Hi,
I’m running Flowable-Task on debug mode. Using the flowable/docker container. But the variable section does not show the variables until the process is completed.
Any help is appreciated.
Hi,
I am not using docker image but the behavior should be the same. Could you share your process instance and some screenshots please?
Regards
Martin
Hi Martin,
Sorry for the delay. Seems this issue happens to only some of the process flows. Simple flows still shows the variables in debug mode. And I’m not able to share those flows with the bug due to confidentiality. Any other ways to find the cause of this?
Thank you.
Could you prepare process models with the mentioned issue?
My guess is that you’re expecting to see variables populate while a longer running service task or perhaps a series of HTTP tasks are executing. Debug mode or not, Task cannot display variables until the process hits a wait state. This is because the changes are isolated in a transaction that has not completed yet.
You can read more about wait states here:
https://blog.flowable.org/2018/07/03/demystifying-the-asynchronous-flag/
When the break point is set on a task, it creates a wait state. That’s why transaction is already finished.
I would not say it is the case. The only possibility is that no break point is set. 
Do you have a blog post or instructions on setting breakpoints? This is a topic I’d like to read more on.
Process debugger:
https://blog.flowable.org/2018/05/30/process-debugger/
cmmn debugger:
If you want to read more visit
There are more blogs about it.
I currently don’t have shareable process models. Will share if I come across the issue with a test model. I’m still facing this issue on our business flows. Unfortunately not able to share.
I get the following error whenever I click Show Diagram (Debug Mode) in Flowable Task and when it does not show the variables. Does it help to identify the cause?
flowable-task | 2020-02-20 04:41:31.499 ERROR 1 --- [io-9999-exec-10] o.a.c.c.C.[.[.[.[dispatcherServlet] : Servlet.service() for servlet [dispatcherServlet] in context with path [/flowable-task] threw exception [Request processing failed; nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException] with root cause
flowable-task |
flowable-task | java.lang.NullPointerException: null
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.util.CommandContextUtil.getByteArrayEntityManager(CommandContextUtil.java:63) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.util.CommandContextUtil.getByteArrayEntityManager(CommandContextUtil.java:59) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableByteArrayRef.ensureInitialized(VariableByteArrayRef.java:99) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableByteArrayRef.getBytes(VariableByteArrayRef.java:52) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntityImpl.getBytes(VariableInstanceEntityImpl.java:107) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.types.ByteArrayType.getValue(ByteArrayType.java:39) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.types.SerializableType.getValue(SerializableType.java:62) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntityImpl.getValue(VariableInstanceEntityImpl.java:132) ~[flowable-variable-service-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.ui.task.service.debugger.DebuggerRestVariable.<init>(DebuggerRestVariable.java:41) ~[flowable-ui-task-logic-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$3$1.accept(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.HashMap$ValueSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.ReduceOps$ReduceOp.evaluateSequential(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.evaluate(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline.collect(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.ui.task.service.debugger.DebuggerService.getExecutionVariables(DebuggerService.java:154) ~[flowable-ui-task-logic-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.ui.task.rest.runtime.DebuggerResource.getExecutionVariables(DebuggerResource.java:82) ~[flowable-ui-task-rest-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.doInvoke(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:190) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:138) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:106) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:888) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:793) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:87) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:1040) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:943) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:1006) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:898) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:634) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:883) ~[spring-webmvc-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:741) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:231) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.tomcat.websocket.server.WsFilter.doFilter(WsFilter.java:53) ~[tomcat-embed-websocket-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:113) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:320) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:126) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:90) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:118) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:137) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:111) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:158) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:63) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.flowable.ui.common.filter.FlowableCookieFilter.doFilterInternal(FlowableCookieFilter.java:169) ~[flowable-ui-common-6.5.0.jar!/:6.5.0]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:116) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doHeadersAfter(HeaderWriterFilter.java:92) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:77) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:105) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:56) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:334) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:215) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:178) ~[spring-security-web-5.2.1.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.1.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:358) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:271) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.RequestContextFilter.doFilterInternal(RequestContextFilter.java:100) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.FormContentFilter.doFilterInternal(FormContentFilter.java:93) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.boot.actuate.metrics.web.servlet.WebMvcMetricsFilter.doFilterInternal(WebMvcMetricsFilter.java:108) ~[spring-boot-actuator-2.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:2.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.CharacterEncodingFilter.doFilterInternal(CharacterEncodingFilter.java:201) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:119) ~[spring-web-5.2.2.RELEASE.jar!/:5.2.2.RELEASE]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:193) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:166) ~[tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:202) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:96) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:526) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:139) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:92) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:74) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:343) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.service(Http11Processor.java:367) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProcessorLight.process(AbstractProcessorLight.java:65) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.coyote.AbstractProtocol$ConnectionHandler.process(AbstractProtocol.java:860) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.NioEndpoint$SocketProcessor.doRun(NioEndpoint.java:1591) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.SocketProcessorBase.run(SocketProcessorBase.java:49) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source) [?:?]
flowable-task | at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source) [?:?]
flowable-task | at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.TaskThread$WrappingRunnable.run(TaskThread.java:61) [tomcat-embed-core-9.0.29.jar!/:9.0.29]
flowable-task | at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) [?:?]