Overview: Using Advanced Navigation

In most cases, following the typical steps for creating a task will allow you to provide all the functionality necessary to access legacy data and run the task in a custom application. At times, however, custom logic may be required to overcome complex navigation problems and gain direct access to host screens, independent of the Services Builder runtime navigation engine.

There are several methods you can use when this becomes a requirement, each with its own advantages. You can use:

• Custom steps. When you use custom steps, you create a step adapter class in your own IDE using the server-side API, and then associate it with the step. This effectively customizes all aspects of the step. The code resides with the task file on the runtime server.

  For information on how to use custom steps, see Using Custom Steps.

• Pin-point customization. Pin-point customization also uses the server-side API. With pin-point customization, you can write script in the designer to customize just the phase of step execution that requires special handling: inputs, outputs, recognition rule, or transition action. The script becomes part of your task.

  For information on how to customize only a portion of your step, see Using Scripts to Replace Portions of Task Steps, Overview.

• Screen Native Access. With Screen Native Access, you use the native access interface, INativeAccessEx, to create custom navigation code. The code resides with your client application.

  For information on using native access, see Using Screen Native Access, Overview.

You can also create shortcuts through your task by inserting new step destinations. This provides an alternative navigation path, which, depending on task input, allows you to bypass recorded screens.

	Designing Tasks, Overview
	Using Custom Steps
	Using Scripts to Replace Portions of Steps, Overview
	Using Screen Native Access, Overview
	Adding New Task Step Destinations