Hi again, I have read the discussions/videos on state machines and workflow engines in these links (and many many others):
- https://gist.github.com/6e92e3aaecd28303742a - http://workflowpatterns.com/patterns/control/index.php - http://jmettraux.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/state-machine-workflow-engine/ - http://www.slideshare.net/kenneth.kalmer/ruote-in-20-minutes But after a few days of reading I am still uncertain how and when to actually use this, or a "workflow engine" in general. I am currently building an application for a non-profit. Right now it's just an eCommerce and Event Management System based on Spree. One of the main flows in the application (from the User's perspective) is: - User finds event to attend - User fills out a survey - System checks if they are eligible to attend - User is approved or denied - If approved, User enters the checkout process. - User gets a follow up call for an hour (part of the event itself) - Event team leader sends a few forms to user - User eventually fills out forms - Other steps to better define.... I am currently doing that with a few state machines using AASM: one for the account creation process, one for the event registration process, and one for the checkout process. But now I want to start using AASM for the "follow up call" part, and a few others, and I don't think it's the best solution. The problem is, the internals of some of those steps are very involved and are entire workflows in themselves. It seems like a perfect place to try out some sort of better state machine or workflow engine... Some of the things the business needs to be able to do are: - Automate event registration - Automate post event form filing (send post event forms, wait, file them, send out tax papers and thank you cards, etc.) - Automate hiring event sponsors.... There is a lot more we could do to in terms of workflow automation too. Most of the steps/transitions are all handled by the application, a few of them would be handled manually (such as when then "follow up call" was completed). My question is, is this the kind of thing I'd use Ruote for? Or would Stonepath be a better fit? I don't quite understand the difference between "Workflow Resource Patterns" vs. "Workflow Control Flow Patters", and "Task Managers" vs. "Workflow Engines", and am not sure when I'd need to actually have an operating system of processes going vs. just storing states in a database. I'm hoping to make this thing as dynamic and modular as possible so I could automate more and more of their business as we go. Any resources or points in the right direction will be amazing. Thank you so much, Lance -- you received this message because you are subscribed to the "ruote users" group. to post : send email to [email protected] to unsubscribe : send email to [email protected] more options : http://groups.google.com/group/openwferu-users?hl=en
