Create a workflow with the wizard

Introduction

There are three ways to create a workflow:

• Using a wizard
• Importing from a file
• Cloning

The creation wizard is described here while the import and the cloning procedures are described in the articles dedicated to the topics.

• To start the wizard for a public workflow, select the plus icon on the top toolbar then choose Create workflow from the list of operations.

• To start the wizard for a project workflow:

  • If the project has just been created, select Create workflow inside the Workflows panel.

  Otherwise:

  1. If not already opened, open the project.

  2. If not already selected, select the Workflows tab on the top toolbar, then:

     • If the project doesn't have workflows, select Create workflow.
     • If the project already has some workflows, select the plus icon at the top of the left panel then choose Create workflow.

In all the cases above, the Create workflow wizard starts.

First step: main choices

In the first step of the wizard:

1. Enter the name of the workflow and, optionally, a description for it.

2. Select Show ID preferences to display the settings that affect the workflow ID, the identification code that is required to use the workflow programmatically with the EI-Flow API.

   • Select Auto-generated if you want the ID to be automatically generated by the system.

   Or:

   • Select Custom to set the ID you prefer. The custom ID must be:

     • Unique, no other workflow can have the same ID.
     • Between 5 and 36 characters long

     • Made only of ASCII characters of these subsets:

       • Lowercase letters
       • Digits
       • Dash (-)

     By default, the custom ID is derived by the workflow name and changes while you type the name itself. After the workflow name is set, however, you are free to change the custom ID as you like.

   Note

   The workflow ID cannot be changed once the workflow has been created.

Second step: pre-set or custom

In the second step of the wizard you can choose a pre-set or decide to design the workflow from scratch.

The two pre-sets you can choose from are:

• Sequential
• Parallel

The Sequential pre-set allows you to create a simple workflow with one model optionally preceded by a pre-processor and optionally followed by a post-processor.

The Parallel pre-set allows you to create a workflow in which two or three models are executed simultaneously. The models can be preceded by a pre-processor and a Fork operator and followed by a Join operator and a post-processor.

If you choose Custom workflow, then select Create workflow: an empty workflow is created and you are brought to the workflow's editor.

Third step: pre-processor

If in the second step of the wizard you chose a pre-set, the third step allows you to select a processor from a list or select No pre-processor to omit the pre-processor.

Fourth step: model(s)

If in the second step of the wizard you chose a pre-set, the fourth step allows you to choose a model—or multiple models, in case of the Parellel pre-set—for the workflow.

If can choose between existing models or upload new models on the fly:

• To select an existing model choose it from the drop-down list. The input box of the list acts as a filter: type something in it to reduce the list to only the model whose name contains what you typed. Clear the field or select the X icon to cancel the filter.
• To upload a model from a file, select Upload.
• If you chose the Parallel pre-set, to add a third model to be executed in parallel with the other two select Add a third model to the fork.

Fifth step: post-processor

If in the second step of the wizard you chose a pre-set, the fifth step allows you to optionally choose a post-processer.

• To add a JavaScript Interpreter block with default code you can later modify, select Custom JavaScript.
• To add a Python Interpreter block with default code you can later modify, select Custom Python.
• To add a JavaScript Interpreter block with the code set to one of the built-in templates, select the template under JavaScript templates.
• To omit the post-processor select No post-processor.

When done, select Create workflow and you are brought to the workflow's editor where you will find the drawing of the workflow based on your choices.