Exception Handling in bounded taskflows - expected behaviour

Question

Hi,
I'm currently reviewing exception handling in bounded task flows and some things does not seems to be very clear for me.
(q1) Does it make sense that a bounded task flow calls a method (via a method activity) defined on the page definition of another page (outside of the BTF) by using a #{data.xxxmyPageDef.myMethodName.execute} EL expression?
(q2) Is is correct to expect the application to execute the method marked as ExceptionHandler in the taskflow, whenever an exception occurs?
(q3) I created 5 different scenarios where I call a service method which throws an exception, from within a page fragment of the BTF.
(q3 – sc1) Call a service method through the binding layer of the current page (by using #{bindings.xxx.execute})
Result: A dialog containing the exception message appears.
This is what I expected. Althought, the exception handler method does not seems to be invoked.(q3 – sc2) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{bindings.xxx.execute}
Result: A dialog containing the exception message appears.
This is what I expected. Althought, the exception handler method does not seems to be invoked.(q3 – sc3) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.myPageFragementPagedef.xxx.execute} (accessing the pageDef of the page fragment)
Result: Nothing happens.
This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does nog seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage.(q3 – sc4) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.myPageContainingThePageFragmentPageDef.xxx.execute} (accessing the page containing the BTF region)
Result: Nothing happens.
This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does nog seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage. (q3 – sc5) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.aPageOutsideTheBTFPageDef.xxx.execute} (accessing a page outside the BTW)
Result: Nothing happens.
This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does nog seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage. (q4) How can it be possible that – without an exception handler – exceptions occur when calling method activities, without the exceptions being translated to FacesMessages?
Thanks in advance,
Koen Verhulst
JDeveloper 11.1.1.4

Answer 1

Koen,
+(q1) Does it make sense that a bounded task flow calls a method (via a method activity) defined on the page definition of another page (outside of the BTF) by using a #{data.xxxmyPageDef.myMethodName.execute} EL expression?+
No. Exceptions should be handled locally.
+(q2) Is is correct to expect the application to execute the method marked as ExceptionHandler in the taskflow, whenever an exception occurs?+
Only for exceptions that are before Render Response. The Render Response Phase is not handled in ADFc. So exceptions that occur in managed beans may fall through
+(q3) I created 5 different scenarios where I call a service method which throws an exception, from within a page fragment of the BTF.+
+(q3 – sc1) Call a service method through the binding layer of the current page (by using #{bindings.xxx.execute}) Result: A dialog containing the exception message appears.+
This is what I expected. Althought, the exception handler method does not seems to be invoked.
The binding layer has an error handler you can override in the DataBinings.cpx file
+(q3 – sc2) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{bindings.xxx.execute}+
Result: A dialog containing the exception message appears.
This is what I expected. Althought, the exception handler method does not seems to be invoked.
Again, you use the binding layer to invoke the service
+(q3 – sc3) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.myPageFragementPagedef.xxx.execute} (accessing the pageDef of the page fragment)+
Result: Nothing happens.
This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does nog seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage.
Never use such a call. Its bad practice as there is no guarantee the container you reference is active. Always have the method call activity have its own binding defined when accessing a method call activity. I know there are lots of example floating aroundthat you #{data ...} and many are from 10.1.3. This should be avoided alltogether though
+(q3 – sc4) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.myPageContainingThePageFragmentPageDef.xxx.execute} (accessing the page containing the BTF region)+
Result: Nothing happens.
This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does not seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage.
Again, this is not a proper use of the ADF framework.
+(q3 – sc5) Call a service method through a task flow method activity using #{data.aPageOutsideTheBTFPageDef.xxx.execute} (accessing a page outside the BTW)+
Result: Nothing happens. This is not what I expected. Although, the exception handler method does nog seems to be invoked, I expect the ADF Error Handler to create a FacesMessage.
accessing a page outside the BTW (!!!) This should ring a worst practices alarm on your laptop (obviously doesn't do it either)
+(q4) How can it be possible that – without an exception handler – exceptions occur when calling method activities, without the exceptions being translated to FacesMessages?+
Exceptions are not handled in a single place but stacked. The business service raises an exception and passes it to the binding layer if not handled. The binding layer handles the exception and if it can't passes it to ADFc. ADFc can handle this exception if it is not during Render Response.
Bottom line: There is no single point of exception handling. So as a recommendation for best practices
- Catch and handle exceptions as close as possible to their origins
- If things can go wrong, thy will - use try/catch blocks in managed beans
- Use an exception handling activity in all bounded task flows. In the case of task flow call activities being used exceptions can bubble up to the caller. However, this would take users out of their current application context
- Exceptions not handled in ADFc can be intercepted by overriding the application task flow exception handler (used by the exception handler activities). This would give you a chance e.g. to handle issues during Render Response
- Never fight the framework, never bend the framework: Don't use out of scope access to page definitions and resources. Exception handling is not a replacement for bad code practices (sorry for saying this, its not meant to be rude) :-)
Though I don't have a qualified numbers of bugs open for exception handling in ADF between 11.1.1.4 and now (and some that are open), but there are issues reported in this area. If there is something that really feels wrong, please go ahead and file a bug and provide a test case for development to have a look. The Render Response issue, for example is something we are aware of and that is in discussion (afaik knows, there is a change in exception handling in JSF 2 that may have an impact to what we can do in ADFc).
thanks
Frank