private static class WorkItemInitialization extends WorkItemOperation {
    private String fSummary;
    private ICategoryHandle fCategory;
    private List<AbstractMap.SimpleEntry<String, string>> fAttributes;
    private IProjectArea fProjectArea;
    private IWorkItemClient fWorkItemClient;
    private ITeamRepository fTeamRepository;
    
    public WorkItemInitialization(String summary, ICategoryHandle category, List<AbstractMap.SimpleEntry<String, String>> attributes, IWorkItemClient workItemClient, IProjectArea projectArea, ITeamRepository teamRepo) {
        fSummary = summary;
        fCategory = category;
        fAttributes = attributes;
        fWorkItemClient = workItemClient;
        fProjectArea = projectArea;
        fTeamRepository = teamRepo;
    }		
    
    @Override
    protected void execute(WorkItemWorkingCopy workingCopy, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws TeamRepositoryException {
        IWorkItem workItem = workingCopy.getWorkItem();
        // set summary and category (working)
        workItem.setHTMLSummary(XMLString.createFromPlainText(fSummary));
        workItem.setCategory(fCategory);
        
        // try to set the attributes
        if(fAttributes != null) {
            for(AbstractMap.SimpleEntry<String, String> item : fAttributes) {
                String attributeKey = item.getKey();
                String attributeValue = item.getValue();
                // get attribute definition (only working for the custom attribute)
                IAttribute myAttribute = fWorkItemClient.findAttribute(fProjectArea, attributeKey, monitor);
                if(myAttribute == null) {
                    // the built-in attributes are null here!!!!!
                    printMessage(attributeKey + " is null");
                }
                Object value = null;
                String type = myAttribute.getAttributeType();
                if(type != null) {
                    case "html":
                        value = XMLString.createFromPlainText(attributeValue);
                        break;
                    // other case's removed for better readablity
                    default:
                        value = attributeValue;
                        break;
                    }
                    if(value != null) {
                        workItem.setValue(myAttribute, value);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}