Hi,
If I create a new workflow and publish it, without doing a Save or Save As, will there be a resulting file (.wfi or .wfx) for that newly created and published workflow?
Yes, when you publish workflows, they are saved in the SQL database associated with Workflow. You also need to back up the Workflow volume. See this help page for more information.
Exporting workflows as .WFI does back up the definition and rules, so they can be used to start from scratch with a new database, but they cannot be used to restore any running instances.
You don't need to save a workflow in order to publish it to the Workflow Server. .WFI/.WFX files are used for transferring workflows between servers or saving data locally outside of the WF Server. WFX is the workflow definition without starting rules. A. WFX file is generated when you save a workflow locally. WFI is the workflow definition and its associated starting rules (and it is generated when you export a workflow from the WF Server). A .WFI can include more than one workflow definition (and rules).
So, if you have a bunch of workflows running on the WF server, and do not have any wfi or wfx files, how do you back up your workflows? By backing up the workflow database?
Yes, when you publish workflows, they are saved in the SQL database associated with Workflow. You also need to back up the Workflow volume. See this help page for more information.
Exporting workflows as .WFI does back up the definition and rules, so they can be used to start from scratch with a new database, but they cannot be used to restore any running instances.
Thanks Miruna!