The BPEL Diagram

The BPEL diagram (BPEL Design View) is the visual representation of the BPEL Process. On the diagram you can author business process by adding and configuring activities. You can also edit existing .bpel files. To open a .bpel file double-click it's name in the Projects window. By default, the process diagram will be open.

In the Design view, you can perform the following operations on elements:

• Create elements by dragging elements from the Palette to the diagram. The Design view supports the notion of "drop points", which means that you must align elements with these drop points when you drag them. Not all elements are created via drag-and-drop from the Palette. These other elements are created using context menus which are invoked when you right-click an existing diagram element.

• Create Partner Links by dragging WSDL files from the Projects window to the diagram. When you drag the Partner Link element, a WSDL file node, or a web service node to the diagram, the Partner Link Property Editor appears. The Partner Link Property Editor allows you to establish partner links for your BPEL processes.

  If the WSDL file you selected contains partner link types, the Use Existing Partner Link Type option is selected and the Partner Link Type drop-down list is populated with the partner link types found in the WSDL file. You can use one of the existing partner link types or select the Use a Newly Created Partner Link Type option to create a new partner link type.

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  Note –

  When you attempt to create a Partner Link by dragging a WSDL or Web Service to the BPEL Designer's Design View, the Partner Link Property Editor appears and a reference is created in the Project tree and source code. If the resulting Partner Link is cancelled, the reference remains in the Project tree and source code. These references do not affect the process or project. The reference can be removed manually if desired.

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• Select elements on a diagram. A single click on an element selects it. Selection is a necessary step in performing several other operations, such as deleting, moving, or editing an element.

• Invoke context menu actions for diagram elements. Each BPEL element has a context menu. This context menu can be invoked by right-clicking the element. The context menu will offer a set of actions which are relevant to the selected element.

• Move diagram elements. You can move diagram elements by selecting the element and then dragging it to a new location. If you move a container element, all its children move along with the container.

• Edit element names in the Design view directly. Double-click the element name on the diagram to edit it.

• Invoke XML Validation. You can invoke XML validation by clicking the Validate XML button on the Design view editor toolbar. For more information, see the Validation section.

• Apply filters to diagram elements. The Editor toolbar contains the Show Partner Links and Show Sequences toggle buttons. Both Partner Link elements and Sequence elements are shown by default. Clicking the Show Partner Links button hides the Partner Link elements on the diagram. Clicking the Show Sequences button hides the Sequence containers on the diagram. Clicking either button a second time will again reveal the Partner Link elements, or the Sequence elements on the diagram, respectively.

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  Note –

  You cannot add new Partner Link or Sequence elements to the diagram if you chose not to show them.

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• Finding elements on the diagram. You can find BPEL elements in the Design view by their names or types. You can use either the Find bar (Edit > Find or Ctrl-F) or the Advanced Search feature (Edit > Advanced Search or Alt-Shift-F). In the Find bar, select the type of search you want to perform, type in the search query and click Find. In the Advanced Search dialog box, you can refine your search query and search BPEL elements by their name and/or type.

• Collapsing or expanding elements on the diagram. When a large diagram is open in the Design view, you can collapse or expand container elements, such as Sequence or Scope, using the quick action buttons that appear near the selected elements. By default, when you open a diagram in the Design view, you can see all container elements expanded. To expand all elements on the diagram, click the Expand All icon on the Editor toolbar. You can use the following combinations of keys: Enter to expand the selected element, Shift-Enter to collapse the selected element, and Alt-Enter to expand all elements on the diagram.

• Wrapping activities with container elements. You can wrap elements with container activities in a single click. The wrap feature is useful, for example when you want to quickly place an activity inside another activity. In the Design view, right-click the activity you want to wrap, point to the Wrap With option, and select the wrapper BPEL activity.