Prepare the Workflow Widgets for Web AppBuilder

The ability to host and run workflows in Web AppBuilder is provided by custom Web AppBuilder widgets that were developed by Geocortex for this purpose. If you are not going to use Web AppBuilder to host workflows, you do not need to prepare the widgets.

About the Workflow Widgets

The Geocortex Workflow widgets allow you to use Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS to host and run workflows.

To configure a Web AppBuilder app to host a workflow, you add one of the Workflow widgets to the app and specify the workflow that you want the widget to run, as well as any inputs the workflow takes. To run the workflow, the user clicks the widget in the running app.

Geocortex Workflow provides the following widgets:

Although Geocortex Workflow has four widgets, the Web AppBuilder configuration only shows two widgets. When you configure a 2D app, Web AppBuilder shows the 2D widgets. When you configure a 3D app, Web AppBuilder shows the 3D widgets.

Prepare the Workflow Widgets

To use Web AppBuilder apps to host workflows, you must first prepare the widgets. You only need to do this one time, and then you can use the widgets in as many apps as you want.

Geocortex Workflow supports two editions of Web AppBuilder. The way that you prepare the widgets depends on the edition of Web AppBuilder you use:

You cannot use the ArcGIS Online edition of Web AppBuilder to host workflows, because ArcGIS Online does not support custom widgets.

Register the Widgets with Web AppBuilder in Portal for ArcGIS

To register a widget with Web AppBuilder in Portal for ArcGIS, you create an application item in your portal that points to the widget's manifest.json file.

After you have registered the widgets, share the widget items with other Workflow authors in your organization. This allows them to configure their Web AppBuilder apps to run workflows. If the widgets are not shared, the other authors will not see the widgets in Web AppBuilder.

To register the Workflow widgets with Web AppBuilder in Portal for ArcGIS:

  1. Sign in to Portal for ArcGIS as an administrator.

  2. In Content, click Add Item and select An application.

  3. Configure the item:

    Example configuration for a Workflow widget's item in Portal for ArcGIS

    1. Set the Type to Application Extension (AppBuilder).

    2. In the Manifest URL box, enter the URL to the manifest.json file for the widget you want to register.

      You can either use the copy of the manifest.json file in your Workflow deployment or, if your portal has Internet access, the public copy of the manifest.json file.

      • 2D In-Panel Widget:

        • Local Manifest: https://[host.domain.com]/[virtual_path]/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

          where [host.domain.com] is the fully qualified name of the Workflow server and [virtual_path] is configured on the Post Installer's IIS Settings panel. If Workflow is deployed using the default IIS settings, then the URL will look like this:

          https://[host.domain.com]/Geocortex/Workflow/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

        • Public Manifest: https://apps.geocortex.com/workflow/latest/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

      • 2D Modal Widget:

        • Local Manifest: https://[host.domain.com]/[virtual_path]/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

          where [host.domain.com] is the fully qualified name of the Workflow server and [virtual_path] is configured on the Post Installer's IIS Settings panel. If Workflow is deployed using the default IIS settings, then the URL will look like this:

          https://[host.domain.com]/Geocortex/Workflow/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

        • Public Manifest: https://apps.geocortex.com/workflow/latest/dist/wab/widgets/2D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

      • 3D In-Panel Widget:

        • Local Manifest: https://[host.domain.com]/[virtual_path]/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

          where [host.domain.com] is the fully qualified name of the Workflow server and [virtual_path] is configured on the Post Installer's IIS Settings panel. If Workflow is deployed using the default IIS settings, then the URL will look like this:

          https://[host.domain.com]/Geocortex/Workflow/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

        • Public Manifest: https://apps.geocortex.com/workflow/latest/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Panel/manifest.json

      • 3D Modal Widget:

        • Local Manifest: https://[host.domain.com]/[virtual_path]/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

          where [host.domain.com] is the fully qualified name of the Workflow server and [virtual_path] is configured on the Post Installer's IIS Settings panel. If Workflow is deployed using the default IIS settings, then the URL will look like this:

          https://[host.domain.com]/Geocortex/Workflow/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

        • Public Manifest: https://apps.geocortex.com/workflow/latest/dist/wab/widgets/3D/WorkflowRunner_Modal/manifest.json

    3. Click anywhere outside the Manifest URL box.

      Portal for ArcGIS will get the default title from the manifest.json file and enter it into the Title box.

    4. Enter a meaningful title in the Title box, for example: Geocortex Workflow Widget In-Panel 2D

      By default, the widgets all use the same title. Portal for ArcGIS does not allow multiple items to have the same title.

    5. Enter one or more tags, for example, Geocortex, Workflow, and Widget.

    6. Click Add Item.

  4. Repeat these steps for each widget that you want to use in workflows. You will have one Web Mapping Application item for each widget.

Download and Deploy the Widgets to Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition)

To prepare the widgets for Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition), you download the widgets via Workflow Designer and then copy them to your Web AppBuilder installation.

By default, the widgets point to cloud Workflow. When you download the widgets via the on-premises Designer, the widgets are modified to point to your on-premises installation.

The widgets that point to cloud Workflow also work with on-premises Workflow. This means that if you switch from cloud Workflow to on-premises Workflow, the cloud widgets will continue to work. In this case, you do not need to download and deploy the widgets unless you want to, for example, if you don't want the Internet traffic that comes from using the cloud widgets.

Using the cloud widgets guarantees that you are using the latest version of the widgets. When you use the on-premises widgets, you are responsible for periodically updating them.

To download and deploy the Workflow widgets to Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition):

This deployment procedure assumes that you have already installed Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition). You can download Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition) here for free. Follow the instructions to install it.

Step 1: Download the widgets

  1. In Workflow Designer, click Deployment in the side panel and then click Download workflow widgets for Web AppBuilder.

    A ZIP file containing the four widgets downloads.

Step 2: Deploy the widgets to Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition)

  1. Locate the root of your Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition) installation.

    By default, the root is called WebAppBuilderForArcGIS.

  2. Extract the files to the root.

    This places the widgets in the correct locations within your Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition) installation.