Working with BPEL extensions
In IBM® Integration Designer you can use extensions with the existing Business Process Execution Language (BPEL).
IBM Process Server BPEL extensions are provided. These extensions are automatically enabled if you model your process as a microflow. If you want to convert a long-running process to a microflow you must enable these extensions.
The BPEL extensions provide the following capabilities:
Additional Process Type
- Microflow
Additional Expression Language
- Java™
Additional Actions
- Human Task
- Snippet
- Generalized Flow
- Collaboration scope
Additional Properties for all Activities (including the Process)
- Description
- Documentation
- Display Name
- Custom Properties (not applicable for Structures)
- Enable persistence and queries of business-relevant data
Additional Process properties
- Auto-delete
- Autonomy - whether a process runs as a peer or as a child of the invoking process. Autonomy is controlled through the Bind the lifecycle to the invoking BPEL process check box.
- Compensation Sphere
- Valid From
- Ignore missing data
Extensions for specific activities
- Scopes that can be flagged as noncompensable
- Transactional behavior and the "continue processing upon unhandled faults" functionality of the invoke activity
- Compensation of the invoke activity
- Expiration setting on the Invoke activity
- Administrative Tasks for Processes, Invokes and Snippets
- Authorization Tasks for Receives, OnMessages and OnEvents
- Query Properties on Variables
- Usage of Data Type Variables on the Details tab of messaging activities like Invoke, Receive, Reply, OnEvent, OnMessage
Tip: You can disable these extensions only when you first
create a process. To disable these extensions, clear the Use IBM Process
Server extensions, for example human workflow, Java support check box on the Select a BPEL Process Type page of the New BPEL Process wizard.
When not to use the BPEL extensions
When you first create a business process, you can disable the extensions. You may want to do so in the following types of situations:
- When you are designing the process to be used or edited in another set of tools
- When you are planning on executing the process in a runtime environment other than IBM Process Server
- When you want to exchange information with a business partner who is not using the IBM Integration Designer or IBM Process Server set of tools