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Manual Installation

Overview

The following procedure applies to the setup using the WorkflowGen manual installation pack.

The web server and database server requirements must be met before proceeding with the following installation.

Installation pack

Start by extracting the manual installation pack (.zip) to a temporary folder on the WorkflowGen web server (e.g. DRIVE:\temp).

The installation pack contains these folders:

  • Databases: The MS SQL Server database creation scripts

  • Inetpub: The WorkflowGen application files

  • Program Files: The WorkflowGen Windows services application file

WorkflowGen files and folders architecture

The recommended physical directory structure for WorkflowGen web application files and folders should be under DRIVE:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen. This folder contains static resources such as images, HTML files and process data, and the applications used by WorkflowGen.

  1. Copy the source \Inetpub folder to your destination DRIVE:\ (e.g. DRIVE:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen).

  2. Copy the source Advantys folder (\Program Files\Advantys) to your destination DRIVE:\Program Files (e.g. DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys\WorkflowGen\Services\bin).

    ✏️ Note: If you already have another version of WorkflowGen installed on the same server and you want to keep your previous WorkflowGen services, we suggest you choose another installation folder for version 8 (e.g. DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys\WorkflowGen v8\Services\bin).

Database creation

WorkflowGen does not support case sensitive collation, so you must set up the database to be case insensitive to avoid errors.

MS SQL Server configuration

Option 1: Create the database manually using the create.sql SQL script

  1. Open the SQL Server Management Studio tool and connect to your database server with an administrator account (e.g. SA).

  2. Create a new database (e.g. WFGEN).

  3. Create a new SQL Server user account (e.g. WFGEN_USER).

  4. Give this user db_datawriter and db_datareader permissions for the WFGEN database.

  5. Open the DRIVE:\temp\manual\Databases\MsSQLServer source folder and run the create.sql script on the new database instance.

Option 2: Create the database manually using SQL scripts

  1. Open the SQL Server Management Studio tool and connect to your database server with an administrator account (e.g. SA).

  2. Create a new database (e.g. WFGEN).

  3. Create a new SQL Server user account (e.g. WFGEN_USER).

  4. Give this user db_datawriter and db_datareader permissions for the WFGEN database.

  5. Open the DRIVE:\temp\manual\Databases\MsSQLServer source folder and run the create.sql database creation script on the new database instance.

Azure SQL database configuration

Azure SQL database needs to be created and configured manually; see the Azure SQL database configuration section in the WorkflowGen for Azure guide for instructions on how to do this.

WorkflowGen Administrator account setup

WorkflowGen requires a valid Windows NT or Active Directory account. This account will be used by the WorkflowGen Administrator, but it's not necessary to define it as an NT or Active Directory Administrator.

  • You can use an existing user account or create a new user account with the name Domain\wfgen_admin.

  • If you use a different account name other than wfgen_admin, then you MUST change the WorkflowGen Administrator username in the WorkflowGen database. To do this, in the Users table, find the record with the USERNAME column value wfgen_admin, then change it to your custom user account name.

WorkflowGen web configuration

  1. Open and edit the DRIVE:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen\web.config WorkflowGen web configuration file.

  2. Update the database connection string:

    • MS SQL Server: <add name="MainDbSource" connectionString="Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=WFGEN;User ID=WFGEN_USER;Password=Admin123!;" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

    • Azure SQL Database: See the Azure SQL Database Configuration section in the WorkflowGen for Azure guide.

  3. Update the WorkflowGen Administrator username to allow access to the Configuration Panel (e.g. <add key="ApplicationConfigAllowedUsersLogin" value="wfgen_admin" />).

  4. Update the application URL (e.g. <add key="ApplicationUrl" value="http://yoursite/wfgen" />).

  5. Add a 32-character alphanumeric encryption key (e.g. <add key="ApplicationSecurityPasswordSymmetricEncryptionKey" value="XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX....." />).

For more information about the other configuration settings, see the Web and Application Configuration Parameters appendix.

WorkflowGen Windows Services installation

  • The user or identity used to run WorkflowGen Windows Services must be an administrator, be part of the Administrators group, or be a Windows system account (such as Local System). You can check this by running services.msc.

  • If you've specified a custom installation path for the services, you'll need to update the path inside the DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys[Custom WorkflowGen]\Services\bin\winsvc-install.cmd script (e.g. %windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\InstallUtil.exe /i "C:\Program Files\Advantys\[Custom WorkflowGen]\Services\bin\WfgDirectoriesSyncService.exe").

  • If you're installing these services along with previous WorkflowGen services on the same server, you'll need to provide a new service name (e.g. WorkflowGenEngineServiceV7) for both the Engine and Directory services in their configuration files ([WfgWorkflowEngineService.exe].config: <add key="ServiceName" value="WorkflowGenEngineServiceV7"></add>) and script files (winsvc-install.cmd: rename all [WorkflowGenEngineService] to [WorkflowGenEngineServiceV7]). (See the Configuring multiple instances of WorkflowGen section for information and instructions on how to configure multiple WorkflowGen services on the same server.)

Installation

  1. Open and edit the DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys\WorkflowGen\Services\bin\WfgWorkflowEngineService.exe.config Engine service configuration file.

  2. Update the WorkflowGen web configuration path (e.g. <add key="WebConfigPath" value="DRIVE:\inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen\web.config" />).

  3. Open and edit the DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys\WorkflowGen\Services\bin\WfgDirectoriesSyncService.exe.config Directory Synchronization service configuration file.

  4. Update the WorkflowGen web configuration path (e.g. <add key="WebConfigPath" value="DRIVE:\inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen\web.config" />).

    ✏️ Note: WfgWorkflowEngineService.exe and WfgDirectoriesSyncService.exe might be blocked. To check this, right-click on them and choose Properties. If the Security section is displayed at the bottom of the General tab, these executables have been blocked; in this case, click Unblock.

  5. Run DRIVE:\Program Files\Advantys\WorkflowGen\Services\bin\winsvc-install.cmd as Administrator.

Configuring IIS

Creating the application pool

It's recommended that WorkflowGen be isolated from other applications by creating its own application pool and associating all declared applications with the new application pool.

Domain users and the Windows accounts used to run the WorkflowGen IIS application pool and Engine service must have read and write permissions for the \wfgen\app_data folder.

  1. In IIS Manager, click Application pools. In the right-hand pane, right-click and choose Add application pool, then give it a name (e.g. WorkflowGen).

  2. Select the .NET Framework 4 version.

  3. Select Integrated pipeline mode.

  4. Click OK.

Creating the website (if WorkflowGen is set up on a new website)

  1. Launch IIS Manager and expand the tree structure under the IIS server name where you want to create the new site.

  2. Right-click on the Sites icon and choose Add Web Site. Enter the name of the site, select its application pool (if other than the default), and enter the physical path of the root (click Browse and select the \wwwroot folder, usually DRIVE:\inetpub\wwwroot\).

  3. Select the binding as being http or https (note that https requires an SSL certificate). Select a port (the default is 80) and/or a host header. Please contact your IIS administrator to review your options regarding setting up appropriate website settings.

Configuring the website

Default document

The default.aspx default document type must be created if it doesn't exist. By default, this default document should exist on an IIS server running .NET.

To verify this, click the site's icon and ensure that the pane on the right-hand side shows the Features view (the tab at the bottom of the pane allows you to switch between Features and Content). Double-click the Default document icon. If default.aspx is missing from the list, add it to the beginning of the comma-separated list displayed. To improve performance, you can move default.aspx to the beginning of the list if it's not already there.

Authentication

  1. Click the site's icon and ensure that the pane on the right-hand side shows the Features view.

  2. Double-click the Authentication icon.

  3. Right-click on Anonymous authentication and choose Disable.

  4. Right-click on Basic authentication and choose Enable. You'll be able to change the authentication method by following the instructions in the Security section.

Creating the WorkflowGen application

  1. In IIS Manager, right-click on wfgen under the \wwwroot folder and select Convert to application.

  2. Select the WorkflowGen application pool if it is not the default, then click OK.

Creating workflow applications and services

The \wfgen\ws and \wfgen\WfApps\WebForms applications within WorkflowGen must be created. To do this, repeat the same steps you performed for \wfgen in the previous section.

ISAPI and CGI restrictions

If you're using IIS 8 and above and your application pool is set to use Classic Managed Pipeline Mode, make sure ASP.NET v4.0.30319 is set to Allowed in the IIS manager ISAPI and CGI Restrictions list.

Application files access configuration

File permissions

File permission settings can be configured as follows for the WorkflowGen application identity:

  • DRIVE:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wfgen: Modify all

According to your authentication method (see Security), the WorkflowGen application identity can be:

  • The corresponding Windows users

  • The ASP.NET or IIS application pool identity

Configuring the WorkflowGen root website to auto-redirect to the wfgen web app

If you'd like your WorkflowGen root website (e.g. https://server) to auto-redirect to the https://server/wfgen web app, follow the procedure below.

As of version 7.15.0, the PowerShell setup comes with this configuration pre-installed on your WorkflowGen server. This procedure is only applicable when installing WorkflowGen manually or upgrading an existing previous WorkflowGen server.

  1. Make sure the URL Rewrite tool is installed on your WorkflowGen server.

  2. Create or update the web.config file in your website's root folder (e.g. DRIVE:\inetpub\wwwroot\web.config). ⚠️ Warning: This is not the same web.config file as the main WorkflowGen web.config file (located in DRIVE:\inetpub\wwroot\wfgen\web.config).

  3. Define the rewrite rule node as shown below (configuration / system.webServer / <rewrite> / <rules> / <rule>): 

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
    <system.webServer>
        <rewrite>
            <rules>
                <rule name="Rewrite to wfgen" stopProcessing="true">
                    <match url="(^$|^wfgen$|^wfgen/$)" />
                    <action type="Rewrite" url="/wfgen/show.aspx?QUERY=CONTEXT&amp;REQUEST_QUERY=WELCOME&amp;NO_REDIR=Y" />
                </rule>
            </rules>
        </rewrite>
    </system.webServer>
</configuration>

WorkflowGen Node.js-based web applications

To use the optional GraphQL, incoming webhooks, OpenID Connect Auth, and SCIM APIs, you must first install the following requirements:

  • Node.js v18.18.2 (version 8.2.2 and later) or v14.21.2 LTS (version 8.2.1 and earlier)

  • iisnode

  • IIS URL Rewrite

  • Visual C++ Redistributable

    ✏️ Note: This library is required if you encounter the error The specified module could not be found regarding the edge and edge-js libraries when accessing the /wfgen/graphql, /wfgen/hooks, or /wfgen/scim web apps.

After enabling GraphQL, incoming webhooks, OpenID Connect Auth, or SCIM, the WorkflowGen DLLs will be in use by Node.js, so they will be locked from being updated. In order to update the DLLs, it is necessary to stop IIS.

Enabling WorkflowGen GraphQL

  1. In IIS, convert /wfgen/graphql to an application with a .NET 4 application pool (integrated pipeline).

  2. Configure the GraphQL application authentication mode:

    • For Windows or Basic authentication: Enable Basic authentication.

    • For WorkflowGen Applicative authentication:

      • Make sure the /wfgen web application already has WorkflowGen Applicative authentication enabled.

      • Enable Anonymous authentication.

Enabling WorkflowGen incoming webhooks

In IIS, convert /wfgen/hooks to an application with a .NET 4 application pool (integrated pipeline), and configure the webhook application in Anonymous authentication mode.

If your WorkflowGen is configured to use WorkflowGen Applicative authentication or a custom authentication, you must remove the authentication module from the /hooks/web.config file by defining a <location> node within the <configuration> node as follows:

For WorkflowGen Applicative authentication:

<location path="hooks" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="ApplicationSecurityAuthenticationModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>

For Custom authentication:

<location path="hooks" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="MyCustomAuthModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>

Enabling WorkflowGen OpenID Connect Auth

In IIS, convert /wfgen/auth to an application with a .NET 4 application pool (integrated pipeline), and configure the application in Anonymous authentication mode.

If your WorkflowGen is configured to use WorkflowGen Applicative authentication or a custom authentication, you must remove the authentication module from the /auth/web.config file by defining a <location> node within the <configuration> node as follows:

For WorkflowGen Applicative authentication:

<location path="auth" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="ApplicationSecurityAuthenticationModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>

For Custom authentication:

<location path="auth" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="MyCustomAuthModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>

Enabling WorkflowGen SCIM

In IIS, convert /wfgen/scim to an application with a .NET 4 application pool (integrated pipeline), and configure the application in Anonymous authentication mode.

If your WorkflowGen is configured to use WorkflowGen Applicative authentication or a custom authentication, you must remove the authentication module from the /scim/web.config file by defining a <location> node within the <configuration> node as follows:

For WorkflowGen Applicative authentication:

<location path="scim" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="ApplicationSecurityAuthenticationModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>

For Custom authentication:

<location path="scim" inheritInChildApplications="false">
    <system.webServer>
        <modules>
            <remove name="MyCustomAuthModule" />
        </modules>
    </system.webServer>
</location>
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