Importing XPDL Process Definitions
The XML Process Definition Language (XPDL) is a standard language that is used to represent workflows and business processes. It is generally used to exchange process definitions between different business processing systems. CentraSite provides an importer for XPDL files. This importer reads an XPDL 2.x file and adds the process that it defines to the registry as a Process object. It stores the XPDL file itself in CentraSite's repository.
Note:
If you are using ARIS Business Architect to create process definitions to share with webMethods BPMS, do not use this procedure to add them to the registry. Use the publishing tools provided with ARIS Business Architect instead. Using the ARIS Business Architect ensures that the appropriate metadata is included in the Process object.
The following
Assets and Registry Objects and
Supporting Documents and Resources are created by the import of an XPDL file:
A Process object is created for each WorkflowProcess element defined in the XPDL file.
The
Name attribute for this element determines the name of the Process object.
The
Id attribute for this element is assigned to an attribute called
UniqueID in the Process object.
A Process Step object is created for each Activity element defined in the XPDL file. Associations are generated to represent the transitions between Process Step objects.
A Process Pool object is created for each Pool element defined in the XPDL file and a Process Swim Lane object is created for each Lane element defined in the XPDL file.
The XPDL file is added to the
CentraSite repository. The Process object will include an attribute called
ProcessDefinitionURL, which will contain a link to this file.
If the XPDL file references a WSDL document, the importer will prompt you to provide the specified WSDL file. When you provide the file, the importer will check whether the service described in the WSDL already exists in the registry. If it does, the importer will associate the Process object with that service. If it does not, the importer will import the WSDL file, add the service to the registry, and associate the service with the Process object.
If the process in the XPDL file has a workflow Id that matches the UniqueID attribute of a Process object that already exists in the registry, the importer will handle the import in the following way:
If the Process object in the registry is not associated with a lifecycle model
or if it is in the initial state of its lifecycle, the importer will replace the Process object in the registry with the process from the XPDL file. (If you do not have Modify permission on the Process object in the registry, the import of the XPDL file will fail.)
If the Process object is in any state other than the initial state of its lifecycle, the XPDL file will be imported as a
new version of the Process object.
To import an XPDL file
1. On the Select page of the Import wizard, select XPDL in the CentraSite folder and click Next.
2. On the Import File page of the Import wizard, do the following:
Select the organization to which the Process object (and its components) are to be added.
In the File field, specify the path and name of the XPDL file. Use the Browse button to select the file from the file system of your computer.
Optional. In the Product field, specify the product with which the process is associated.
Optional. In the Initial Version field, specify a version identifier for the new Process object. The identifier you enter here is the Process object's public, user-assigned version identifier. You can enter any string in this field ( i.e., the identifier does not have to be numeric). You can leave this field blank.