Introducing the Designer tab

When Task Assistant Manager for Designer is installed, the Task Assistant window is configured to create and edit task assistant workflows. This is achieved through the Designer tab. Use the Designer tab to create and configure steps.

Step configuration includes naming the step and choosing the node style, in addition to configuring the step to perform a task such as enabling a tool or making a layer visible. Although it may be possible to configure a parent step to perform in a similar manner, this step is not typically used to execute any processes.

Step configuration, for the highlighted step in the Task Assistant window, is defined on the Designer tab. You can obtain all the configuration information for a step by holding the SHIFT key while clicking a step.

Note:

The step will not execute while the SHIFT key is depressed.

The Designer tab consists of the following configurable settings:

• Node style—The style that represents the step. You have the ability to add and modify custom node styles. Styles allow you to assign icons to steps or alter the font color, bold, or italics settings of the step text.

  To learn more about using the Style Manager, see Style Manager.

• There are a number of default node styles:

  Icon	Node style	Function
  	Root	Default icon for a workflow node
  	Parent	Default icon for a container or parent node
  	Task	Default icon for a task node or step
  	Help	Root, parent, or task node that indicates that the steps or series of substeps is an informational step and typically does not execute any functionality
  	Mandatory	Root, parent, or task node that indicates that the steps or series of substeps are required Note: The Mandatory node style does NOT ensure the step must be executed. It is only a visual indicator to the user.
  	Warning	Root, parent, or task node that indicates that the steps or series of substeps impart some type of warning message to the user. Note: The Warning node style is used by Task Assistant Manager on Open Workflow as a visual indicator to the user and designer that configuration settings in the root, parent, or task nodes conflict with ArcGIS 10 configuration settings and need modification.
  	Information	Root, parent, or task node that indicates that the steps or series of substeps is an informational step and typically does not execute any functionality

  Node style icons
• Description—Information that can help another user understand the purpose and function of this step. You can enter information such as what occurs when the step is clicked or what occurs after a step is executed. With the Description Editor, you can format the text font/bold/italics and colors. The entry in the Description field is displayed on the Help tab.
• Name—The step name displayed in the Task Assistant window.
• Commands—Allows you to associate ArcMap or custom commands with the step. When you associate multiple commands with a single step, commands are executed from top to bottom, in the order in which they appear in the Selected Commands area of the Command Item Editor dialog box. You can change the execution order by highlighting a command in the Selected Commands area and using the up and down arrows in the Command Item Editor dialog box to move the command in the list.

  Task Assistant Manager also allows you to specify parameters for commands. This option is available through the Designer tab, on the Command Item Editor dialog box. This is particularly useful for custom commands that are configured to receive parameters. Note that ArcMap commands cannot receive parameters and will ignore any specified parameters. Custom commands that are not implemented to receive parameters will also ignore any specified parameters. For more information about commands, see Adding custom commands with parameters.

• Data frame—Allows you to specify the active data frame.
• Feature Template—Allows you to set the templates and construction tools to perform edits. The feature templates are used for steps that will be executed during an edit session.
• Geoprocessing—Allows you to associate ArcMap or custom geoprocessing scripts with a task assistant workflow step. When you associate multiple geoprocessing tools within a single step, tools are executed from top to bottom in the order in which they appear in the Selected Geoprocessing Items area of the Geoprocessing Item Editor dialog box. You can change the execution order by highlighting a tool in the Selected Geoprocessing Items area and using the up and down arrows in the Geoprocessing Item Editor dialog box to move the tool in the list.
• Layers—Allows you to configure layer settings for steps. Layer configuration includes table of contents properties (visibility and selectability).
• Snapping—Allows you to specify snapping properties for steps that will be executed during an edit session.