Process Framework: executing task and returning an output (C#)

[vicperdana]

Hi is there any way we can get the value of LocalKernelProcessContext after running startAsync?

In my case, I'd like to be able to get a custom class object that was returned from a step.

Step that I'd like to get the return value from

public class CompletionStep : KernelProcessStep
{
    [KernelFunction]
    public VideoProcessingResponse CompleteProcessing(string transcript, List<Chapter> chapters, string blogPost, string videoPath, Action<VideoProcessingProgress> progressCallback, KernelProcessStepContext context)
    {
        void UpdateProgress(string status, int percentage, string currentOperation = "", string? error = null)
        {
            progressCallback?.Invoke(new VideoProcessingProgress
            {
                Status = status,
                Percentage = percentage,
                CurrentOperation = currentOperation,
                Error = error
            });
        }
        
        UpdateProgress("Completed", 100, "Processing complete");
        
        // Clean up video file
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(videoPath) && File.Exists(videoPath))
        {
            try
            {
                File.Delete(videoPath);
            }
            catch
            {
                // Ignore cleanup errors
            }
        }

        VideoProcessingResponse videoProcessingResponse = new VideoProcessingResponse
        {
            Status = "Completed",
            Transcript = transcript,
            Chapters = chapters,
            BlogPost = blogPost
        };

        context.EmitEventAsync("Completed", videoProcessingResponse);
        
        return videoProcessingResponse; // this is the value I am trying to get. 
    }
}

The executing task

public async Task<VideoProcessingResponse> ProcessVideoAsync(VideoProcessingRequest request){

// Create a new Semantic Kernel process
 #pragma warning disable SKEXP0080
 ProcessBuilder processBuilder = new("VideoProcessingWorkflow");
            
 // Add the processing steps
 var aStep = processBuilder.AddStepFromType<AStep>();
 var bStep = processBuilder.AddStepFromType<BStep>();
 var process = processBuilder.Build();
            
  // Execute the workflow
  var initialResult = await process.StartAsync(_kernel, new KernelProcessEvent{Id = "Start", Data = null});
  var finalState = await initialResult.GetStateAsync();
  var finalCompletion = finalState.ToProcessStateMetadata();
  
  // ====>> this returns NULL
  return (VideoProcessingResponse)finalCompletion.State;
}

[sophialagerkranspandey]

Tagging @alliscode

[vicperdana]

Tried this too but no luck.

[moonbox3]

@vicperdana we connected offline. Are you still blocked?

[vicperdana]

Thanks @moonbox3. Yes it's resolved. For reference, I made the following modifications.

public class CompletionStep : KernelProcessStep<VideoProcessingResponse>
...
var finalCompletion = finalState.ToProcessStateMetadata();
return finalCompletion.StepsState["CompletionStep"].State as VideoProcessingResponse