What about XML databases?

[kuko]

Hi,
We`re evaluating jBPM as a workflow engine candidate. But we need to persist all the data in a native XML database. How can we bypass hibernate? Is it even possible?
Thanks in advance. Best Regards,
Pablo.

[kukeltje]

bypassing hibernate is going to take a complete redesign of jBPM. You do hover not need to store EVERYTHING in jBPM. You can store complex forms etc in the xml database and just store a reference to them in jBPM and maybe some process relevant data.

[tom.baeyens]

bypassing hibernate does not imply a redesign of jbpm. it requires a rewrite of all the persistence stuff (all the XxxxSession's). For your specific persistence mechanism. In case of an xml database this means that you have to implement the conversions between the jbpm objects and their xml representation. That will be a challenge if you want to make that complete. It should be quite easy to get the basics working, though.

can you enlighten us with the reason why you want the process information to be stored in an XML database ?! i'm intrigued.

also i'm interested to know how you plan to do the jbpm-java-objects mapping to xml and back again. JAXP ? JAXB ? dom4j ? or something else.

regards, tom.

[kuko]

bypassing hibernate does not imply a redesign of jbpm.it requires a rewrite of all the persistence stuff (all the XxxxSession's).

That's what we thought...

In case of an xml database this means that you have to implement the conversions between the jbpm objects and their xml representation. That will be a challenge if you want to make that complete.

Yes, specially when time isn't on your side...

can you enlighten us with the reason why you want the process information to be stored in an XML database ?! i'm intrigued.

We're just forced to use an XML database. If you think about it, isn't that crazy considering process-definitions and process-instances are XML documents.

also i'm interested to know how you plan to do the jbpm-java-objects mapping to xml and back again. JAXP ? JAXB ? dom4j ? or something else.

For the conversions we've already used dom4j and jdom in other projects... as you said, not always a light task.
We'll keep on evaluating engines. If we choose jBPM you'll definitely hear from us again ;-) . Thanks for your replies.
Best Regards,
Pablo.