Postman",
    "roles": ["admin"]
}'

Additionally, the provided Program.cs configuration is as follows:

using Elsa.Extensions;
using osisa.SmartWeb2.Api.Workflows;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllers();
builder.Services.AddElsa(elsa => 
    elsa
        // Configure identity so that we can create a default admin user.
        .UseIdentity(identity =>
        {
            var configuration = builder.Configuration;
            var identitySection = configuration.GetSection("Identity");
            var identityTokenSection = identitySection.GetSection("Tokens");

            identity.IdentityOptions = options => identitySection.Bind(options);
            identity.TokenOptions = options => identityTokenSection.Bind(options);
            identity.UseConfigurationBasedUserProvider(options => identitySection.Bind(options));
            identity.UseConfigurationBasedApplicationProvider(options => identitySection.Bind(options));
            identity.UseConfigurationBasedRoleProvider(options => identitySection.Bind(options));
        })

        // Use default authentication (JWT + API Key).
        .UseDefaultAuthentication(auth => auth.UseAdminApiKey())

        // EXPOSE API ENDPOINTS
        .UseWorkflowsApi()

        // REGISTER WORKFLOWS AS HTTP ENDPOINTS under /workflows/{name}
        .UseWorkflowRuntime(
            runtime => runtime
                .AddWorkflow<HelloWorldHttpWorkflow>())
        .UseHttp()
    );

// Configure CORS to allow designer app hosted on a different origin to invoke the APIs.
builder.Services.AddCors(cors => cors.AddDefaultPolicy(policy => policy.AllowAnyOrigin().AllowAnyHeader().AllowAnyMethod()));


var app = builder.Build();

// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseAuthorization();
// ENABLE CORS
app.UseCors();
// ENABLE AUTHENTICATION
app.UseAuthentication();
// ENABLE WORKFLOWS API
app.UseWorkflowsApi();
// REGISTER CONTROLLERS AS HTTP ENDPOINTS
app.MapControllers();
// ENABLE WORKFLOWS TO BE USED AS HTTP ENDPOINTS
app.UseWorkflows();
app.Run();

It would be beneficial for users if the documentation could be updated to reflect the correct steps or provide additional troubleshooting steps for this issue.

Hi,

In the dashboard documentation, the three first links are broken :

Elsa Server
ElsaDashboard.Web
ElsaDashboard + Docker

See you !

We should have a section that explains workflow providers to dynamically provide workflows to the system.

Use cases:

• elsa-workflows/elsa-core#4425