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PHP WorkFlow
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:37 am
by hemantha
Dear All,
I've got a major task of developing a PHP Workflow engine.
Can some one please let me know how to develop the Workflow GUI?
and what software that I should use to develop the GUI of the workflow.
Please visit the following link. My requirement is something similar to this..
http://www.avoka.com/images/qlink/workflow.gif
I’m not in a position of using Standard software or a tool as this development
is purely for my educational purposes (Postgraduate Project) so I need to develop this GUI from the scratch.
Your input is highly appreciated..
Thanking You.
Hemantha
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:00 am
by RobertGonzalez
When you say workflow GUI, are you talking about the interface that users will interact with or are you talking about a flow chart?
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:31 am
by timvw
Perhaps
http://www.radicore.org/ can inspire you...
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:35 am
by hemantha
Guys,
Thnx a lot for your quick replies. But I cant use any tools
I should develop this GUI from the scratch.
This GUI is to create new Workflow nodes and just for administrators and
users wont be using this GUI
Thx and Rgds
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:37 am
by pickle
If you're making a GUI, isn't this an HTML/CSS topic?
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:41 am
by hemantha
Yes "tmivw" thx this was the main document I folllowed
http://www.tonymarston.net/php-mysql/workflow.html
you are correct but they have not geven the GUI properly.
If i can create this GUI using PHP or some other software technology
like DOT JAVA, that is what im expecting. a simple example would be fine
so that i can start from that.
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:44 am
by hemantha
Hi pickle Thx for your input,
Cant create a GUI like this (
http://www.avoka.com/images/qlink/workflow.gif )
using HTML/CSS.
Rgds
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:00 pm
by pickle
If you really wanted to - you could. But it sounds like you've got other things in mind.

Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:03 pm
by Christopher
You can create most of the ouput you show in that graphic using plain HTML. For the diagonal lines and arrows, try searching for "javascript line drawing". There are a couple of libraries that will do that.
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:04 pm
by hemantha
Yah you are correct. The GUI should be able to draw boxes , arrows etc using the objects listed
in a separate area (i.e. a toolbar sort of a thing with boxes , arrows etc). Its just like creating nodes
and those nodes I will be using for my programming purposes.
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:09 pm
by RobertGonzalez
hemantha wrote:But I cant use any tools
I should develop this GUI from the scratch.
What does that mean? When you say tools, does that mean you can't use software (like visio, powerpoint, openoffice apps, etc) to create a flowchart? Do you have to use PHP and HTML to "draw" the flowchart?
If the latter is the case, that is fairly simple. You would need to set some variables in your code and display those vars as flowchart type objects, including all the possible conditions for the workflow. Funny thing, I just got out of a meeting discussing this very topic (workflow charting for an IT project).
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:32 pm
by hemantha
Yes Everah,
you are correct, I cant use ant Tools like what you have mentioned.
I should develop an application using which I can "DRAW" the flowchar using the
symbols listed in a sperate area (eg: cut and past and using arrows link the objects)
Rgds
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:09 pm
by timvw
You do realise that in usual context php simply generates text, html? And perhaps some images... Tracking mouse-movement etc for drawing is simply not possibe (Unless you use extensions like php-gtk, javascript engines, ...)
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:19 pm
by GM
timvw wrote:You do realise that in usual context php simply generates text, html? And perhaps some images... Tracking mouse-movement etc for drawing is simply not possibe (Unless you use extensions like php-gtk, javascript engines, ...)
I agree with timvw - this doesn't sound possible without some serious hard work and DHTML/javascript knowledge.
I'd be looking at doing this in some other way - if it absolutely has to be done on a website, I'd look at Flash or Java Applets. Apologies that my response is not particularly helpful.
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:57 pm
by RobertGonzalez
Ooh, sounds tasty. It seems like this might be an excellent opportunity to utilize AJAX if I am understanding you correctly. You need to build an application that will allow users to build flow charts and you need to build this app in PHP. Is that right?