Professional K2 blackpearl®

Chapter 11. Working with InfoPath and ASP.NET Forms

Chris O'Connor

Jason Apergis

When you approach a K2 solution, it's important to consider the visual aspects to the process and the end-user experience. ASP.NET and InfoPath are the most common user interfaces for K2 processes.

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Client event forms within K2

• InfoPath, ASP.NET, and other forms technologies

• Pros and cons of InfoPath

• Pros and cons of ASP.NET

• Using InfoPath forms

  • Working with InfoPath data

  • Advanced InfoPath XML considerations

  • Modifying the process

  • Archiving an InfoPath form

  • InfoPath and SmartObject integration

  • Good design considerations

  • InfoPath process deployment

• Using ASP.NET forms

  • Initiating a workflow from code

  • Customizing a Web page created via the Forms Generation Client Event

  • Displaying a custom Web page for a workflow task form

  • Completing an activity from code

  • K2 server management from code — process definitions, versions, and activities

  • Viewing processes currently running

  • Viewing a worklist for the current user

Client Event Forms within K2

Within a traditional ASP.NET Web application, information is displayed to the user who then enters or updates information, and clicks a button to submit. A business layer and subsequent data layer then updates the database and the user continues.

With regard to K2, a workflow process is the business layer, with SmartObjects as the data layer, and forms are used as the presentation layer.

The wording of forms gives a perception of a piece of paper, which is often ...