Prerequisite

Install a Java Development Kit (JDK) of version 1.4.x at least, you may find one at http://java.sun.com

Installing and running OpenWFE

1. Download OpenWFE
2. Unpack it with something like jar xvf openwfe-1.7.2pre13.zip or your favourite unzipper. Do not unpack within "Program Files", it doesn't like to be placed in a file path which contains white spaces (this restriction got removed with OpenWFE 1.7.1, if you notice it still doesn't work, feel free to notify us).
3. Get into the first folder thus created ('openwfe-1.7.2pre5' as of our example)
4. Make sure that the .bat or .sh files in the bin/ subdir are executable
5. Run the OpenWFE suite by double-clicking owfe-suite.bat (make sure that the environment variable JAVA_HOME is set correctly)

Tweaking a process definition

1. Start your favourite XML editor and enter a flow definition like this one :

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   
   <process-definition name="my-flow" revision="1.0">
   
       <description>my flow</description>
   
       <sequence>
           <participant ref="role-alpha" />
           <concurrence>
               <participant ref="role-bravo" />
               <participant ref="role-charly" />
           </concurrence>
       </sequence>
   
   </process-definition>

2. Save it under the name myflow.xml under openwfe-1.7.x/workflow-definitions/

Launching your process definition

1. Open your browser, get to http://localhost:7080/webclient
2. Log in as 'admin' (password 'admin')
3. Once in, click on 'launch a flow', top of the page on the right
4. Locate your flow in the list of launchable process definitions, then click on the 'launch' link at the right of your flow
5. fill in some fields and click on 'launch' down on the left of the form
6. you'll see your workitem appear in the store "Store.alpha"
7. make your workitem continue its way within your flow

Going further

• have a look at the Documentation
• read about OpenWFE's process definitions
• learn how OpenWFE implements Workflow Patterns