(Optional) Check the workflow user permissions by calling the hasRights operation.

You can verify if a user has rights to read, run, or edit a particular workflow using the hasRights operation. This operation is not mandatory, but checking user rights before you run a workflow can help prevent exceptions.

String workflowId = "1880808080808080808080808080808087808080011713796199469943be4c882";
Boolean rights = vsoWebControl.hasRights(workflowId, username, password, 'x');

The preceding code example calls the hasRights operation to discover whether the user has the right to run the workflow identified by workflowId.

If the user has the right to run the workflow, hasRights returns true. Otherwise, hasRights returns false.

Set the workflow attributes in a WorkflowTokenAttribute object.

The Web services client passes WorkflowTokenAttributes arrays to a WorkflowToken object, which runs the workflow.

WorkflowTokenAttribute[] attributes = new WorkflowTokenAttribute[1];
WorkflowTokenAttribute attribute = new WorkflowTokenAttribute();
attribute.setName("vm");
attribute.setType(finderResult.getType());
attribute.setValue(finderResult.getDunesUri());
attributes[0] = attribute;

The preceding example creates a WorkflowTokenAttribute object, then populates it with the following information:

Run the workflow by calling the executeWorkflow operation.

To run a workflow, you pass the workflow attributes to the executeWorkflow operation in the form of a WorkflowTokenAttribute array.

Running a workflow creates a WorkflowToken object, which represents the instance of the workflow that runs with the specific input parameters that it receives when it starts.

WorkflowToken token = vsoWebControl.executeWorkflow(workflowId, username, password, attributes);

In the preceding example, the attributes property is the array of WorkflowTokenAttribute objects created in Step 2.

Sometimes, workflows require input parameters during their run. In these cases, you can provide attributes through a user interaction while the workflow is running. You can pass attributes to the workflow during its run using the answerWorkflowInput operation.