2 Replies Latest reply on Oct 5, 2011 2:32 AM by alexndr79

    Using "signavio-core-components" BPMN2.0 processes with jBPM5

    alexndr79

      Hi!

       

      I have used "Signavio-core-component"-editor to create a very simple BPMN2.0 process. The process flow goes like: start->task->end.

      I have imported the process in jBPM5 Eclipse and managed to open it there. Next I've tried to run the process in the jBPM5 engine which works fine (eventhough the process does nothing really).

       

      I've now tried to implement some functionality for the task by using a WorkItemHandler. Doing that I realized that the outgome from the "Signavio-core-component"-editor is not 100% compatible with the jBPM5 engine. For example, the WorkItemHandler seems to require a taskName- attribute for the task which is not generated by "Signavio-core-component" editor. If I add this attribute manually to the task I can get the process to run, using a WorkItemHandler. 

       

      I thought that the jBPM5 web designer was based on "Signavio-core-component"-editor and that the outcome for both editors would be the same? I have just scratched the surface here so I guess there are more things that differs in the generated processes between the two editors? Maybe using "Signavio-core-component"-editor is not really an option for jBPM5 at all? The reason to why I'm sticking to "Signavio-core-component" is because we alrerady have some other projects utilizing it.  

       

      Suggestions? Comments?

       

      /Alex

        • 1. Re: Using "signavio-core-components" BPMN2.0 processes with jBPM5
          tsurdilovic

          Hi Alex, both the jBPM Web Designer and the Signavio editor use the core Oryx technology. The Signavio version is AFAIK not open-source and is completely maintained by their developers whereas the jBPM Web Designer is open-source and is based off an Oryx fork from Intalio.

           

          Each runtime implementation, that being for example Activiti, or jBPM is going to have some hooks for extension elements and attributes. The BPMN2 specification fully allows for that. Custom workitems is something that has been in jBPM for a long time. The implementation requires you to specify the TaskName attribute so that it can associate it with the configured workitem handler impls at runtime. The jBPM tooling support, that being in Eclipse or web-based makes creations of workitems easier, something that the Signavio editor may not do...but all of them should produce valid BPMN2.

           

          Also, I do not know what parser the Signavio editor uses for creating BPMN2 processes, nor if it  follows the spec or not, so I cannot say more on that. The jBPM Web Designer uses eclipse.bpmn2 API which is also open-source to marshall/unmarshall BPMN2. We have frequent releases and everyone interested is more than welcome to contribute to the project (let me know if you are ).

           

          Hope this helps.

          • 2. Re: Using "signavio-core-components" BPMN2.0 processes with jBPM5
            alexndr79

            I understand. Using the provided tools to create the BPMN2.0 processes is a must to make sure that the extensions are really there then.

             

            The Signavio editor based on Oryx is actually open source. The project can be found here: http://code.google.com/p/signavio-core-components/.

             

            Thanks

            Alex