Visual Studio 2008 Connected Systems: Windows Workflow Foundation

Target Audience
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to build and configure a Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) solution. It is intended for application developers who know how to create applications in Visual Studio 2005 or 2008.

Pre-Requisites
Before attending this course, students must have the following pre-requisites:Experience developing applications using previous versions of Microsoft Visual Studio.

Purpose
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.

Course outline

1. Creating and Hosting Workflows
2. Applying Conditions and Rules
3. Communicating with Workflows
4. Creating and Configuring Custom Activities
5. Creating and Managing Runtime Services
6. Managing Faults, Cancellations, Transactions, and Compensations

Supplementary InformationThis is a Preliminary Course Syllabus. Some parts of the course are currently in development, so some elements of this syllabus are subject to change. Module 1:Creating and Hosting Workflows

• This module explains how to create and host Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) workflows.
• Overview of Windows Workflow Foundation
• Creating Sequential Workflows
• Creating State Machine Workflows
• Modifying Workflows at Runtime
• Lab: Creating and Hosting Workflows

• 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.
• Implementing Flow Control
• Defining and Executing Rule Sets
• Forward Chaining of Rules
• Changing Rules at Run Time
• Lab: Applying Conditions and Rules

• 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.
• 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

• 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.
• Creating Custom Activities
• Creating Custom Composite Activities
• Customizing Activity Serialization
• Defining Custom Activity Layout
• Lab: Creating and Configuring Custom Activities

• 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.
• Creating a Custom Runtime Service
• Hydrating and Dehydrating Workflows
• Monitoring Workflows
• Tracking Workflows
• Lab: Creating and Managing Runtime Services

• 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.
• Handling Faults
• Handling Cancellations
• Creating and Managing Transactions
• Creating and Handling Compensations
• Lab: Managing Faults, Transactions, and Compensations

• Handle faults in a workflow.
  
• Handle cancellations in a workflow.
  
• Create and manage transactions in a workflow.
  
• Create and handle compensations.