Changes between Version 2 and Version 3 of TracWorkflow


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Timestamp:
Oct 29, 2015, 1:00:54 PM (9 years ago)
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trac
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  • TracWorkflow

    v2 v3  
    22[[TracGuideToc]]
    33
    4 The Trac issue database provides a configurable workflow.
     4The Trac ticket system provides a configurable workflow.
    55
    66== The Default Ticket Workflow ==
     
    1111Graphically, that looks like this:
    1212
    13 [[Image(htdocs:../common/guide/original-workflow.png)]]
     13{{{#!Workflow width=500 height=240
     14leave = * -> *
     15leave.operations = leave_status
     16leave.default = 1
     17accept = new -> assigned
     18accept.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     19accept.operations = set_owner_to_self
     20resolve = new,assigned,reopened -> closed
     21resolve.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     22resolve.operations = set_resolution
     23reassign = new,assigned,reopened -> new
     24reassign.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     25reassign.operations = set_owner
     26reopen = closed -> reopened
     27reopen.permissions = TICKET_CREATE
     28reopen.operations = del_resolution
     29}}}
    1430
    1531There are some significant "warts" in this; such as accepting a ticket sets it to 'assigned' state, and assigning a ticket sets it to 'new' state.  Perfectly obvious, right?
     
    2137Graphically, it looks like this:
    2238
    23 [[Image(htdocs:../common/guide/basic-workflow.png)]]
     39{{{#!Workflow width=700 height=300
     40leave = * -> *
     41leave.operations = leave_status
     42leave.default = 1
     43accept = new,assigned,accepted,reopened -> accepted
     44accept.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     45accept.operations = set_owner_to_self
     46resolve = new,assigned,accepted,reopened -> closed
     47resolve.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     48resolve.operations = set_resolution
     49reassign = new,assigned,accepted,reopened -> assigned
     50reassign.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     51reassign.operations = set_owner
     52reopen = closed -> reopened
     53reopen.permissions = TICKET_CREATE
     54reopen.operations = del_resolution
     55}}}
    2456
    2557== Additional Ticket Workflows ==
     
    2759There are several example workflows provided in the Trac source tree; look in [trac:source:trunk/contrib/workflow contrib/workflow] for `.ini` config sections.  One of those may be a good match for what you want. They can be pasted into the `[ticket-workflow]` section of your `trac.ini` file. However if you have existing tickets then there may be issues if those tickets have states that are not in the new workflow.
    2860
    29 Here are some [http://trac.edgewall.org/wiki/WorkFlow/Examples diagrams] of the above examples.
     61Here are some [trac:WorkFlow/Examples diagrams] of the above examples.
    3062
    3163== Basic Ticket Workflow Customization ==
     
    3668Within this section, each entry is an action that may be taken on a ticket.
    3769For example, consider the `accept` action from `simple-workflow.ini`:
    38 {{{
     70{{{#!ini
    3971accept = new,accepted -> accepted
    4072accept.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
     
    4678
    4779The available operations are:
    48  - del_owner -- Clear the owner field.
    49  - set_owner -- Sets the owner to the selected or entered owner.
    50    - ''actionname''`.set_owner` may optionally be set to a comma delimited list or a single value.
    51  - set_owner_to_self -- Sets the owner to the logged in user.
    52  - del_resolution -- Clears the resolution field
    53  - set_resolution -- Sets the resolution to the selected value.
    54    - ''actionname''`.set_resolution` may optionally be set to a comma delimited list or a single value. Example:
    55      {{{
     80- **del_owner** -- Clear the owner field.
     81- **set_owner** -- Sets the owner to the selected or entered owner. Defaults to the current user. When `[ticket] restrict_owner = true`, the select will be populated with users that have `TICKET_MODIFY` permission and an authenticated session.
     82 - ''actionname''`.set_owner` may optionally be set to a comma delimited list of users that will be used to populate the select, or a single user.
     83- **set_owner_to_self** -- Sets the owner to the logged in user.
     84- **del_resolution** -- Clears the resolution field
     85- **set_resolution** -- Sets the resolution to the selected value.
     86 - ''actionname''`.set_resolution` may optionally be set to a comma delimited list or a single value. Example:
     87 {{{#!ini
    5688resolve_new = new -> closed
    5789resolve_new.name = resolve
     
    5991resolve_new.permissions = TICKET_MODIFY
    6092resolve_new.set_resolution = invalid,wontfix
    61      }}}
    62  - leave_status -- Displays "leave as <current status>" and makes no change to the ticket.
     93}}}
     94- **leave_status** -- Displays "leave as <current status>" and makes no change to the ticket.
    6395'''Note:''' Specifying conflicting operations (such as `set_owner` and `del_owner`) has unspecified results.
    6496
    65 {{{
     97In this example, we see the `.name` attribute used.  The action here is `resolve_accepted`, but it will be presented to the user as `resolve`.
     98
     99{{{#!ini
    66100resolve_accepted = accepted -> closed
    67101resolve_accepted.name = resolve
     
    70104}}}
    71105
    72 In this example, we see the `.name` attribute used.  The action here is `resolve_accepted`, but it will be presented to the user as `resolve`.
    73 
    74106For actions that should be available in all states, `*` may be used in place of the state.  The obvious example is the `leave` action:
    75 {{{
     107{{{#!ini
    76108leave = * -> *
    77109leave.operations = leave_status
     
    83115There are a couple of hard-coded constraints to the workflow.  In particular, tickets are created with status `new`, and tickets are expected to have a `closed` state.  Further, the default reports/queries treat any state other than `closed` as an open state.
    84116
    85 While creating or modifying a ticket workfow, `contrib/workflow/workflow_parser.py` may be useful.  It can create `.dot` files that [http://www.graphviz.org GraphViz] understands to provide a visual description of the workflow.
    86 
    87 This can be done as follows (your install path may be different).
    88 {{{
     117Workflows can be visualized by rendering them on the wiki using the [WikiMacros#Workflow-macro Workflow macro].
     118
     119Workflows can also be visualized using the `contrib/workflow/workflow_parser.py` script.  The script outputs `.dot` files that [http://www.graphviz.org GraphViz] understands. The script can be used as follows (your install path may be different):
     120{{{#!sh
    89121cd /var/local/trac_devel/contrib/workflow/
    90122sudo ./showworkflow /srv/trac/PlannerSuite/conf/trac.ini
     
    92124And then open up the resulting `trac.pdf` file created by the script (it will be in the same directory as the `trac.ini` file).
    93125
    94 An online copy of the workflow parser is available at http://foss.wush.net/cgi-bin/visual-workflow.pl
    95 
    96126After you have changed a workflow, you need to restart apache for the changes to take effect. This is important, because the changes will still show up when you run your script, but all the old workflow steps will still be there until the server is restarted.
    97127
     
    100130By adding the following to your [ticket-workflow] section of trac.ini you get optional testing.  When the ticket is in new, accepted or needs_work status you can choose to submit it for testing.  When it's in the testing status the user gets the option to reject it and send it back to needs_work, or pass the testing and send it along to closed.  If they accept it then it gets automatically marked as closed and the resolution is set to fixed.  Since all the old work flow remains, a ticket can skip this entire section.
    101131
    102 {{{
     132{{{#!ini
    103133testing = new,accepted,needs_work,assigned,reopened -> testing
    104134testing.name = Submit to reporter for testing
     
    130160The new `reviewing` state along with its associated `review` action looks like this:
    131161
    132 {{{
     162{{{#!ini
    133163review = new,assigned,reopened -> reviewing
    134164review.operations = set_owner
     
    138168Then, to integrate this with the default Trac 0.11 workflow, you also need to add the `reviewing` state to the `accept` and `resolve` actions, like so:
    139169
    140 {{{
     170{{{#!ini
    141171accept = new,reviewing -> assigned
    142172[…]
     
    146176Optionally, you can also add a new action that allows you to change the ticket's owner without moving the ticket out of the `reviewing` state. This enables you to reassign review work without pushing the ticket back to the `new` status.
    147177
    148 {{{
     178{{{#!ini
    149179reassign_reviewing = reviewing -> *
    150180reassign_reviewing.name = reassign review
     
    155185The full `[ticket-workflow]` configuration will thus look like this:
    156186
    157 {{{
     187{{{#!ini
    158188[ticket-workflow]
    159189accept = new,reviewing -> assigned
     
    183213== Example: Limit the resolution options for a new ticket ==
    184214
    185 The above resolve_new operation allows you to set the possible resolutions for a new ticket.  By modifying the existing resolve action and removing the new status from before the `->` we then get two resolve actions.  One with limited resolutions for new tickets, and then the regular one once a ticket is accepted.
    186 
    187 {{{
     215The above `resolve_new` operation allows you to set the possible resolutions for a new ticket.  By modifying the existing resolve action and removing the new status from before the `->` we then get two resolve actions.  One with limited resolutions for new tickets, and then the regular one once a ticket is accepted.
     216
     217{{{#!ini
    188218resolve_new = new -> closed
    189219resolve_new.name = resolve
     
    207237If you add additional states to your workflow, you may want to customize your milestone progress bars as well.  See [TracIni#milestone-groups-section TracIni].
    208238
    209 == some ideas for next steps ==
    210 
    211 New enhancement ideas for the workflow system should be filed as enhancement tickets against the `ticket system` component.  If desired, add a single-line link to that ticket here.  Also look at the [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin] as it provides experimental operations.
    212 
    213 If you have a response to the comments below, create an enhancement ticket, and replace the description below with a link to the ticket.
    214 
    215  * the "operation" could be on the nodes, possible operations are:
    216    * '''preops''': automatic, before entering the state/activity
    217    * '''postops''': automatic, when leaving the state/activity
    218    * '''actions''': can be chosen by the owner in the list at the bottom, and/or drop-down/pop-up together with the default actions of leaving the node on one of the arrows.
    219 ''This appears to add complexity without adding functionality; please provide a detailed example where these additions allow something currently impossible to implement.''
    220 
    221  * operations could be anything: sum up the time used for the activity, or just write some statistical fields like
    222 ''A workflow plugin can add an arbitrary workflow operation, so this is already possible.''
    223 
    224  * set_actor should be an operation allowing to set the owner, e.g. as a "preop":
    225    * either to a role, a person
    226    * entered fix at define time, or at run time, e.g. out of a field, or select.
    227 ''This is either duplicating the existing `set_owner` operation, or needs to be clarified.''
    228 
    229  * Actions should be selectable based on the ticket type (different Workflows for different tickets)
    230 ''Look into the [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin]'s `triage` operation.''
    231 
    232  * I'd wish to have an option to perform automatic status changes. In my case, I do not want to start with "new", but with "assigned". So tickets in state "new" should automatically go into state "assigned". Or is there already a way to do this and I just missed it?
    233 ''Have a look at [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/TicketCreationStatusPlugin TicketCreationStatusPlugin] and [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/TicketConditionalCreationStatusPlugin TicketConditionalCreationStatusPlugin]''
    234 
    235  * I added a 'testing' state. A tester can close the ticket or reject it. I'd like the transition from testing to rejected to set the owner to the person that put the ticket in 'testing'. The [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin] is close with set_owner_to_field, but we need something like set_field_to_owner.
    236 
    237  * I'd like to track the time a ticket is in each state, adding up 'disjoints' intervals in the same state.
     239== Ideas for next steps ==
     240
     241New enhancement ideas for the workflow system should be filed as enhancement tickets against the `ticket system` component.  You can also document ideas on the [trac:TracIdeas/TracWorkflow TracIdeas/TracWorkflow] page.  Also look at the [http://trac-hacks.org/wiki/AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin AdvancedTicketWorkflowPlugin] as it provides experimental operations.