Framework



Figure 1. Framework architecture diagram

The IHWMFramework Interface

If the IHWMControl interface is implemented, an instance of the IHWMFrameWork interface will be passed on to the bean. This is the point where beans gain access to various classes (as interfaces) in the Process Manager architecture, including:

Class Description
DataModel Place holder for bean to share data, you can store process data.
Workflow The Workflow Manager serves as a handle to the workflow.
Communication Manager This interface is the gateway to spawning third party applications and establishing a socket connection with them.
Menu/Tool bar Customizer Many applications will require you to add new items to the menu bar or toolbar, both of which can be modified in the designer mode.

Other important APIs provided by the IHWMFrameWork interface include:

API Description
GetTemplateDir/GetTemplateFileName Get the directory/filename of the current process definition file.
GetProjectDir/GetProjectFileName Get the directory/filename of the current project instance file.
LogStatus Display the given message in the status bar of the application.
AddHWMEventListener Beans can use this function to add themselves as listeners to events, such as File Save.
Note: Please contact Altair to obtain JavaDocs (a complete list of methods provided by the IHWMFrameWork interface). Be sure not to make any framework related calls in the bean's constructor. Your bean has not yet received the handle to IHWMFrameWork. Any action of this nature should take place in the SetFrameWork method. Treat this method as the pseudo-constructor.