[jbpm-dev] Simplifying Oryx Designer using resolution of global variable and parameter mapping at runtime

[Tihomir Surdilovic]

There are a number of ideas floating around on this - and yes data 
mapping within a BPMN2 process is probably now one of the hardest things 
to set up and maintain.

a) Have ability to map data outputs of a task to data inputs of the 
connected tasks(s) with a single button click
b) Ability to visualize the data flow of the process
c) Notifications of dependency errors when users decide to remove a 
process var, globals, imports, etc
d) Ability to "copy" existing data elements such as 
variables/globals/imports/etc from an already existing process or a 
process template..this has been asked in the community already and we 
are looking at it.

jBPM follows the BPMN2 specification for data setup and mapping closely 
which is a good thing as it does not introduce any wrappers around it 
(you might see other tools use extensions elements for this heavily). I 
don't think writing wrappers is a good idea, however making working with 
data as simple and intuitive as possible for users is very important so 
any ideas/thoughts/contributions are very welcome :)

Jean-Jacques, If you want to jump on IRC and I'd be happy to talk to you 
in detail about all of this as well.

Thanks.
Tihomir

On 8/16/12 3:38 AM, Esteban Aliverti wrote:
> The problem is that BPMN2 specification requires the variables to be 
> defined.
> What you will need to do is to modify Designer to automatically create 
> the required variables according to the IO specification of the tasks 
> you have. Unfortunately this is not as easy as it sounds ;).
> Designer keeps a representation of the process in JSON format. That 
> JSON is then converted into BPMN2 when it is saved. When you open a 
> process Designer first converts it from BPMN2 to JSNO back again.
> You will need to tweak the Marshalling/Unmarshalling process..
> The classes in charge of this are: 
>  org/jbpm/designer/bpmn2/impl/Bpmn2JsonMarshaller.java and 
> java/org/jbpm/designer/bpmn2/impl/Bpmn2JsonUnmarshaller.java
>
> @Tiho, do you see a better solution?
>
> Best Regards,
>
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
>
> Esteban Aliverti
> - Blog @ http://ilesteban.wordpress.com
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 5:10 AM, Jean-Jacques Borie 
> <jean-jacques.borie at bluebe.com <mailto:jean-jacques.borie at bluebe.com>> 
> wrote:
>
>     I need to add that we plan to use work item definition file to
>     declare parameters of work item and we don't want to do it again
>     on the workflow.
>
>     Jean-Jacques
>
>
>     On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 10:06 AM, Jean-Jacques Borie
>     <jean-jacques.borie at bluebe.com
>     <mailto:jean-jacques.borie at bluebe.com>> wrote:
>
>         Hello,
>
>         I want to simplify Oryx designer in order to don't have to map
>         every variables with input/output of task.
>
>         I want to remove the need of declaring global variable and the
>         mapping with parameter of task.
>
>         When you have lots of workflow, it's start to be very annoying.
>
>         I'm thinking of moving this declaration of mapping to do it at
>         runtime.
>
>         Like having a spring configuration file to declare all
>         variables needed for a series of workflow.
>
>         And next do the mapping of variable by IOC with work item or
>         something like that.
>
>         I want to keep the scope variable between process and work item.
>
>         I want to make easier the work of people doing the workflow in
>         order to give the tool for non developer.
>
>         Any idea ?
>
>         Thanks
>         Jean-Jacques Borie
>
>
>
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