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PM87997: Using 'Display ...' menus or depictions button fail to change a Process on the Explorer Diagram in Rational System Architect

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • Attempts to display a 'Process' symbol defined with a depiction
    using the 'Display Selected/As...' menus or depictions style
    button fail on an Explorer Diagram in IBM Rational System
    Architect (SA).
    
    This is known to occur with the 'Process Symbol' for both 'none'
    (Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)) and The Open Group
    Architecture Framework (TOGAF 9).
    
    CONFIGURATION
    Environment = Microsoft Windows (R)
    Tool = IBM Rational System Architect (R)
    Versions = 11.4.2, 11.4.2.1, 11.4.2.2, 11.4.2.3
    SA Frameworks = 'none' (BPMN), TOGAF 9
    SA Diagram = Explorer
    SA Symbols = Process
    SA Context Menu = 'Display Selected/as...'
    SA Dialog = Depiction Style
    
    SYMPTOM
    The 'Display Selected/as...' menus and depiction style buttons
    have no effect on the process symbol.
    
    Example USRPROPS.txt:
    Symbol 'Process' in 'Business Process'
    {
    DEPICTIONS {DIAGRAM RETAIN STYLE IMAGES\ASSET.wmf}
    DEPICTIONS {MENU IMAGES\ASSET.bmp}
    }
    
    STEPS TO REPRODUCE
    1) Import the above USRPROPS.TXT
    2) Create a 'Process'
    3) Create an Explorer Diagram
    4) Drop the 'process onto the Explorer Diagram
    5) Use either:
    * one of the symbol context menus 'Display Selected/as...'
    Or,
    * the context menu 'Symbol Format | Symbol Style | Set Depiction
    Style'
    
    EXPECTED RESULTS
    To able to use the 'Display as... ' menus or depiction style
    button to change the symbol depiction style.
    
    ACTUAL RESULT
    The 'Display as... ' menus and the depiction style button do not
    change the depiction style.
    
    WORKAROUND
    In SA version 11.4.2.3, the 'Task Type' Property of a Process
    definition is used to obtain a depiction when the BPMN Process
    definition is 'drag and dropped' onto an Explorer diagram.
    
    If you set a 'Task Type', the symbol on the Explorer diagram can
    be refreshed by either:
    
    a) i)  Deleting the symbol from the diagram.
       ii) 'Drag and drop' the definition onto the diagram.
    
     Or,
    
    b) i)   Selecting the embedding Collection symbol.
       ii)  Right click.
       iii) Select 'Refresh Collection'.
    
    In addition, on the Business Process diagram, if you set a 'Task
    type' for a Process definition, you can right click on the
    Process symbol and display it with it's adornment.
    

Local fix

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
    ****************************************************************
    Attempts to display a "Process" symbol defined with a
    depiction using the "Display Selected/As..." menus or
    depictions style button fail on an Explorer Diagram in IBM
    Rational System Architect (SA).
    

Problem conclusion

  • The Process symbol was designed to be used on BPMN Business
    Process diagrams. Its presentation is strictly controlled
    and this is why no full depiction is allowed by default. A
    means of obtaining this has recently been added for a
    client. There is a BPMN_AllowFullDepictionForProcess entry
    in the Session Options editor in 11.4.2.4. If this is set to
    Y, when 'Display as Task Type' is selected, a full depiction
    is presented for a process symbol on a Business Process
    diagram if the value of the Task Type has an associated
    depiction. This comes at the cost of it no longer being
    possible to obtain a depiction-less Process symbol.
    
    Already in 11.4.2.3, the Task Type of a Process is used to
    obtain a depiction when the BPMN Process definition is
    dropped onto an Explorer diagram. It can be refreshed by
    either deleting and re-dropping the definition or selecting
    the embedding Collection symbol and picking Refresh
    Collection. In addition on the Business Process diagram, if
    you set a task type, you can right click and display it with
    it's adornment.
    

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PM87997

  • Reported component name

    TLOGIC SYS ARCH

  • Reported component ID

    5724V68SA

  • Reported release

    B30

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt

  • Submitted date

    2013-04-29

  • Closed date

    2013-06-14

  • Last modified date

    2013-06-14

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

  • APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    TLOGIC SYS ARCH

  • Fixed component ID

    5724V68SA

Applicable component levels

  • RB30 PSN

       UP

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Document Information

Modified date:
14 June 2013