[news.eclipse.technology.jwt] Re: [Metamodel] Initial metamodel uploaded

[Florian Lautenbacher <lautenbacher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Wojciech,

concerning your questions about the details of AgilPro which should be 
revisited:

> * definition of the performer of the activity

This is currently modelled with the Role element that is part of the 
Organisation. A Role is a ReferenceableElement and can henceforth be 
attached to each action. Perhaps it might be important to define 
different roles for the performer and for people involved (somebody who 
gives the instructions, is responsible for, working for, etc.).

> * data types - usually processes can have private complex data

Yes, you are right. We created some initial data tpyes like String, 
Integer, etc. but mostly we use the "Data" element for complex data, 
where we don't specify how exactly this element is structured (only 
which data type it has and which information type).

> * data mapping - especially mapping between two complex types

Currently there is only a 1:1 mapping between data types, not like in 
BPEL where you can define the whole complex type and then map parts of 
the first complex type with parts of the second.

> * applications - it just cannot be limited to java

This is a first part, yes. I agree with you that it should not be 
limited to Java. One solution could be to have an abstract "Application" 
class with several concrete sub-classes. One for Java, one for Web 
Services, one for .NET, etc.

> * simulation data - it needs much, much more

Here, you are the specialist. I don't know much about this kind of 
simulation yet.

> * extensability - how to preserve engine/tool specific data in the 
model? do we need to do that?

Maybe yes, depends on the framework that will be created in the WAM part 
  of JWT for executing and monitoring a process.

> * flow - it looks right, but I am not sure. In BPMN you can have
> decision/join or parallel split on any activity. Is that the same here?

I think so. This part is similar to UML2 Activity Diagrams. You can have 
DecisionNode and MergeNode for alternative flows and SplitNode / 
JoinNode for parallel flows. How exactly is the decision/split ON an 
activity in BPMN?

> the model seams to include graphical information (in the way like XPDL
> does)

You are also right, here. This is currently used only for the graphical 
display and is surely not interesting for the Meta-model itself and 
should be part of the editor.

> What is in this model that is not available in the other meta-models?

As already mentioned above this model is principially similar to UML2 
Activity Diagrams. There we don't have applications, data or a better 
description of roles than available in swimlanes. We tried to focus on 
the process and added some functional descriptions like e.g. in ARIS. 
But, currently there is no detailed comparison between this approach and 
the other standards. I am currently working on that and will put a 
document on the wiki about this topic, soon.

Best regards,

Florian