WDT4vRO: External Tooling for Orchestrator Workflow Documentation (XML -> PNG + HTML)

If you are looking for a tool to generate documentation for VCF Operations Orchestrator workflows with all its bells and whistles , then maybe you are at right place.

I have developed a JavaScript based web tool called WDT4vRO (https://wdt4vro.vercel.app) which is good enough to generate workflow documentation from raw .xml files of the workflows that we can get either from a package or from connected git repo. Another great use-case is analyzing and studying workflows without going inside the Orchestrator tool itself, just extract, upload and consume.

So what exactly is WDT4vRO?

WDT4vRO (Workflow Documentation Tool for VCF Operations Orchestrator) is a visualization and documentation tool that converts XML-based workflow definitions from VMware VCF Operations Orchestrator (formerly known as Aria Automation Orchestrator or vRealize Orchestrator) into intuitive, interactive diagrams. This tool helps teams understand, document, and maintain complex workflows with ease.

Key Features

🎨 Intelligent Visualization

• Automatic Layout: Converts complex XML workflow definitions into clean, readable PNG diagrams
• Color-coded Nodes: Different workflow elements are represented with distinct colors and custom icons which matches the same location of the item as the original workflow schema.
• Interactive Interface: Zoom, pan, and navigate through large workflow diagrams using clickable nodes that link to detailed documentation.

📝 Comprehensive Documentation

• Metadata Extraction: Automatically extracts workflow inputs, outputs, and attributes
• Script Display: Monaco-powered code viewer with syntax highlighting for JavaScript code
• Workflow Item Details: Detailed breakdown of each workflow element with input/output parameters
• Export Capabilities: Download workflows as PNG images or self-contained HTML files

Getting Started

Option 1: Use Online (Instant)

Visit the live webapp at https://wdt4vro.vercel.app to be used instantly.

Option 2: Run Locally (Secure)

git clone https://github.com/imtrinity94/WDT4vRO.git
cd WDT4vRO
python -m http.server 8000
# Open http://localhost:8000 in your browser

git clone https://github.com/imtrinity94/WDT4vRO.git
cd WDT4vRO
python -m http.server 8000
# Open http://localhost:8000 in your browser

How to Get Workflow XML Files

Method 1: From Orchestrator Package

1. In Orchestrator, add your workflows to a package
2. Export the .package file to your computer
3. Rename the file extension from .package to .zip
4. Extract the ZIP file
5. Navigate to the workflow’s folder inside the extracted contents
6. Go to elements folder and open folder named like 66b864a7-c7d9-4807-803a-a08cb6499b70
7. Look for a file named data (no extension) inside this folder
8. Rename this file to data.xml
9. Upload the file using the “Upload Workflow XML” button

Method 2: From GitHub Repository

1. Navigate to your GitHub repository containing Orchestrator workflows
2. Go to Workflow directories
3. Look for files named workflow.xml inside any folder named as workflow name
4. Click on the file to view it
5. Click the Raw button to view the raw XML
6. Right-click and select Save As… to save the file
7. Upload the saved file using the “Upload Workflow XML” button

Use Cases

Documentation

• Create visual documentation for existing workflows
• Generate diagrams for presentations and reports
• Maintain up-to-date workflow documentation

Analysis

• Understand complex workflow logic at a glance
• Identify bottlenecks and optimization opportunities
• Review workflow dependencies and relationships

Collaboration

• Share workflow diagrams with team members
• Use in meetings and discussions
• Export for inclusion in documentation systems