A resource flow allows a process to access a resource and describes an interaction between them.
In the following example, the Register_complaint process creates, updates or deletes data contained in the Additional_info resource:
A resource can be created in a choreography diagram with any of the following target languages:
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Analysis languages
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Collaborative languages
A resource flow can also be created in a data flow diagram (see Data Flow Diagram (DFD)).
The way you draw a resource flow determines the way the process uses the resource:
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Type
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Description
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From process to resource:
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The process creates, updates or deletes data contained in the resource depending on the access modes selected in the resource flow property sheet.
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From resource to process:
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Data contained in the resource are read by the process.
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Two ways:
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If you select a Read access mode on a resource flow together with one or more other access modes (Create, Update, Delete), the resource flow symbol is bi-directional.
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Message Format
When working with the Analysis language and ebXML language, you can associate a message format with a resource flow in order to define the format of information exchanged between a process and a resource (see Message Formats (BPM)).
The following rules apply:
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Reflexive flows (same source and destination process) are allowed on processes.
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Two resource flows between the same source and destination objects are permitted, and called parallel flows.
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A resource flow cannot link shortcuts.