Re: [bpmn2-modeler-dev] New release and Bug Hunt Contest announcement

[Bob Brodt <bbrodt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Andrea,

Thanks for your comments. I'll try to answer these as best I can...

1) As you know, the BPMN 2.0 specification defines four types of diagrams: Process, Collaboration, Choreography and Conversation. Conversations are typically thought of in terms of a Collaboration (essentially messages exchanged between two or more participants) hence the BPMN2 Modeler New File wizard only provides for the first three. The tool palette is restricted by the editor to only those tools that make sense for the type of diagram being worked on. Process diagrams describe processes that are internal to an Organization (or "business entity") and therefore represent a single Pool (a.k.a. "Participant"). It would not make sense to allow creation of another Pool (which would represent a different organization) within the Process diagram. This is what the Collaboration diagram is intended for: each Pool represents a different organization, and the contents of the Pools represent the activities and processes internal to that organization.

If you want to model inter-departmental processes (e.g. sales, manufacturing, warehouse, shipping, etc.) in a Process diagram, you should be using Lanes to represent the various departments.

Whereas Process diagrams are used to model the various activities, decisions and exception handling of a business process, Choreography diagrams focus more on the information ("Messages") exchanged between participants, and the sequencing of these exchanges.

As you have probably already seen, the BPMN2 Modeler is a multipage editor, and allows you to create any number and types of diagrams within the same file.

2) Really? I haven't run into this problem. If you can reproduce this error, please file a bug. Maybe we can arrange a screen sharing session so you can demonstrate the problem you're seeing?

3) OK, I'll take this into consideration. Can you please file an enhancement request at bugzilla?

4) Auto layout is a feature that is already planned for a future release. As you know, BPMN 2.0 defines both a business model as well as a presentation model ("DI" or Diagram Interchange model) and typically a BPMN2 diagram file will contain both of these metadata. This is evident in the Outline Viewer, which offers three types of views: "Business Model", "Diagram Interchange Model" and "Thumbnail".

It is valid, however, to create BPMN2 diagram files that contain ONLY business model data, and the editor handles automatic creation of the presentation model if it is missing, and does a reasonable job of laying out these types of files.

5) A Programmer's Guide as well as a User's Guide are currently in the works. In the meantime, there are several example plug-ins as well as a screencast [1] that demonstrate a lot of the extension features available. I haven't thought about a DnD extension point yet, but please feel free to file an enhancement request in bugzilla.


Regards,
Bob


[1] http://eclipse.org/bpmn2-modeler/videos/CustomTask-Example-part1.htm

----- Original Message -----
> Hi,
> 
> Great News :)
> 
> I've download and play with this release of BPMN Modeler.
> 
> I'm evaluating the porting of our tools ( actually still based on BPMN 1
> modeler ) to the BPMN2 Modeler.
> 
> I've some question doubt, that i want to share.
> 
> 1) I've not clear how the palette is configured according to the wizard used
> to create the BPMN diagram.
> 
> For example i've notice that if i use the "New Generic BPMN2 Diagram"
> and then i choose
> "Process" ( in the dialog box ) i'm not able to add Pools on the diagram
> beacuse they're not present.
> Instead if i choose "Collaboration" i'am able to add Pools.
> 
> In my opinion does not really make sense the disticntion between
> "Process" and "Collaboration"
> on the wizard. Instead the distinction between Collaboration and
> Coreography make sense :).
> 
> 2) When i try to use more than one lanes on a single Pool, the editor
> does not look
> like as i expected, and i'm not able to place tasks in lanes inside a Pool.
> Is this a known bug??? I think it's perfectly legal to use multiple
> lanes within "Pools"
> Any Thought???
> 
> 3) I like very much, the option to use "Manhattan Style" connection
> routers. By the way i think
> this should be the "default".
> 
> 4) Is there a mechanism to autolayout a BPMN2 file not created with the
> BPMN2 Modeler??
> A useful requirements is to open with the modeler bpmn2 file not created
> with then BPMN2 Modeler.
> 
> 5) The last question, is more from developer point fo view. I'm
> interested to know if
> there is some documentation about the mechanism to extend and customize
> the editor.
> In particular i'm interested in
> 
> 5.1) Mechanism to personalize Palette Behaviour ( I see there's another
> wizard related to JBPM that
> provide something like these but it's not clear to me how it's working )
> 
> 5.2) Mechanism to define runtimes and integrate into the editor
> 
> 5.3) I there a way to perform some DnD on the editor ( Actually i'm
> using a lot some
> features of BPMN 1 Editor ) that defines extension points, to customize
> DnD operations enabling the
> underlying EMF model to be annotated with EAnnotation
> 
> 
> Just my two cents...
> 
> Andrea Zoppello
> 
> Il 30/08/2013 20:48, Bob Brodt ha scritto:
> > Hi y'all!
> >
> > Version 0.2.7 of the BPMN2 Modeler is now available. Please see the What's
> > New Page [1] for more information.
> >
> > The BPMN2 Modeler project has been in development for over a year now and
> > this will be the last version during the incubation stage before what we
> > hope will be a 1.0 graduation release.
> >
> > The push for "zarro boogs found" is on and we're counting on you, the user
> > community, to help us find the last few remaining bugs. Of course, you
> > will be rewarded for your efforts in more ways than just the simple
> > satisfaction of knowing you have contributed to the project to help make
> > it the best BPMN 2.0 design tool available. Please see the contest rules
> > on Zarroboogsfound.com for details.
> >
> > Thanks to everyone in the eclipse user community for your help!
> >
> > "The management"
> >
> > [1] http://eclipse.org/bpmn2-modeler/whatsnew/whatsnew-0.2.7.php
> > _______________________________________________
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> > bpmn2-modeler-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > https://dev.eclipse.org/mailman/listinfo/bpmn2-modeler-dev
> >
> >
> 
> 
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