# Run form in the background

## Availability

Since Orbeon Forms 2017.2.

This is an Orbeon Forms PE feature.

## Purpose

The purpose of this service is to run a form definition, either in "new" mode or in "edit" mode, but in the background, optionally running one or more processes in addition to the regular execution of the form.

This allows scenarios such as:

* create new form data in the database
* read, modify and update existing form data 

## Interface

* URLs:
  * `/fr/service/$app/$form/new`
  * `/fr/service/$app/$form/edit/$document`
* Method: `POST`

Optional request body when using `/new`:

* `Content-Type: application/xml`
* XML data to POST to the form, like when [POSTing to the detail page](https://doc.orbeon.com/~/revisions/-LF_uc1WMpa4Sd-n5tDb/configuration/properties/form-runner/detail-page#initial-data-posted-to-the-new-form-page)

When not POSTing any XML data, just POST an empty request body to the service.

Response body:

* `Content-Type: application/xml`
* contains
  * the newly created or existing document id
  * whether all processes were successful

Example response body:

```markup
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
    <document-id>9eff349bfd95aab8d4d5e048bd25a815</document-id>
    <process-success>true</process-success>
</response>
```

## Running processes

The following property controls what process(es) to run:

```
oxf.fr.detail.process.
  after-controls|after-data|before-data.
  background.
  new|edit.
  $app.
  $form
```

where `$app` and `$form` represent a Form Runner application name and/or form name or `*` wildcards, as is usual with Form Runner configuration properties.

The following example saves new instance data to the database when the service is called with `/fr/service/$app/$form/new`:

```markup
<property 
    as="xs:string" 
    name="oxf.fr.detail.process.after-controls.background.new.acme.sales">
    save
</property>
```

The following example updates existing instance data with the current time and saves it to the database when the service is called with `/fr/service/$app/$form//edit/$document`, where `$document` represents an existing form data document id:

```markup
<property 
    as="xs:string" 
    name="oxf.fr.detail.process.after-controls.background.edit.acme.sales">
    xf:setvalue(ref ="//current-time", value = "current-dateTime()") then save
</property>
```

For detail on the process names and more, see [Running processes upon page load ](https://doc.orbeon.com/~/revisions/-LF_uc1WMpa4Sd-n5tDb/configuration/properties/form-runner/detail-page#running-processes-upon-page-load).

## Example: validate form data in the background

The following process allows you to POST XML data to the page:

```markup
<property as="xs:string" name="oxf.fr.detail.process.after-controls.background.new.*.*">
    validate("error")
</property>
```

*NOTE: Make sure you use* `validate("error")` *instead of* `require-valid`*, as the latter always returns a success value.*

## Example: using curl

The following examples use the [curl](https://curl.haxx.se/) command-line utility. They are indented on multiple lines for clarity but in practice each command must be written on a single line.

```
curl
  -v
  -k
  -X POST
  http://localhost:9090/orbeon/fr/service/acme/order/new
```

This runs the `acme/order` form in `new` mode in the background, and runs the configured processes if any.

Here is an example XML response:

```markup
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
    <document-id>eb9a48f2bae8919139c117c3424a3498f71c3d6f</document-id>
    <process-success>true</process-success>
</response>
```

## Permissions

* The caller must either call the service internally or have [authorized the service](https://doc.orbeon.com/~/revisions/-LF_uc1WMpa4Sd-n5tDb/xml-platform/page-flow-controller/authorizing-pages-and-services).
* Appropriate container or permission headers must also be set to allow accessing the form definition and data. &#x20;

## See also

* [Running processes upon page load](https://doc.orbeon.com/~/revisions/-LF_uc1WMpa4Sd-n5tDb/configuration/properties/form-runner/detail-page#running-processes-upon-page-load)