Dry-run design time environment

Abstract

This disclosure provides various embodiments for performing a dry-run of a business process model in a design-time environment. A start event and end event of the business process model are identified, defining a path of a flow map including a sequence of a plurality of events, including the start event, the end event, and at least one other event sequenced between the start and ends. The events in the path are stepped-through to simulate each event. An error is identified corresponding to a particular event in the path and the step-through is paused upon identifying the error. A user is then prompted for an input to at least temporarily resolve the at least one error. The stepping-through of the plurality of events is then resumed in response to a resolution input from the user. The dry run ends in response to stepping-through to the end event.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method for performing a dry-run of a business process model in a design-time environment, the method comprising:
 stepping-through, by a processor, a plurality of events in a path of a flow map of a business process model to simulate one or more events in the plurality of events;   identifying, by the processor, an error corresponding to a particular event in the path;   pausing, by the processor, the stepping-through of the plurality of events at the particular event in response to identifying the error; and   providing, by the processor, a prompt requesting an input to at least temporarily resolve the error.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving the input in response to providing the prompt requesting the input; and   resuming the stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to receiving the input.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the particular event includes a process using a variable, the error relates to a failure to provide a value for the variable, and wherein receiving the input comprises receiving a value for the variable. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the variable corresponds to at least one of:
 an input to be received through a user interface associated with a runtime business process modeled by the business process model,   an input to be received from another process in a runtime implementation of a business process modeled by the business process model, or   an output of a runtime business process modeled by the business process model.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the particular event includes a decision based at least in part on a condition, the error relates to a failure to provide the condition for the decision, and wherein receiving the input comprises receiving the condition. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of events includes a start event and an end event, the business process model defining a path of the flow map, the path including the start event, the particular event, and the end event, and wherein the method further comprises ending the dry-run in response to stepping through to the end event. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising presenting a graphical representation of at least a portion of the business process model and a progress of the stepping-through of the plurality of events. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein providing the prompt requesting the input comprises presenting an interactive pop-up window adapted to receive inputs. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein providing the prompt requesting the input comprises presenting a listing of input options, wherein the listing of input options includes a plurality of inputs determined to be potential resolutions to the error. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the business process model is an underspecified business process model. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the business process model is non-compilable. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the business process model is non-executable within a runtime environment based at least in part on the at least one error. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the design-time environment is an integrated development environment. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 identifying that the business process model lacks at least one of a start event and an end event;   pausing initiation of the stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to identifying that the business process model lacks at least one of a start event or an end event;   providing a prompt requesting at least one of a start event or an end event; and   initiating stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to receiving the lacking at least one of a start event or an end event.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising modifying the business process model based at least in part on the input to at least temporarily resolve the error received in response to the prompt. 
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
 stepping-through, by a processor, a plurality of events in a path of a flow map of a business process model to simulate one or more events in the plurality of events;   identifying, by the processor, an error corresponding to a particular event in the path;   pausing, by the processor, the stepping-through of the plurality of events at the particular event in response to identifying the error; and   providing, by the processor, a prompt requesting an input to at least temporarily resolve the error.   
     
     
         37 . The medium of  claim 36 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving the input in response to providing the prompt requesting the input; and   resuming the stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to receiving the input.   
     
     
         38 . The medium of  claim 37 , wherein the particular event includes a process using a variable, the error relates to a failure to provide a value for the variable, and wherein receiving the input comprises receiving a value for the variable. 
     
     
         39 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
 stepping-through, by a processor, a plurality of events in a path of a flow map of a business process model to simulate one or more events in the plurality of events; 
   identifying, by the processor, an error corresponding to a particular event in the path;   pausing, by the processor, the stepping-through of the plurality of events at the particular event in response to identifying the error; and   providing, by the processor, a prompt requesting an input to at least temporarily resolve the error.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving the input in response to providing the prompt requesting the input, wherein the input is either a value for a variable used in the particular event, the error relating to a failure to provide a value for the variable or the input is a condition for a decision used in the particular event, the error relating to a failure to provide the condition for the decision; and   resuming the stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to receiving the input.