Where to start process

[foaly-nr1]

This is more of a support query. Once I've fully understood this bundle, I would love to contribute with a pull request to the README file.

The line $processHandler->start($model); from your Usage example needs to be called once an entity is persisted for the first time. I hence thought I'd use an entity listener or lifecycle subscriber to handle it, but am getting a circular reference. Alternatively, I could implement checks in my form handler to call the method when the entity is first persisted.

What do you guys do in your projects – where do you call it?

[gilles-g]

Hi,

I do not recommend to use a listener or subscriber, it can become difficult to maintain, especially to handle exceptions

LexikWorkflowBundle/Handler/ProcessHandler.php

Lines 69 to 76 in ceb41e4

	public function start(ModelInterface $model)
	{
	$modelState = $this->storage->findCurrentModelState($model, $this->process->getName());
	if ($modelState instanceof ModelState) {
	throw new WorkflowException(sprintf('The given model has already started the "%s" process.', $this->process->getName()));
	}

In my experience, I use it with listener and I don't like it. Then, I used it in the controller it's more simple but too easy. Or, if you use a form handler or Command Bus, you can start the process from there, and
begin transaction > try/catch > flush in your controller.

why begin transaction? When you start process, we saved a modelState

LexikWorkflowBundle/Handler/ProcessHandler.php

Line 155 in ceb41e4

$modelState = $this->storage->newModelStateSuccess($model, $this->process->getName(), $step->getName(), $currentModelState);

If you have an exception, error, you will have an modelState flushed but you don't need it.

I hope it helped you