How to initialize complex business variables via REST API?

Q&A
1

Hi,

I have one BDM "ServiceRequest"defined with 4 properties: accountID (String), requestDescription (Text), raisedBy (String) and raisedDate (Date).

In my process, I defined a pool level business variables with name “serviceRequest” which type is above BDM. And also I defined a contract at pool level call “serviceRequestInput”. Of course serviceRequest gets default values from serviceRequestInput.

When I start this process using Instantiation form which is created manually, it works fine, which means serviceRequest will be set with values from serviceRequestInput.

However, when I try to call REST API （POST to “/API/bpm/case”）to start process with below request body, it throws exceptions:
{ "processDefinitionId": "5768318148310067370", "variables": [ { "name": "serviceRequestInput", "value": { "accountID" : "abcd", "requestDescription" : "xyx", "raisedBy" : "abcd" } } ] }

The exceptions are:
2016-02-29 18:18:43.467 +0800 org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.server.servlet.ToolkitHttpServlet org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.server.servlet.ToolkitHttpServlet catchAllExceptions 严重: The API "bpm#case" has encountered an unknown error org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.client.common.exception.api.APIException: The API "bpm#case" has encountered an unknown error at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.datastore.bpm.cases.CaseSarter.getDataDefinitionByName(CaseSarter.java:104) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.datastore.bpm.cases.CaseSarter.buildVariablesMap(CaseSarter.java:82) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.datastore.bpm.cases.CaseSarter.getVariables(CaseSarter.java:74) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.datastore.bpm.cases.CaseSarter.start(CaseSarter.java:61) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.datastore.bpm.cases.CaseDatastore.add(CaseDatastore.java:166) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.api.bpm.cases.APICase.add(APICase.java:53) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.api.bpm.cases.APICase.add(APICase.java:44) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.framework.API.runAdd(API.java:156) at org.bonitasoft.web.rest.server.framework.APIServletCall.doPost(APIServletCall.java:213) at org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.server.servlet.ToolkitHttpServlet.doPost(ToolkitHttpServlet.java:188) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:646) at org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.server.servlet.ToolkitHttpServlet.service(ToolkitHttpServlet.java:75) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:727) at org.bonitasoft.web.toolkit.server.servlet.ToolkitHttpServlet.service(ToolkitHttpServlet.java:226) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:303) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208) at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:52) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208) at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleChain.handleRewrite(RuleChain.java:176) at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.RuleChain.doRules(RuleChain.java:145) at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.UrlRewriter.processRequest(UrlRewriter.java:92) at org.tuckey.web.filters.urlrewrite.UrlRewriteFilter.doFilter(UrlRewriteFilter.java:394) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208) at org.bonitasoft.console.common.server.login.filter.AbstractAuthorizationFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthorizationFilter.java:60) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:241) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:208) at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationDispatcher.invoke(ApplicationDispatcher.java:748)

May I know what would be right format to call this REST API?

(I am on Bonita 7.1)

2

Hi,
AFAIK, because you are attempting to start the process with a BDM object, you need to call: http://IP:8080/bonita/API/bpm/process/{ProcessId}/instantiation

The JSON payload should look something like:

`{  
   "ServiceRequestInput":{  
      "accountID" : "abcd",
"requestDescription" : "xyx",
"raisedBy" : "abcd"
   }
}`

hope that helps,
Tom

3

Which means setting BDM variables only can be done post case has been created?

Because the scope of variables is not specific to “Process Variables” in the document to create a case, it confuse me. I thought Business Variables also can be done in same way until I read the source codes and realize that case create piece of codes only check on Process Variables.

4

Hi
to star a case with instantiation contract or variables
you should use the api process instantiation not the api create a case

“Start a process using an instantiation contract”
http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/bpm-api-849#process

it is work fine i have used it

best regards
Aymen