Flow Properties

To view or edit a flow's properties, double-click its diagram symbol or Browser or list entry. The property sheet tabs and fields listed here are those available by default, before any customization of the interface by you or an administrator.

The General tab contains the following properties:

Property

Description

Name/Code/Comment

Identify the object. The name and code are read-only. You can optionally add a comment to provide more detailed information about the object.

Stereotype

Extends the semantics of the object. You can enter a stereotype directly in this field, or add stereotypes to the list by specifying them in an extension file.

Source / Destination

Specify the objects that the flow leads from and to. Use the tools to the right of the list to create, browse for, or view the properties of the currently selected object. You can also open the property sheet of the source and destination objects by clicking the buttons in the top section of the flow property sheet.

Transport

Specifies the way data is conveyed by the flow. This property is used for documentation purposes. You can create your own type of transport in the list, or choose one of the following values:
  • Fax delivery

  • Mail

  • Telephone

Flow type

You can enter your own type of flow in the list, or choose one of the following values:
  • Success - defines a successful flow

  • Timeout - defines the occurrence of a timeout limit

  • Technical error

  • Business error

  • Compensation - defines a compensation flow

The flow type is unavailable if you associate an event with the flow on the Condition tab.

Message format

[Not available for executable languages]. Specifies the format of the data exchanged between processes:
  • None – a simple flow with no exchange of data.

  • Undefined (default value) – a flow whose message format is not yet defined. Click the Create tool to the right of the list to create a message format for your flow.

Note: You can view input and output flows of a process from its property sheet by clicking the Input Flows and Output Flows sub-tabs of the Dependencies tab.
The following tabs are also available:
  • Condition - Contains the following properties:

    Parameter

    Description

    Alias

    Short name for the condition, to be displayed next to its symbol in the diagram.

    Event

    [Only available for BPMN and orchestration languages]. Specifies an event to create an event handler. Select an event from the list or use the tools to the right of the list to create an object, or to view the properties of the currently selected object.

    Mapping

    [Only available for events with a fault stereotype]. Specifies a local variable that retrieves the information associated with the fault event. Select a variable from the list or use the tools to the right of the list to create an object, or view the properties of the currently selected object.

    Condition (text box)

    Specifies a condition to be evaluated to determine how the flow should be traversed. You can enter any appropriate information in this box, as well as open, insert and save text files. You can open the Condition tab by right-clicking the flow symbol, and selecting Condition in the contextual menu.

  • Data - lists the data conveyed by the flow without any information on its format. You can add or create data using the Add Objects and Create an Object tools . You can also migrate data to a source or destination process . In an Analysis business process diagram, if you have specified data for a message format, the data contained in the flow Data tab should be a sub-set of the data contained in the message format Data tab.