Working Seamless with Camunda Forms

I've tried to use the a User task with Camunda Forms in the version 7.16 (Platform) and 4.11 (Modeler)

The Camunda Platform runs from a spring boot starter

Here are my findings:

Starting with:

• create a new Camunda form in Camunda Modeler 4.11.
• create a new process with a user task
• select the form tab.
• select a Camunda Form as a type and the enter the form id as form ref. Choose binding latest.

Process could not be deployed due to https://github.com/camunda/camunda-modeler/issues/2484

As a workaround I added the binding latest in the XML.

I've deployed my process definition and started an process instance in the Tasklist.

Now I'm wondering where is the referenced form picked up from?

In the docs at https://docs.camunda.org/manual/7.16/user-guide/task-forms/#form-reference the reference is explained,
but not, where the reference is picked up!

I try it as explained in the release presentation, and deploy the form.

But there is no button in the modeler to deploy a form.

The option to deploy a form together with a process doesn't makes sense, if you already have a process instance running in the spring boot app.

Workaround: Deploy the form with postman or curl or Cockpit (Enterprise Edition).

Now I can see my form in the Tasklist.

But I've found a typo in a label.

I change the form in the modeler and redeploy the form with Postman, curl or Cockpit (EE).

I have created a form with a number field, but I'm able to enter characters without any feedback. If I complete the task, the variable is missing in the cockpit, and no error or warning appears in the logs.

Try someting else

As an alternative I would like to use the app formkey to bind the form to my user task. But the UI of the modeler
offers this option only for embedded or external task forms. This is simply not true, as the docs explain how to build a form key for Camunda forms:
https://docs.camunda.org/manual/7.16/user-guide/task-forms/#form-key

Maybe you should rename the options from the type dropdown to

• none
• Bind with Form Key
• Bind with Form Reference

Open question: Could the form reference also be used with embedded forms?

Final remark

This is just a collection of my first impression. Right now, I could not use the Camunda Forms in the developer trainings, as the developer experience is poor.

Please split this ticket into smaller ones once you agreed how to improve the developer experince.

My suggestions

• fix the modeler bug about the latest binding
• Add a deployment button for forms
• Rename the options for the form type
• Verify if only numbers are entered in the Number field
• Clear the documentation, if an embedded form can be used as a reference as well.