I’m starting work on a small web based request system which needs to implement a two-step approval process (C# mainly, most likely MVC3).
I have come up with a simple workflow diagram and can easily come up with code to move from step to step. However, I’m having trouble coming up with a way to persist workflow related “tasks” or “steps” in the database.
For a request, an admin would approve/deny it when it comes in, then it’s goes into “working” state. At compeletion, user is requested to approve/deny “QA” step.
Can anyone provide some directions on this?
I don’t want to use Windows Workflow Foundation, since I don’t have time to learn yet another new framework. And Google is not being too helpful, any mention of the word “workflow” keeps bringing results for WF.
Learn WF.
Why? All you’re doing by inventing your own new framework is forcing the next people to maintain your code (or those who work with you) to “learn yet another new framework,” as you so put it. Do you want to write all that new documentation or do you just want to point someone to MSDN?
WF4 is actually pretty easy to learn, way better than WF3. Before you throw away the idea completely, at least read this:
A Developer’s Introduction to Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) in .NET 4
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee342461.aspx
If you’re looking at a web based system, you may use Windows Server AppFabric to provide the persistence and monitoring layer and a WCF workflow service to host the workflow. The time you spend learning the basics of this will be far less than the time you spend inventing your own system. I guarantee it. You can install AppFabric via the Web Platform Installer tool along with SQLEXpress to persist.