How to configure a workflow test run. Running workflows from the command-line

Introduction

This module allows you to automate test and to run workflows with or without starting-up the user interface. As such, it can also be used to automate tasks in stand-alone systems, for example in combination with the windows task scheduler (or cron in linux systems).

The workflow test runner can also be integrated into a CI/CD pipeline. For more information, please see: Workflow Test Runner in Azure Devops

Configuration

fig1: layout of the workflowtestrun configuration

The workflow test run configuration consists of two main parts: General configuration and Activities

General

description

Give an optional description of the workflow test run

dirDefinition

Optional directory references which can be use to refer to directories using a short name.

attributes:

• refName the name which will be used to refer to the directory
• dir the directory to refer to.

systemTime

Optional time to use as system time while running the workflow test. If the system time is not given it is taken from the current computer time.

attributes:

• date date as yyyy-MM-dd
• time the time of day as HH:mm:ss

testReport

Since 2021.01. It is possible to generate a JUnit XML compliant XML report with the test results. Currently only junitXml is supported. This can typically be used in a build pipeline like Azure Devops or Teamcity.

For example:

<testReport dir="%REPORT_DIR%">
    <reportType>junitXml</reportType>
</testReport>

In case one of the activities fail, a failed test will be reported.         

Activities

The activities of the workflow test run configuration that will be carried out. You can use activities in any order you like, they will be executed as ordered in your configuration file.

PurgeActivity

This activity can be used to remove files or directories to e.g. create an initial situation or to clean up after running the test.

attributes:

• description optional description of the purge activity
• filter name of a file, directory. wild cards can be used (e.g. *test.*)
• clearLocalDatastore Empty element that empties the database

CopyActivity

Activity can be used to copy files or directories between two locations e.g. to copy files to import to the applications import directory

attributes:

• description optional description of the copy activity
• src source that should be copied to the given destination, wild cards can be used to refine your source
• dest destination where the source should be copied to. wild cards can be used to refine your destination

WorkflowActivity

Runs the workflow file with the given id. The id must be known in the application environment.

choice:

taskProperties: Use a taskProperties configuration block to define how to run the workflow

WftrWorkflowGroup:

• workflowId: identifier of workflow to run
• systemTime: (optional) overruling system time for running workflow

ExportTimeSeriesActivity

Exports the given time series to PI formatted file.

Since 2021.01 the version of the PI format can be specified using the piVersion element.

attributes:

• exportFile path that specifies the location and name of the export file
• timeSeriesSet time series set as specified here

ExportLogsActivity

Exports the log messages produced during the last workflow run.

• exportFile file to which the logs will be exported.
• logLevel Level from which to export the log messages (DEBUG, INFO, WARN or ERROR)http://public.wldelft.nl/display/FEWSDOC/02+Data+Handling+in+DELFT-FEWS#02DataHandlinginDELFT-FEWS-TimeSeriesSets
• moduleInstanceId: (optional) Only export logs created by configured moduleinstance run.

SetSystemTimeActivity

Changes the system time.

• systemTime New system time.

CompareActivity

Compares an exported file with a given reference file. The comparison will be visible in the log output of the application environment.

attributes:

• exportFile location of the file that is to be checked with the reference file
• compareFile location of the file to compare export file with

RefreshActivity

Refreshes datastore. Empty element.

ContainsActivity

Search for the presence of text in a file

attributes:

• searchFile file to search through
• searchString array of strings to search for. All specified strings have to occur for the activity to complete successful.
• emptyFile check if file is empty

NotContainsActivity

Search if text doesn't occur in a file

attributes:

• searchFile file to search through
• searchString array of strings to search for. If any of these search strings appear in the file, the activity fails.
• emptyFile check if file is NOT empty

SleepActivity

Let process sleep for configured amount of milli seconds

Workflow test runs can either be started from within a FEWS stand-alone application, or within a JUnit test.

Run workflow test runs from within a FEWS stand-alone

To start a workflow test in DELFT-FEWS open the debug menu (F12) and select 'run workflow test' (C). This will open an open file dialog in which you can select a workflow configuration file to run in the current environment.

Run workflow test runs from JUnit tests

Workflow test runs can be started in JUnit tests in order to build (nightly) regression tests. To do so, initialize the test environment and create a datastore to pass to the workflow constructor. Next code snipped demonstrates the use of WorkflowTestRun in JUnit:

....
// init test application
App.init(WorkflowTestRunTest.class);

FewsInstance.init(TestSupport.getInputFile());

TestSupport.setUp();

configDir = TestSupport.getInputFile("config");

relativeViewPeriod = new RelativePeriod(-100 * TimeUnit.DAY_MILLIS, TimeUnit.DAY_MILLIS);

connection = TestSupport.createTestDatabase("test");

// create datastore
dataStore = new TestDataStore(connection, configDir, coldStatesDir, cacheDir, time0);

// select the workflowtest configuration file
File configFile = TestSupport.getInputFile("testfiles/WFT_Test1.xml");

SystemActivityDescriptor descriptor = dataStore.getRuns().getSystemActivityDescriptors().add(SystemActivityType.OC);

// the WorkflowTestRun is created here

WorkflowTestRun testRun = new WorkflowTestRun(dataStore, descriptor);

// run it
testRun.run(configFile);
....

Run workflow test runs from bin dir

Windows

Workflow test runs can be started from the command line. To do so one must configure a Region as they would for a Stand Alone system.

The required flags should be set when calling FEWS from the command line. This can be done conveniently with the simple DOS batch file below. Note that one should at minimum specify the root folder where the FEWS bin is stored, the regionHome directory, the patch, and the WorkflowTestRun file that is to be executed.

echo off
set root=%1
set region_home=%2
set workflowtestrun=%3
start /wait %root%\bin\windows\Delft-FEWSc.exe -Dregion.home=%region_home% -DautoRollingBarrel=false -Xmx1024m -DoldPID=13096_1555070573358 -Djava.locale.providers=SPI,JRE -Dstart.time=1555070573676 -Djava.library.path=%root%\bin\windows -Wvm.location=%root%\bin\windows\jre\bin\server\jvm.dll -Wclasspath.1=%region_home%\sa_patch.jar -Wclasspath.2=%root%\bin\*.jar -Wmain.class=nl.wldelft.fews.system.workflowtestrun.WorkflowTestRun -Warg.1=%region_home% -Warg.2=%workflowtestrun%

Linux

The normal startup script in linux systems is shown below:

#!/bin/sh
#
# Script to start Delft-FEWS
#
# One argument required: the name of the region directory
#

export JAVA_HOME=$(pwd)/jre/bin

if [ "$1" = "" ]; then
   echo "Usage: $0 <region name>"
   exit
fi

if [ ! -d "bin" -o ! -d "$1" ]; then
   echo "Start the script in the directory holding the region directory"
   exit
fi

#
# Assemble the list of jar files in the bin directory
#
cd bin
base=`pwd`

# Assemble the classes
#
classes=""
for f in $base/*.jar ;do
    if [ "$classes" = "" ]; then
        classes="$f"
    else
        classes="${classes}:$f"
    fi
done

echo "Java runtime: ${JAVA_HOME:-/opt/java/bin}/java - should at least be 1.5"
echo "Starting application ..."

${JAVA_HOME:-/opt/java/bin}/java -Xmx256M -Djava.library.path=$base \
-classpath "$classes" \
nl.wldelft.fews.gui.explorer.Application $1


#
# Remote debugging: add the following lines to the above:
# -Xdebug \
# -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8000,suspend=y,server=y \

exit

Automated stand-alone direct data access system (SA-DDA)

The stand-alone direct data access system (SA-DDA) is a stand-alone application where workflows/tasks are scheduled using Windows Task Scheduler. An automated stand-alone DDA application:

• Allows multiple users to login via ‘stand-alone direct data access clients’
• Requires one central database installation which are synced to the local datastores of the SA applications through a network share
• Workflows/models are run and scheduled on one machine (the SA server) by only one user
• supported for 2017.02 and >2018.02

An impression of the IT-infrastructure, including the connections to (external) user clients is shown in the figure below.

This feature makes possible to update SA localDataStore (in Client SA) with a new one that has been exported by an another SA (Master SA)
This feature supports only firebird database.

Master SA exports local.fdb using exportArchiveModule, for example:

<exportSnapShot>
    <general>
        <archiveFolder>c:/localDataStoreSnapshot</archiveFolder>
        <zipExportedSnapShot>false</zipExportedSnapShot>
        <singularExport/>
    </general>
    <activities>
        <exportSnapShot>
            <areaId>NL</areaId>
        </exportSnapShot>
    </activities>
</exportSnapShot>

The option <singularExport/> should be used to overwrite local.fdb every time the exportArchiveModule is run. Also the option zipExportedSnapShot should be set to false, otherwise Client SA will not update.

Client SA should have option localDataStoreSnapshotDownload in the Explorer.xml , for example:

<localDataStoreSnapshotDownload>
        <file>c:/localDataStoreSnapshot/local.fdb</file>                                   
        <downloadEnabled>true</downloadEnabled>
</localDataStoreSnapshotDownload>

Path configured in <file> should be the same as path configured in <archiveFolder> of exportArchiveModule. When localDataStoreSnapshotDownload configured, then an item ‘Load latest localDataStore snapshot’ appears in menu File. Using this menu item a new localDataStore can be ingested.
To make the users aware of the new localDataStore snapshot, there is a field “LDS” in the explorer status bar. This field is green if the localDataStore is up to date, or red if a new localDataStore snapshot is available . Also a notification appears when the Client SA is started and a new localDataStore snapshot is available:
“New localDataStore is available in ….. Do you want to update the current localDataStore ?"

To keep the Client and Master configs the same, localDataStoreSnapshotDownload can be configured also in Master SA, with downloadEnabled = false.