How to change inputs to task inside a Do While Task

[Priyank0711]

I am trying to execute a task inside a Do While Task.
Here I have to update the inputs to the task with every iteration.
How can we do that?

[apanicker-nflx]

@manan164 @rickfish Can you help with this?

[manan164]

Hi @Priyank0711 , Are you trying to say,

1. Update input every iteration dynamically - This is currently not supported.
2. Update input based on the last iteration output - This is supported. Please share the workflow definition. I can help with this.

[amoroziuk]

Hi @apanicker-nflx , @manan164, I have a bit similar issue: I can't modify input variables dynamically or use workflow's variables inside of DO_WHILE condition.
Here is the description of my case:
I need to build a workflow like this:

So, this is a workflow with 2 approval steps ('Task2' and 'Task3'), in my case approval step contains two separate tasks: SIMPLE ('Task2', 'Task3') and SWITCH ('Task2 approved', 'Task3 approved'). This workflow should support the retry policy and be able to redirect workflow execution to the previous step (if 'Task2' was rejected -> go to 'Task1' again; if 'Task3' was rejected - > go to 'Task2'). I was trying to achieve this by using multiple DO_WHILE tasks, here is the simplified workflow for this case:

{
  "createTime": 1692365021311,
  "updateTime": 1692368195606,
  "accessPolicy": {},
  "name": "SimpleLoop",
  "description": "Edit or extend this sample workflow. Set the workflow name to get started",
  "version": 8,
  "tasks": [
    {
      "name": "Loop Task",
      "taskReferenceName": "LoopTask1",
      "inputParameters": {
        "value": "${workflow.input.value}"
      },
      "type": "DO_WHILE",
      "startDelay": 0,
      "optional": false,
      "asyncComplete": false,
      "loopCondition": "if ( $.second['approved']) { false; } else { true; }",
      "loopOver": [
        {
          "name": "first",
          "taskReferenceName": "first",
          "description": "First Task",
          "inputParameters": {},
          "type": "SIMPLE",
          "startDelay": 0,
          "optional": false,
          "asyncComplete": false,
          "retryCount": 0,
          "evaluatorType": "javascript"
        },
        {
          "name": "Loop Task2",
          "taskReferenceName": "LoopTask2",
          "inputParameters": {
            "value": "${workflow.input.value}",
            "outerItaration": "$.LoopTask1['iteration']"
          },
          "type": "DO_WHILE",
          "startDelay": 0,
          "optional": false,
          "asyncComplete": false,
          "loopCondition": "if ($.second['approved']) { if (!$.third['approved']) { true; } else { false; } } else { false; }",
          "loopOver": [
            {
              "name": "second",
              "taskReferenceName": "second",
              "description": "second Task",
              "inputParameters": {},
              "type": "SIMPLE",
              "startDelay": 0,
              "optional": false,
              "asyncComplete": false,
              "retryCount": 0,
              "evaluatorType": "javascript"
            },
            {
              "name": "third",
              "taskReferenceName": "third",
              "description": "third Task",
              "inputParameters": {},
              "type": "SIMPLE",
              "startDelay": 0,
              "optional": false,
              "asyncComplete": false,
              "retryCount": 0,
              "evaluatorType": "javascript"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "inputParameters": [],
  "outputParameters": {
  },
  "schemaVersion": 2,
  "restartable": true,
  "workflowStatusListenerEnabled": false,
  "ownerEmail": "[email protected]",
  "timeoutPolicy": "ALERT_ONLY",
  "timeoutSeconds": 0,
  "variables": {},
  "inputTemplate": {}
}

I'm using output parameters to mark tasks approved or rejected (in this case just using 'approved' output variable which is boolean).
The test script here is:

1. Start workflow -> 'first' task should be scheduled
2. Complete 'first' task with 'approved: true' as an output (approve the task):
   { "workflowInstanceId": "{your_instance_id}", "taskId": "{your_task_id}", "status": "COMPLETED", "outputData": { "approved": true } }
3. 'second' task should be scheduled
4. Complete 'second' task with 'approved: false' (reject the task) -> 'third' task should be scheduled
5. Reject 'third' task -> 'first' task should be scheduled again
6. Approve 'first' task again

In this case nothing will happen after 6-th step, but it should schedule 'second' task again.
Could you please add your recommendation on how can I implement this workflow (maybe there is another way to do that)? Maybe there is any other way how to dynamically check the condition for loops?

[amoroziuk]

@manan164 Is there any other way to go to a specific task instead of using loops?
I saw this conversation: #1031 is there any news related to adding this task type?