Reusing workflows in a State machine

System.Workflow.Activities.EventDeliveryFailedException:
Event "CommodityQuoteRequestedEvent" on interface type "HighEnergy.WorkflowUtils.IWorkflowDataExchangeService"
for instance id "ac642cd7-7842-4fae-a7da-2d1171a35785" cannot be delivered. >
System.InvalidOperationException: Queue 'Message Properties
Interface Type:HighEnergy.WorkflowUtils.IWorkflowDataExchangeService
Method Name:CommodityQuoteRequestedEvent
CorrelationValues:
' is not enabled.
at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowQueuingService.EnqueueEvent(IComparable queueName, Object item)
at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowExecutor.EnqueueItem(IComparable queueName, Object item, IPendingWork pendingWork, Object workItem)
at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowInstance.EnqueueItem(IComparable queueName, Object item, IPendingWork pendingWork, Object workItem)
at System.Workflow.Activities.WorkflowMessageEventHandler.EventHandler(Object sender, ExternalDataEventArgs eventArgs)
End of inner exception stack trace
at System.Workflow.Activities.WorkflowMessageEventHandler.EventHandler(Object sender, ExternalDataEventArgs eventArgs)
at HighEnergy.WorkflowUtils.WorkflowDataExchangeService.FireCommodityQuoteRequestedEvent(CommodityQuoteRequestedEventArgs eventArgs) in C:\HighEnergy\high_energy\Development\Code\Microsoft\HighEnergy\HighEnergyWorkflowUtils\WorkflowDataExchangeService.cs:line 28
at HighEnergy.Services.TradeService.CreateTrade(TradeVO tradeVO, Int64 contactId) in C:\HighEnergy\high_energy\Development\Code\Microsoft\HighEnergy\HighEnergyServices\TradeService.cs:line 78
at HighEnergy.Services.TradeService.SaveTrade(TradeVO tradeVO, Int64 contactId) in C:\HighEnergy\high_energy\Development\Code\Microsoft\HighEnergy\HighEnergyServices\TradeService.cs:line 47
at TradeService.SaveTrade(TradeVO tradeVO, Int64 contactId) in c:\HighEnergy\high_energy\Development\Code\Microsoft\HighEnergy\HighEnergyWebServices\App_Code\TradeService.cs:line 49
End of inner exception stack trace

Here's the structure of my workflow:

??<StateMachineWorkflowActivity x:Class="HighEnergy.Services.ProcessCommodityQuoteWorkflow"
InitialStateName="ProcessCommodityQuoteWorkflowInitialState"
x:Name="ProcessCommodityQuoteWorkflow"
DynamicUpdateCondition="{x:Null}"
CompletedStateName="ProcessEnd" ...>
<StateActivity x:Name="ProcessingQuoteRequest">
<StateActivity x:Name="ProcessCommodityQuoteWorkflowInitialState" />
<StateActivity x:Name="WaitingForPrice">
<EventDrivenActivity x:Name="ProcessTradePricedEvent">
...
</EventDrivenActivity>
</StateActivity>
<StateActivity x:Name="WaitingForSalesApproval">
<EventDrivenActivity x:Name="ProcessSalesApprovedEvent">
...
</EventDrivenActivity>
</StateActivity>
<EventDrivenActivity x:Name="ProcessCommodityQuoteRequestedEvent">
<HandleExternalEventActivity
Invoked="ValidateAndSaveTrade_Invoked"
x:Name="ValidateAndSaveTrade"
EventName="CommodityQuoteRequestedEvent"
InterfaceType="{x:Type HighEnergy.WorkflowUtils.IWorkflowDataExchangeService}" />
...
</EventDrivenActivity>
</StateActivity>
<StateActivity x:Name="ProcessEnd" />
</StateMachineWorkflowActivity>

Note that the initial state (ProcessCommodityQuoteWorkflowInitialState) is now empty. Its event driven activity is moved up to its parent state.

NareshBhatia at 2007-9-8 >

Very creative! I think this would work. Whether in state A or B, the response to the event is the same including what the next state is. So the next state for state C will remain the same.

I think your suggestion for calling workflows synchronously makes sense. Either that or the state machine implementation should be changed to allow nested states without any activities and have them pick up activities from the parent state.

NareshBhatia at 2007-9-8 >