6462: Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation
Two Day—Instructor-led

Introduction


This two-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to build and configure a Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) solution.



Audience


This course is intended for application developers who know how to create applications in Visual Studio 2005 or 2008. The course does not require previous experience creating workflow-based solutions.




At Course Completion


After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Explain Windows Workflow Foundation concepts and features

• Create sequential workflows

• Create state machine workflows

• Modify workflows at run time

• Implement conditional branching in a workflow

• Define and execute rule sets

• Forward chain rules

• Change rules at run time

• Call methods on the host process

• Handle events from the host process

• Consume services from a workflow

• Publish a workflow as a service

• Create a custom activity

• Create a custom composite activity

• Define custom activity layout

• Customize activity serialization

• Create a custom runtime service

• Hydrate and dehydrate workflows

• Monitor workflows

• Track workflows

• Handle faults in a workflow

• Handle cancellations in a workflow

• Create and manage transactions in a workflow

• Create and handle compensations




Prerequisites


Before attending this course, students should have intermediate experience developing applications by using previous versions of Microsoft Visual Studio at level 200.




Course Outline



Module 1: Creating and Hosting Workflows

This module explains how to create and host Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) workflows.

Lessons

• Overview of Windows Workflow Foundation

• Creating Sequential Workflows

• Creating State Machine Workflows

• Modifying Workflows at Runtime


Lab: Creating and Hosting Workflows

• Creating and hosting a simple sequential workflow

• Passing parameters into a workflow

• Creating a state machine workflow

• Hosting the state machine workflow


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain Windows Workflow Foundation concepts and features.

• Create sequential workflows.

• Create state machine workflows.

• Modify workflows at run time.



Module 2: Applying Conditions and Rules



This module explains how to apply conditions and rules in a workflow.

Lessons

• Implementing Flow Control

• Defining and Executing Rule Sets

• Forward Chaining of Rules

• Changing Rules at Run Time


Lab: Applying Conditions and Rules

• Making Decisions

• Performing Iteration

• Defining Policies


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement conditional branching in a workflow.

• Define and execute rule sets.

• Forward chain rules.

• Change rules at run time.



Module 3: Communicating with Workflows


This module explains how to communicate between workflows, host processes, and services.

Lessons

• Calling Methods on the Host Process

• Handling Events from the Host Process

• Consuming Services from a Workflow

• Publishing a Workflow as a Service


Lab: Communicating with Workflows

• Invoking a Method on the Host Process

• Handling Events from the Host Process

• Consuming Services from a Workflow

• Publishing a Workflow as a Service


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Call methods on the host process.

• Handle events from the host process.

• Consume services from a workflow.

• Publish a workflow as a service.



Module 4: Creating and Configuring Custom Activities


This module explains how to create and configure custom activities.

Lessons

• Creating Custom Activities

• Creating Custom Composite Activities

• Customizing Activity Serialization

• Defining Custom Activity Layout


Lab: Creating and Configuring Custom Activities

• Creating a Custom Activity

• Validating a Custom Activity

• Developing a Custom Activity Designer

• Creating a Custom Composite Activity


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create a custom activity.

• Create a custom composite activity.

• Define custom activity layout.

• Customize activity serialization.



Module 5: Creating and Managing Runtime Services


This module explains how to create and manage runtime services.

Lessons

• Creating a Custom Runtime Service

• Hydrating and Dehydrating Workflows

• Monitoring Workflows

• Tracking Workflows


Lab: Creating and Managing Runtime Services

• Creating a Custom Runtime Service

• Hydrating and Dehydrating Workflows

• Monitoring Workflows

• Tracking Workflows


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create a custom runtime service.

• Hydrate and dehydrate workflows.

• Monitor workflows.

• Track workflows.



Module 6: Managing Faults, Cancellations, Transactions, and Compensations


This module explains how to manage faults, cancellations, transactions, and compensations in a workflow.

Lessons

• Handling Faults

• Handling Cancellations

• Creating and Managing Transactions

• Creating and Handling Compensations


Lab: Managing Faults, Transactions, and Compensations

• Handling Faults

• Implementing Transactional Behavior

• Implementing Compensation Behavior


After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Handle faults in a workflow.

• Handle cancellations in a workflow.

• Create and manage transactions in a workflow.

• Create and handle compensations