InvokeMethod Activity in Workflow

Introduction: The InvokeMethod activity is another way to implement a code which is outside of the standard built-in activities. You can use this activity to invoke a method of a class. The class does not need to be part of the workflow or use any of the workflow base classes. The InvokeMethod calls a public method of a specified object or type.

InvokeMethod Properties:

• MethodName: Assign the method name to this property.
• TargetObject: When we want to invoke non-static methods, we need first to create an object that contains the method to execute.
• TargetType: When we want to invoke static methods, we specify the type that contains the static method to execute.
• GenericTypeArguments: When we want to invoke a generic method, we specify generic types in this collection.
• Parameters: The parameter collection of the method to be invoked.
• Result: The return value of the method execution.

InvokeMethod Class:

• System.Object.
• System.Activities.Activity.
• System.Activities.AsyncCodeActivity.
• System.Activities.Statements.InvokeMethod.     

Namespace:  System.Activities.Statements.
Assembly:  System.Activities (in System.Activities.dll).

Step 1: Open Visual Studio 2010.

• Go to File->New->Project.
• Select WorkflowConsoleApplication.
  

Define Arguments:

Step 2: Go to the Workflow.xaml file and double-click on the Arguments option.

• Click Create Arguments.
• Give Name, Direction, Arguments Type, Default Value.

Step 3: Drag Activity from Toolbox.

• Sequence, While, Assign activity.

Step 4:  Select Sequence and While activity and create variables.

• Define Name, Variable Type, Scope, Default.

Step 5: Drag Sequence, Assign, InvokeMethod activity inside the body of While activity.

Step 6: Go to properties of InvokeMethod and define MethodName, TargetObject.

Step 7: Define Parameters for InvokeMethod.

Step 8: Go to the Programe.cs file and write the below code.

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Activities;
using System.Activities.Statements;
using System.Activities.Expressions;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ServiceModel.Activities;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;
using System.Collections;
namespace WorkflowConsoleApplication23
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.Write("Enter string: ");
            string reversedString = string.Empty;
            IDictionary<string, object> results = WorkflowInvoker.Invoke(new ReverseStringWorkflow(),
    new Dictionary<string, object>{ {"StringToReverse", stringToReverse } });
    Console.Write("Reversed string: ");
    Console.WriteLine(results["ReversedString"]);
    Console.ReadKey();
}
     }
 }

Creating Workflow using code:

Step 9: Write the code for creation of Workflow.

• Go to Solution Explorer->Add->New Item.
• Select Class.
• Class1.cs file open.

Code: 

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Collections;
using System.Activities;
using System.Activities.Expressions;
using System.Activities.Statements;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Runtime.Serialization;

namespace WorkflowConsoleApplication23
{
     class Class1
    {
        public class ReverseStringWorkflow : Activit
        {
            public InArgument<string> StringToReverse { get; set; }
            public OutArgument<string> ReversedString { get; set; }
            protected override Func<Activity> Implementation
            {
                 get
                {
                    return () =>
                    {
                        Sequence sequence = new Sequence
                        {
                             Variables = new Variable<StringBuilder>("ReverseStringBuilder", new StringBuilder())},
                             Activities = new While
                            {
                                Variables = new Variable<int>("Counter")
                                {
                                    Default = new VisualBasicValue<int>("StringToReverse.Length")
                                    }
                                     },
                                    Condition = new VisualBasicValue<bool>("Counter > 0"),
                                    Body = new Sequence
                                    {
                                        Activities =
                                        {
                                            new Assign
                                            {
                                                To = new OutArgument<int>(new VisualBasicReference<int>("Counter")),
                                                Value = new InArgument<int>(new VisualBasicValue<int>("Counter - 1"))
                                                },
                                                new InvokeMethod
                                                 {
                                                    MethodName = "Append",
                                                    TargetObject = new InArgument<StringBuilder>(new VisualBasicValue<StringBuilder>("ReverseStringBuilder")),
                                                    Parameters =
                                                    {
                                                         new InArgument<char>(new VisualBasicValue<char>("StringToReverse.Chars(Counter)"))
                                                    }
                                                }
                                                }
                                                }
                                                 },
                    new Assign|
                    {
                    To = new OutArgument<string>(new VisualBasicReference<string>("ReversedString")),
                    Value = new InArgument<string>(new VisualBasicValue<string>("ReverseStringBuilder.ToString()"))
                    }
                    }
                };
            return sequence;
            };
        }
     set
    {
     base.Implementation = value;
    }
    }
}

Step 10: Press F5 to run the application.