Good Beginner Web Flow Tutorial

[djf57]

I'm trying to get a simple SWF app up and running.
I've read SIA Ch 15 (no code examples available), looked at the reference documentation, I've followed the links above (many of which are now broken), I've googled for tutorials.

I can find nothing that gives me a simple HelloWorld SWF app that actually seems to work. I understand the (not difficult) principles behind SWF but there seem to be so many configuration and non-backwards compatibility issues to trip one up, making what should be a no-brainer exercise (getting to the starting line) unbelievably tedious.

Could someone kindly point me to the starting line ie a simple SWF app for a given version of SWF with a self-contained and working POM please?

[sosiouxme]

http://www.springsource.org/webflow-samples

Give it a try, I'd be interested to know if these work better for you than they did for me. I at least could see swf-booking-mvc working.

[djf57]

Thanks, I came across this before but ignored it as they seem to be pre-built WARS - it's code example I'd like to see, not a working app per sec.

This morning I tried the examples associated with v 1.0.6 of SWF after a very simple (working) SWF of mine failed as soon as I added in an action-state:

<start-state idref="search" />

<action-state id="search"> <action bean="searchAction" />
<transition on="success" to="name" />
</action-state>

<view-state id="name" view="nameForm">
<transition on="submit" to="address">
</transition>
</view-state>

with 'searchAction' defined as a bean that implements org.springframework.webflow.execution.Action

Got: "java.lang.IllegalStateException: No actions were executed, thus I cannot execute any state transition -- programmer configuration error; make sure you add at least one action to this state's action list ..."

So at this point (I still don't really see how anything this simple can fail, presumably I'm doing something stupid but it escapes me at the moment) I turned to the 1.0.6 examples (which are non Maven) andcopied them across to a working version (ie without the above action-state) and got exactly the same error, leaving me none the wiser.

If anyone can tell me what I'm doing wrong (other than trying to use SWF!) please shed some light.

[sosiouxme]

Did you notice the lower half of that page where you can download and build the samples from code?

Can't comment on your problem but SWF 2 has been out for years now, perhaps that would be better for trying it out...

[djf57]

No I didn't spot that, but I already have downloaded the examples for SWF, versions 1 and 2, most of which don't seem to run for a variety of reasons.

Today I tried SWF 2 with some success at last. I'm still no clearer why my SWF 1 example fails but I think I'll give up on that and stick with SWF 2 - I was reluctant to try SWF2 initially because I read somewhere that it needs Spring 3 - but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Many thanks for your suggestions though.

[angelillo]

I was reluctant to try SWF2 initially because I read somewhere that it needs Spring 3

SWF 2.0.x requires Spring 2. Only SWF 2.1 requires Spring 3.

[gdickens]

Download Spring Roo http://www.springsource.org/roo

You can create a Web Flow 2.1.1 starting point in Roo.

See Spring Roo in Action: http://www.manning.com/dickens or Spring in Action 3rd Ed. http://www.manning.com/walls4/

Regards,
Gordon Dickens
www.gordondickens.com

[vivek_tailang@hotmail.com]

Hi

You can use the attached tutorial having basic information (Look into the task of web flow).
It is running example.

Please let mw know if it needs some more additional things.
Please correct me also if i am wrog anywhere.

Thanks

[shahzaibahmed]

How about anything with the most recent technical details?
http://creativeofficials.com/

[a.rajkumar85]

Hi even im new to spring mvc.. Anyone give me some tutorial and guidence plz