ALF-20190, ALF-20178 fixes for workflow rest api

git-svn-id: https://svn.alfresco.com/repos/alfresco-enterprise/alfresco/HEAD/root@56272 c4b6b30b-aa2e-2d43-bbcb-ca4b014f7261

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/DeploymentsImpl.java

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ public class DeploymentsImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Deployments
         
         query.orderByDeploymenTime().desc();
         List<org.activiti.engine.repository.Deployment> deployments = query.listPage(paging.getSkipCount(), paging.getMaxItems());
+        int totalCount = (int) query.count();
 
         List<Deployment> page = new ArrayList<Deployment>(deployments.size());
         for (org.activiti.engine.repository.Deployment deployment: deployments) 
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ public class DeploymentsImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Deployments
             page.add(new Deployment(deployment));
         }
           
-        return CollectionWithPagingInfo.asPaged(paging, page, false, page.size());
+        return CollectionWithPagingInfo.asPaged(paging, page, page.size() != totalCount, totalCount);
     }
     
     @Override

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/ProcessDefinitionsImpl.java

@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ public class ProcessDefinitionsImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements ProcessD
         
         List<org.activiti.engine.repository.ProcessDefinition> processDefinitions = 
                 query.listPage(parameters.getPaging().getSkipCount(), parameters.getPaging().getMaxItems());
+        int totalCount = (int) query.count();
 
         List<ProcessDefinition> page = new ArrayList<ProcessDefinition>(processDefinitions.size());
         for (org.activiti.engine.repository.ProcessDefinition processDefinition: processDefinitions) 
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ public class ProcessDefinitionsImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements ProcessD
             page.add(createProcessDefinitionRest((ProcessDefinitionEntity) processDefinition));
         }
         
-        return CollectionWithPagingInfo.asPaged(parameters.getPaging(), page, false, page.size());
+        return CollectionWithPagingInfo.asPaged(parameters.getPaging(), page, page.size() != totalCount, totalCount);
     }
 
     @Override

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/ProcessesImpl.java

@@ -607,74 +607,7 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
                         if (taskAssociations.containsKey(propNameMap.get(variableName)))
                         {
                             AssociationDefinition associationDef = taskAssociations.get(propNameMap.get(variableName));
-                            if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_PERSON.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
-                            {
-                                if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
-                                {
-                                    if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
-                                    {
-                                        List<NodeRef> personList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
-                                        List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
-                                        for (Object value : values)
-                                        {
-                                            NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(value.toString());
-                                            if (personRef == null)
-                                            {
-                                                throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
-                                            }
-                                            personList.add(personRef);
-                                        }
-                                        variableValue = personList;
-                                    }
-                                    else
-                                    {
-                                        throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
-                                    }
-                                }
-                                else
-                                {
-                                    NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
-                                    if (personRef == null)
-                                    {
-                                        throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
-                                    }
-                                    variableValue = personRef;
-                                }
-                            }
-                            else if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_AUTHORITY_CONTAINER.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
-                            {
-                                if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
-                                {
-                                    if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
-                                    {
-                                        List<NodeRef> authorityList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
-                                        List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
-                                        for (Object value : values)
-                                        {
-                                            NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(value.toString());
-                                            if (authorityRef == null)
-                                            {
-                                                throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
-                                            }
-                                            authorityList.add(authorityRef);
-                                        }
-                                        variableValue = authorityList;
-                                    }
-                                    else
-                                    {
-                                        throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
-                                    }
-                                }
-                                else
-                                {
-                                    NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
-                                    if (authorityRef == null)
-                                    {
-                                        throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
-                                    }
-                                    variableValue = authorityRef;
-                                }
-                            }
+                            variableValue = convertAssociationDefinitionValue(associationDef, variableName, variableValue);
                         }
                         else if (taskProperties.containsKey(propNameMap.get(variableName)))
                         {
@@ -921,7 +854,7 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
             throw new EntityNotFoundException(processId);
         }
         
-        return updateVariableInProcess(processId, variable);
+        return updateVariableInProcess(processId, processInstance.getProcessDefinitionId(), variable);
     }
     
     @Override
@@ -944,21 +877,45 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
         {
             for (Variable variable : variables)
             {
-                updatedVariables.add(updateVariableInProcess(processId, variable));
+                updatedVariables.add(updateVariableInProcess(processId, processInstance.getProcessDefinitionId(), variable));
             }
         }
         return updatedVariables;
     }
     
-    protected Variable updateVariableInProcess(String processId,Variable variable)
+    protected Variable updateVariableInProcess(String processId, String processDefinitionId, Variable variable)
     {
         if (variable.getName() == null)
         {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException("Variable name is required.");
         }
         
+        // Get start-task definition for explicit typing of variables submitted at the start
+        String formKey = null;
+        StartFormData startFormData = activitiProcessEngine.getFormService().getStartFormData(processDefinitionId);
+        if (startFormData != null)
+        {
+            formKey = startFormData.getFormKey();
+        }
+        
         DataTypeDefinition dataTypeDefinition = null;
-        if(variable.getType() != null)
+        
+        TypeDefinition startTaskTypeDefinition = getWorkflowFactory().getTaskFullTypeDefinition(formKey, true);
+        TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(startTaskTypeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
+        if (context.getPropertyDefinition(variable.getName()) != null) 
+        {
+            dataTypeDefinition = context.getPropertyDefinition(variable.getName()).getDataType();
+            if (variable.getType() != null && dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService).equals(variable.getType()) == false) {
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException("type of variable " + variable.getName() + " should be " + 
+                        dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService));
+            }
+        }
+        else if (context.getAssociationDefinition(variable.getName()) != null) 
+        {
+            dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(DataTypeDefinition.NODE_REF);
+        }
+        
+        if (dataTypeDefinition == null && variable.getType() != null)
         {
             try
             {
@@ -970,13 +927,13 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
                 throw new InvalidArgumentException("Unsupported type of variable: '" + variable.getType() +"'.");
             }
         } 
-        else
+        else if (dataTypeDefinition == null)
         {
             // Fallback to raw value when no type has been passed and not present in model
             dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(restVariableHelper.extractTypeFromValue(variable.getValue()));
         }
         
-        if(dataTypeDefinition == null)
+        if (dataTypeDefinition == null)
         {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException("Unsupported type of variable: '" + variable.getType() +"'.");
         }
@@ -989,7 +946,15 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
         }
         else
         {
-            actualValue = DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(dataTypeDefinition, variable.getValue());
+            if (context.getAssociationDefinition(variable.getName()) != null)
+            {
+                actualValue = convertAssociationDefinitionValue(context.getAssociationDefinition(variable.getName()), 
+                        variable.getName(), variable.getValue());
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                actualValue = DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(dataTypeDefinition, variable.getValue());
+            }
         }
         variable.setValue(actualValue);
         
@@ -1066,6 +1031,79 @@ public class ProcessesImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Processes
         }
     }
     
+    protected Object convertAssociationDefinitionValue(AssociationDefinition associationDef, String variableName, Object variableValue) 
+    {
+        if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_PERSON.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
+        {
+            if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
+            {
+                if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
+                {
+                    List<NodeRef> personList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
+                    List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
+                    for (Object value : values)
+                    {
+                        NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(value.toString());
+                        if (personRef == null)
+                        {
+                            throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
+                        }
+                        personList.add(personRef);
+                    }
+                    variableValue = personList;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
+                if (personRef == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
+                }
+                variableValue = personRef;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_AUTHORITY_CONTAINER.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
+        {
+            if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
+            {
+                if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
+                {
+                    List<NodeRef> authorityList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
+                    List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
+                    for (Object value : values)
+                    {
+                        NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(value.toString());
+                        if (authorityRef == null)
+                        {
+                            throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
+                        }
+                        authorityList.add(authorityRef);
+                    }
+                    variableValue = authorityList;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
+                if (authorityRef == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
+                }
+                variableValue = authorityRef;
+            }
+        }
+        return variableValue;
+    }
+    
     protected String getProcessDefinitionKey(String paramProcessDefinitionKey)
     {
         String processDefinitionKey = null;

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/RestVariableHelper.java

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Date;
-import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -94,13 +93,13 @@ public class RestVariableHelper
         List<TaskVariable> result = new ArrayList<TaskVariable>();
         if (localVariables != null && localVariables.size() > 0) 
         {
-            TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(taskTypeDefinition);
+            TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(taskTypeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
             addTaskVariables(result, localVariables, context, VariableScope.LOCAL);
         }
         
         if (globalVariables != null && globalVariables.size() > 0) 
         {
-            TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(startFormTypeDefinition);
+            TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(startFormTypeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
             addTaskVariables(result, globalVariables, context, VariableScope.GLOBAL);
         }
         
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ public class RestVariableHelper
     public List<Variable> getVariables(Map<String, Object> variables, TypeDefinition typeDefinition)
     {
         List<Variable> result = new ArrayList<Variable>();
-        TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(typeDefinition);
+        TypeDefinitionContext context = new TypeDefinitionContext(typeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
         
         Variable variable = null;
         for(Entry<String, Object> entry : variables.entrySet()) 
@@ -372,40 +371,4 @@ public class RestVariableHelper
        QName type = extractTypeFromValue(value);
        return type.toPrefixString(namespaceService);
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Helper contxt class used when checking variable types based on {@link TypeDefinition}. 
-     *
-     * @author Frederik Heremans
-     */
-    private class TypeDefinitionContext {
-        private Map<String, PropertyDefinition> propertyDefinitions;
-        private Map<String, AssociationDefinition> associationDefinitions;
-
-        public TypeDefinitionContext(TypeDefinition typeDefinition)
-        {
-            propertyDefinitions = new HashMap<String, PropertyDefinition>();
-            associationDefinitions = new HashMap<String, AssociationDefinition>();
-            
-            for (Entry<QName, PropertyDefinition> entry : typeDefinition.getProperties().entrySet())
-            {
-                propertyDefinitions.put(getQNameConverter().mapQNameToName(entry.getKey()), entry.getValue());
-            }
-            
-            for (Entry<QName, AssociationDefinition> entry : typeDefinition.getAssociations().entrySet())
-            {
-                associationDefinitions.put(getQNameConverter().mapQNameToName(entry.getKey()), entry.getValue());
-            }
-        }
-        
-        public PropertyDefinition getPropertyDefinition(String rawVariableName) 
-        {
-            return propertyDefinitions.get(rawVariableName);
-        }
-        
-        public AssociationDefinition getAssociationDefinition(String rawVariableName)
-        {
-            return associationDefinitions.get(rawVariableName);
-        }
-    }
 }

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/TasksImpl.java

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import org.activiti.engine.task.DelegationState;
 import org.activiti.engine.task.IdentityLink;
 import org.activiti.engine.task.IdentityLinkType;
 import org.activiti.engine.task.TaskQuery;
+import org.alfresco.model.ContentModel;
 import org.alfresco.repo.i18n.MessageService;
 import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationUtil;
 import org.alfresco.repo.tenant.TenantUtil;
@@ -65,10 +66,11 @@ import org.alfresco.rest.workflow.api.model.TaskVariable;
 import org.alfresco.rest.workflow.api.model.VariableScope;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.AssociationDefinition;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.DataTypeDefinition;
-import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.PropertyDefinition;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.TypeDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.NodeRef;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.datatype.DefaultTypeConverter;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.AuthorityType;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.security.PersonService;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.InvalidQNameException;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 import org.alfresco.util.ISO8601DateFormat;
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
     private WorkflowObjectFactory workflowFactory;
     private WorkflowQNameConverter qNameConverter;
     private MessageService messageService;
+    private PersonService personService;
     
     public void setRestVariableHelper(RestVariableHelper restVariableHelper)
     {
@@ -134,6 +137,11 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
         this.messageService = messageService;
     }
     
+    public void setPersonService(PersonService personService)
+    {
+        this.personService = personService;
+    }
+    
     @Override
     public CollectionWithPagingInfo<Task> getTasks(Parameters parameters)
     {
@@ -1054,9 +1062,63 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
         {
             throw new InvalidArgumentException("Variable scope is required and can only be 'local' or 'global'.");
         }
-
+        
         DataTypeDefinition dataTypeDefinition = null;
-        if (taskVariable.getType() != null)
+        TypeDefinitionContext context = null;
+        if (taskVariable.getVariableScope() == VariableScope.GLOBAL)
+        {
+            // Get start-task definition for explicit typing of variables submitted at the start
+            String formKey = null;
+            StartFormData startFormData = activitiProcessEngine.getFormService().getStartFormData(taskInstance.getProcessDefinitionId());
+            if (startFormData != null)
+            {
+                formKey = startFormData.getFormKey();
+            }
+            
+            TypeDefinition startTaskTypeDefinition = getWorkflowFactory().getTaskFullTypeDefinition(formKey, true);
+            context = new TypeDefinitionContext(startTaskTypeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
+            if (context.getPropertyDefinition(taskVariable.getName()) != null) 
+            {
+                dataTypeDefinition = context.getPropertyDefinition(taskVariable.getName()).getDataType();
+                if (taskVariable.getType() != null && dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService).equals(taskVariable.getType()) == false) {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException("type of variable " + taskVariable.getName() + " should be " + 
+                            dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService));
+                }
+            }
+            else if (context.getAssociationDefinition(taskVariable.getName()) != null) 
+            {
+                dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(DataTypeDefinition.NODE_REF);
+            }
+        } 
+        else
+        {
+            // Revert to either the content-model type or the raw type provided by the request
+            try 
+            {
+                String formKey = activitiProcessEngine.getFormService().getTaskFormKey(taskInstance.getProcessDefinitionId(), taskInstance.getTaskDefinitionKey());
+                TypeDefinition typeDefinition = getWorkflowFactory().getTaskFullTypeDefinition(formKey, false);
+                context = new TypeDefinitionContext(typeDefinition, getQNameConverter());
+                if (context.getPropertyDefinition(taskVariable.getName()) != null) 
+                {
+                    dataTypeDefinition = context.getPropertyDefinition(taskVariable.getName()).getDataType();
+                    if (taskVariable.getType() != null && dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService).equals(taskVariable.getType()) == false) {
+                        throw new InvalidArgumentException("type of variable " + taskVariable.getName() + " should be " + 
+                                dataTypeDefinition.getName().toPrefixString(namespaceService));
+                    }
+                }
+                else if (context.getAssociationDefinition(taskVariable.getName()) != null) 
+                {
+                    dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(DataTypeDefinition.NODE_REF);
+                }
+            }
+            catch (InvalidQNameException ignore)
+            {
+                // In case the property is not part of the model, it's possible that the property-name is not a valid.
+                // This can be ignored safeley as it falls back to the raw type
+            }
+        }
+        
+        if (dataTypeDefinition == null && taskVariable.getType() != null)
         {
             try
             {
@@ -1067,41 +1129,11 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
             {
                 throw new InvalidArgumentException("Unsupported type of variable: '" + taskVariable.getType() +"'.");
             }
-        } 
-        else
+        }
+        else if (dataTypeDefinition == null)
         {
-            // Revert to either the content-model type or the raw type provided by the request
-            try 
-            {
-                String formKey = activitiProcessEngine.getFormService().getTaskFormKey(taskInstance.getProcessDefinitionId(), taskInstance.getTaskDefinitionKey());
-                TypeDefinition typeDefinition = getWorkflowFactory().getTaskFullTypeDefinition(formKey, false);
-                QName propQName = WorkflowQNameConverter.convertNameToQName(taskVariable.getName(), namespaceService);
-                
-                PropertyDefinition propDef = typeDefinition.getProperties().get(propQName);
-                if (propDef != null)
-                {
-                    dataTypeDefinition = propDef.getDataType();
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    AssociationDefinition assocDef = typeDefinition.getAssociations().get(propQName);
-                    if(assocDef != null)
-                    {
-                        dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(DataTypeDefinition.NODE_REF);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-            catch (InvalidQNameException ignore)
-            {
-                // In case the property is not part of the model, it's possible that the property-name is not a valid.
-                // This can be ignored safeley as it falls back to the raw type
-            }
-            
-            if (dataTypeDefinition == null)
-            {
-                // Final fallback to raw value when no type has been passed and not present in model
-                dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(restVariableHelper.extractTypeFromValue(taskVariable.getValue()));
-            }
+            // Final fallback to raw value when no type has been passed and not present in model
+            dataTypeDefinition = dictionaryService.getDataType(restVariableHelper.extractTypeFromValue(taskVariable.getValue()));
         }
         
         if (dataTypeDefinition == null)
@@ -1117,7 +1149,15 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
         }
         else
         {
-            actualValue = DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(dataTypeDefinition, taskVariable.getValue());
+            if (context != null && context.getAssociationDefinition(taskVariable.getName()) != null)
+            {
+                actualValue = convertAssociationDefinitionValue(context.getAssociationDefinition(taskVariable.getName()), 
+                        taskVariable.getName(), taskVariable.getValue());
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                actualValue = DefaultTypeConverter.INSTANCE.convert(dataTypeDefinition, taskVariable.getValue());
+            }
         }
         
         taskVariable.setValue(actualValue);
@@ -1556,6 +1596,92 @@ public class TasksImpl extends WorkflowRestImpl implements Tasks
         }
     }
     
+    protected Object convertAssociationDefinitionValue(AssociationDefinition associationDef, String variableName, Object variableValue) 
+    {
+        if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_PERSON.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
+        {
+            if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
+            {
+                if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
+                {
+                    List<NodeRef> personList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
+                    List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
+                    for (Object value : values)
+                    {
+                        NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(value.toString());
+                        if (personRef == null)
+                        {
+                            throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
+                        }
+                        personList.add(personRef);
+                    }
+                    variableValue = personList;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                NodeRef personRef = getPersonNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
+                if (personRef == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid person user id");
+                }
+                variableValue = personRef;
+            }
+        }
+        else if (variableValue != null && ContentModel.TYPE_AUTHORITY_CONTAINER.equals(associationDef.getTargetClass().getName()))
+        {
+            if (associationDef.isTargetMany())
+            {
+                if (variableValue instanceof List<?>)
+                {
+                    List<NodeRef> authorityList = new ArrayList<NodeRef>();
+                    List<?> values = (List<?>) variableValue;
+                    for (Object value : values)
+                    {
+                        NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(value.toString());
+                        if (authorityRef == null)
+                        {
+                            throw new InvalidArgumentException(value.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
+                        }
+                        authorityList.add(authorityRef);
+                    }
+                    variableValue = authorityList;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableName + " should have an array value");
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                NodeRef authorityRef = authorityService.getAuthorityNodeRef(variableValue.toString());
+                if (authorityRef == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException(variableValue.toString() + " is not a valid authority id");
+                }
+                variableValue = authorityRef;
+            }
+        }
+        return variableValue;
+    }
+    
+    protected NodeRef getPersonNodeRef(String name)
+    {
+        NodeRef authority = null;
+        if (name != null)
+        {
+            if (personService.personExists(name))
+            {
+                authority = personService.getPerson(name);
+            }
+        }
+        return authority;
+    }
+    
     protected WorkflowQNameConverter getQNameConverter()
     {
         if (qNameConverter == null)

source/java/org/alfresco/rest/workflow/api/impl/TypeDefinitionContext.java

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package org.alfresco.rest.workflow.api.impl;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Map.Entry;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.workflow.WorkflowQNameConverter;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.AssociationDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.PropertyDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.TypeDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
+
+/**
+ * Helper contxt class used when checking variable types based on {@link TypeDefinition}. 
+ *
+ * @author Frederik Heremans
+ */
+public class TypeDefinitionContext {
+    
+    private Map<String, PropertyDefinition> propertyDefinitions;
+    private Map<String, AssociationDefinition> associationDefinitions;
+
+    public TypeDefinitionContext(TypeDefinition typeDefinition, WorkflowQNameConverter qNameConverter)
+    {
+        propertyDefinitions = new HashMap<String, PropertyDefinition>();
+        associationDefinitions = new HashMap<String, AssociationDefinition>();
+        
+        for (Entry<QName, PropertyDefinition> entry : typeDefinition.getProperties().entrySet())
+        {
+            propertyDefinitions.put(qNameConverter.mapQNameToName(entry.getKey()), entry.getValue());
+        }
+        
+        for (Entry<QName, AssociationDefinition> entry : typeDefinition.getAssociations().entrySet())
+        {
+            associationDefinitions.put(qNameConverter.mapQNameToName(entry.getKey()), entry.getValue());
+        }
+    }
+    
+    public PropertyDefinition getPropertyDefinition(String rawVariableName) 
+    {
+        return propertyDefinitions.get(rawVariableName);
+    }
+    
+    public AssociationDefinition getAssociationDefinition(String rawVariableName)
+    {
+        return associationDefinitions.get(rawVariableName);
+    }
+}