Visual Studio 2008: Windows Workflow Foundation

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.