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models reuse [message #948221] Wed, 17 October 2012 17:45 Go to next message
Andrea Sindico is currently offline Andrea Sindico
Messages: 257
Registered: November 2010
Senior Member
I have a bpmn model describing a process. I'd like to create another bpmn model which refers to that (external) process as a sub-process. What is the right way to do that? I am trying to load external resources to the container model and drag the imported resources to its diagram (when modeling in UML this works) but I can not actually do that from the BPMN 2 Modeler Outline

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Re: models reuse [message #948988 is a reply to message #948221] Thu, 18 October 2012 11:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Robert Brodt is currently offline Robert Brodt
Messages: 343
Registered: August 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Senior Member
Hi Andrea,

In BPMN2 this is done with a Call Activity; a SubProcess refers to activities defined in the same physical file as the parent Process, Call Activities can refer to Processes defined in the same file or externally. To make an external Process visible, the file must be imported first (from the Imports list in the calling Process' Definitions property tab).

If you are targeting the jBPM runtime engine, there is no need to import the external Process file - simply enter the called Process' ID in the Call Activity's "Called Activity" property. The jBPM runtime will resolve IDs at runtime. If the called Process is not available, the engine will throw a runtime exception.

HTH
Bob

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Re: models reuse [message #948989 is a reply to message #948988] Thu, 18 October 2012 11:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Robert Brodt is currently offline Robert Brodt
Messages: 343
Registered: August 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Senior Member
I forgot to mention that DND of a bpmn file into the editor is not yet implemented. Please create a bugzilla (here: https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/enter_bug.cgi?product=BPMN2Modeler) to request this enhancement.

[Updated on: Thu, 18 October 2012 11:22]

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Re: models reuse [message #949724 is a reply to message #948221] Fri, 19 October 2012 04:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Andrea Sindico is currently offline Andrea Sindico
Messages: 257
Registered: November 2010
Senior Member
Hi Robert,
thanks for your kind help. I am trying to do what you suggested but I guess I am doing something wrong.
I am trying to add a reference to the improted model in the import section under the Definitions tab. However the only things it allows me to import are java types (not other bpmn models). Plus it takes a long time to interpret the URL I write and sometimes it crashes. Also I can not find in the CallActivity tabs in the diagram where to put the reference to an imported activity.

I instead managed to to that by means of the BPMN Model Editor where I managed to load the process to import as an external resource, I created a CallActivity and set its CalledElementRef property in order to point at the imported activity. Such things are however not reported (or at least I can't see where) in the digram.

I'd like to understand the right way to do that from the diagram

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Re: models reuse [message #957882 is a reply to message #949724] Thu, 25 October 2012 11:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Andrea Sindico is currently offline Andrea Sindico
Messages: 257
Registered: November 2010
Senior Member
any further suggestions?

Follow me on Twitter @andreasindico

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Re: models reuse [message #958471 is a reply to message #957882] Thu, 25 October 2012 22:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Robert Brodt is currently offline Robert Brodt
Messages: 343
Registered: August 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Senior Member
Hi Andrea,

I just had a long conversation with one of the developers on the jBPM team and it looks like the eclipse BPMN2 Modeler does not implement a CallActivity in the way that the jBPM engine expects. There are a few implementation details that are not being handled correctly - sorry for the confusion.

We should have this sorted out in the next service release, due sometime at the end of next month.

Bob

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Re: models reuse [message #997126 is a reply to message #958471] Thu, 03 January 2013 15:28 Go to previous message
Andrea Sindico is currently offline Andrea Sindico
Messages: 257
Registered: November 2010
Senior Member
I guess you fixed it because it works now.
Thank you !

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