Re: [rules-users] First experience with Drools 'BPM' ruleflow : some questions
Thierry,
Thanks for the feedback, comments inline!
Quoting Thierry <thierry.lejealle(a)capgemini.com>:
[...] I just miss the possibility to map an ActionClass when I
want to do something requiring many java code lines. Otherwise it
seems overall better.
Having lots of Java code in your process usually isn't a
good idea (as
you embed implementation details in your process. Take a look at
pluggable work items: they allow you to extend your palette with
domain-specific nodes and have the Java code that handles the
implementation in handler classes:
https://hudson.jboss.org/hudson/job/drools/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/t...
Is there a way to render the process model more user friendly toward
more 'business' people ? [...] A graphical editor would be very
nice.
You're kidding, right? ;) How do you define your processes now, through
XML directly? There is an Eclipse plugin that allows you to create
processes graphically using drag-and-drop of course. And you can expect
a web-based one in the future (business people seem to like that).
Is there a way to change a node type (other than XML hacking...) I
wanted to test my process using action nodes. If I want to change
them to ruleset or human task how can I do it ?
Sorry, that is currently not
supported in the editor, you'll need to
draw the new node and relink connections.
Are they tool to facilitate process simulation ?
Simulation is
being worked on, at this point there is a lot of advanced
debugging though, so you can inspect the state of your instances
(including visual annotation of the process graph).
https://hudson.jboss.org/hudson/job/drools/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/t...
Are they way to generate Human Task test screen ?
There is an
Eclipse plugin that allows you to query for human tasks and
complete them, for testing purposes. Similarly, there is a simple Swing
GUI that can be used to see the work items generated by the process and
complete them:
Is it possible to instanciante a process variable in a node ?
Yes, use kcontext.setVariable(name, value);
Bugs ? As it's my first try I wouldn't report them until sure
it's
bugs (and they're not yet reported !)
- In my first process I just clicked on 'OK' to enter constraints on
split
node (I had one on always true, and every other blank). That removed
the
process compil error. But generated a null pointer error at run time.
I wished
the error would give me the node name. I wished those null pointer
error were
detected in the process check phase. The possibility to have 'blank'
constraints just to test other part of the process would be nice.
I will check
this, it should indeed discover the null constraint before
execution and provide a valid error message.
- I have a split note with constraints going towards actions node.
I
realize
one action node is useless and wants to map directly toward the next
node in
taht line (to remove the useless action node). Dragging the
connection removes
the constraits... Too bad :(
Yes, that is because constraints are linked to
connections ...
- I got StackOverflow doing unintentionaly a loop in my process. I
wished the engine would allow a special exit conditions on those case !
True,
something we should look at in the future.
Kris
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