MR for WORKFLOW

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 19:22:33 +0000

Just a dropping a note that I've done a round of cleanups to get to a good place for a version 1 of the workflow addon.  I've got a little more testing to do with them and want to roll them out to my other instances to make sure everything works as expected cross-server, but my initial testing has been good and any further changes should be quite minor (if needed at all).

If possible, I think this should be included in 4.6RC2 so it will make it into 4.6 final.

There's more I WANT to do with it, but this is functional for a great many uses even if it doesn't have all the features I want and so makes a good cutoff for 4.6.  More features will definitely be coming in the future.

#^ https://framagit.org/hubzilla/addons/merge_requests/344

@Mario Vavti  @Max Kostikov

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Sun, 17 Nov 2019 04:27:59 +0000 last edited: Sun, 17 Nov 2019 04:26:27 +0000

Additional testing did find one small issue. Hope to finish testing tomorrow and will submit (hopefully) a final MR to cover the last little bits.

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 01:58:16 +0000 last edited: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 01:56:41 +0000

OK - I think the final commits have been submitted - since it wasn't merged yet, I just added the commits to the current MR.

I also took a little time and added hooks to allow bolt-on extensions without changing the core. The idea is that the base addon will give the super base functionality and additional extensions can add functionality. Also - it will allow further development to continue without needing to touch the base addon code - and then when things are "ready" they can be added into the base addon as needed.

Even for my own purposes, I have several different uses - from straight issue tracking - to much more complex things (like order tracking connected to the cart addon, and specialized process automation tasks). The core functionality in the workflow addon is needed by all, but there are some specialized features that will not be needed by others. So, the idea is to have the ability to addon to the addon with extensions and additional hooks.

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 02:00:08 +0000 last edited: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 01:58:37 +0000

@Mario Vavti @Max Kostikov
(Forgot to tag you - in case your stream fills up and you use notifications)

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 05:22:23 +0000 last edited: Mon, 18 Nov 2019 05:20:50 +0000

Just heard from Mike on one small issue regarding federated items. As a result, I need to make one more patch that I will try my best to get finished and tested tomorrow.

Mario Vavti

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 11:28:33 +0000

Thanks for the headsup! I'll wait until you merge your latest work and then merge everything at once...

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:13:16 +0000 last edited: Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:11:39 +0000

@Mario Vavti @Max Kostikov

Got sidetracked for a bit today --- but just added the last little bit of fixes after testing them. Should be in good shape!

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 16:46:12 +0000 last edited: Wed, 20 Nov 2019 16:44:31 +0000

@Mario Vavti

I merged

#^ https://framagit.org/hubzilla/addons/merge_requests/344

to dev. It'd be good if we could include it in 4.6 also.

Mario Vavti

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 17:51:07 +0000

Thanks @M. Dent, i will merge this into RC ASAP.
Happy Birthday!

poVoq

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 22:29:17 +0000

@M. Dent will this workflow app also act as a web front end for the CalDAV tasks that are already available in Hubzilla if you connect with a different client?

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 23:31:15 +0000 last edited: Mon, 25 Nov 2019 23:30:36 +0000

There is not currently any relationship between the workflow app and any calendaring at all. Right now it is basically an issue tracker that allows you to put in one place all the links and conversations and data related to a single task-type issue and maintain some "state" information (open/closed/priority).

I currently have some very vague ideas about thing in scheduling and/or milestones, but that is not anything more than a vague idea right now.

I haven't considered at all the caldav task system...

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 02:47:38 +0000 last edited: Tue, 03 Dec 2019 02:45:21 +0000

I took a peek at the Caldav stuff.  It's doubtful that there will be overlap.  The most I can imagine at this point is that the workflow app would create ical items that could be imported by individual users into the calendar.  But it's not a direction I'm looking at right now, so it will likely be up to someone else to implement.

The workflow system is intended to be a distributed multi-user task tracking and automation system (eg, an issue tracker is one use, but is a fairly 'basic' use).  If you want to see where I'd like it to be, take a look at the RequestTracker system by BestPractical.  It can support very involved situations - not only doing issue tracking and Customer/Vendor Relationship Management, but some detailed tracking of large scale business activities.  But the building blocks are simple - it's just how you put them all together.

I envision that the Workflow base addon that's there right now will be supplemented by some higher level addons that will take the pieces and reconfigure them for different use cases ---- issue tracker, business logic, customer relationship management - sales, customer relationship management - support, project management generally, and much more.  Each have some core similarities, but some unique requirements.  So I envision addons that will supplement or interface with the core workflow addon over time.

poVoq

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 10:06:07 +0000

The advantage of using the syncable CalDAV tasks would be easy integration in other systems and especially notifications and quick access via mobile devices.

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:30:20 +0000 last edited: Tue, 03 Dec 2019 13:28:02 +0000

Not saying it won't happen. Just not on the map right now and there's no obvious (to me) path to get there.

hEARt PhoniX

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 22:18:01 +0000

I quite like what I already see of this addon, I have begun using it to keep track of tasks at several projects. I see it's becoming more and more feature complete, that's great.
This is just the warm up though. I believe it could be a nice tool for the project. At the same time that could possibly help to let it mature even more.

muppeth

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:55:22 +0000

Is this plugin somewhere in action?

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:11:30 +0000 last edited: Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:08:35 +0000

I'm using it for some personal stuff (and some internal group stuff). Right now each user needs to be given special permission on the channel on which it is used, so there are no "public" instances of it that can simply be looked at. Permission controls are toward the top of the list for enhancements. There are already some other enhancements (tagging and an alternative list view) in beta testing. A couple small issues with the ZAP port have come up (I run a hybrid environment) that need to be dealt with first - and then, I also have some of my own projects that I'm trying to work on and get out the door (plus, you know, 'real life' and work and stuff, LOL).

hEARt PhoniX

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 01:14:54 +0000

I am using it too, adopting it to track and order my own activities.

muppeth

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:29:57 +0000

Thanks. I wiull test it out this week after I update my hub.
@M. Dent So, now we need zot based version control system :P

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:54:35 +0000 last edited: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:51:34 +0000

I think file repos should be server based. My thought is that the current "files" system should be able to support git, we just need to find a php front end that can be easily modified into an addon to use Hubzilla authorization structures and the Hubzilla files storage system to allow auto syncing to nomadic clones. Need to do some research first (there may be some gotchas to that plan) but that's my thinking right now. But don't expect it soon... There are a lot of queued projects and stuff ahead of it. But with the framagit decommissioning, it might need to be moved up.

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 12:33:27 +0000 last edited: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 12:30:25 +0000

Before anyone descends the rabbit hole investigating what I said above, I've already looked... It won't work the way I described. Life's complicated, git life doubly so.

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 14:36:01 +0000 last edited: Thu, 19 Dec 2019 14:33:01 +0000

Or ....... Maybe.........

https://github.com/jonls/php-git-server/blob/master/index.php

This looks quite promising as an add-on starting point. And maybe my earlier research was misleading. Hmmmmmm.....