12.1.2 Diagram Definition and Interchange
The BPMN DI meta-model, similar to the BPMN abstract syntax meta-model, is defined as a MOF-based meta-model. As such, its instances can be serialized and interchanged using XMI. BPMN DI is also defined by an XML schema. Thus its instances can also be serialized and interchanged using XML.
Both BPMN DI meta-model and schema are harmonized with a draft version of the OMG Diagram Definition (DD) standard. Annex B contains the relevant parts of the referenced DD specifications that were used as foundation for the BPMN DI model and schema. The provided DD contains two main parts: the Diagram Commons (DC) and the Diagram Interchange (DI). The DC defines common types like bounds and fonts, while the DI provides a framework for defining domain specific diagram models. As a domain specific DI, BPMN DI defines a few new meta-model classes that derive from the abstract classes from DI.
The focus of BPMN DI is the interchange of laid out shapes and edges that constitute a BPMN diagram. Each shape and edge references a particular BPMN model element. The referenced BPMN model elements are all part of the actual BPMN model. As such, BPMN DI is meant to only contain information that is neither present, nor derivable, from the BPMN model whenever possible. Simply put, to render a BPMN diagram both the BPMN DI instance(s) and the referenced BPMN model are REQUIRED.
From the BPMN DI perspective, a BPMN diagram is a particular snapshot of a BPMN model at a certain point in time. Multiple BPMN diagrams can be exchanged referencing model elements from the same BPMN model. Each diagram may provide an incomplete or partial depiction of the content of the BPMN model. BPMN DI does not ascertain that the BPMN diagram is syntactically or semantically correct.
As described in Clause 15, a BPMN model package consists of one or more files. Each file may contain any number of BPMN diagrams. The exporting tool is free to decide how many diagrams are exported and the importing tool is free to decide if and how to present the contained diagrams to the user.
- 2.2Process Modeling Conformance
- 2.2.1BPMN Process Types
- 2.2.2BPMN Process Elements
- Common Executable Conformance Sub-Class
- 2.2.3Visual Appearance
- 2.2.4Structural Conformance
- 2.3Process Execution Conformance
- 2.3.1Execution Semantics
- 2.3.2Import of Process Diagrams
- 2.4BPEL Process Execution Conformance
- 2.5Choreography Modeling Conformance
- 2.5.1BPMN Choreography Types
- 2.6Summary of BPMN Conformance Types
- 3 Normative References
- 3.1General
- 3.2Normative
- 3.3Non-Normative
- Activity Service
- BPEL4People
- Business Process Definition Metamodel
- Business Process Modeling
- Business Transaction Protocol
- XPDL
- 4 Terms and Definitions
- 5 Symbols
- 6 Additional Information
- 6.1Conventions
- 6.1.1Typographical and Linguistic Conventions and Style
- 6.1.2Abbreviations
- 6.2Structure of this Document
- 6.3Acknowledgments
- Submitting Organizations
- 7.2BPMN Scope
- Understanding the Behavior of Diagrams
- 7.3BPMN Elements
- 8.3.4External Relationships
- Context-based Correlation
- 8.4.7Flow Element
- 8.4.14 Common Package XML Schemas
- 8.5Services
- 9 Collaboration
- 9.1General
- 9.2Basic Collaboration Concepts
- 9.2.1Use of BPMN Common Elements
- ParticipantAssociation
- 9.6Process within Collaboration
- 9.7Choreography within Collaboration
- 10.2 Basic Process Concepts
- 10.2.1 Types of BPMN Processes
- 10.3.7 Global Task
- Complex Behavior Definition
- 10.3.9 XML Schema for Activities
- 10.4 Items and Data
- 10.4.1 Data Modeling
- Item-Aware Elements
- Data Inputs and Outputs
- Data Output
- Assignment
- Execution Semantics for DataAssociation
- 10.4.3 Usage of Data in XPath Expressions
- Access to BPMN Data Objects
- 10.4.4 XML Schema for Data
- 10.5 Events
- Implicit Throw Event
- 10.5.2 Start Event
- Activity Boundary Connections
- Interrupting Event Handlers (Error, Escalation, Message, Signal, Timer, Conditional, Multiple, and Parallel Multiple)
- Non-interrupting Event Handlers (Escalation, Message, Signal, Timer, Conditional, Multiple, and Parallel Multiple)
- Handling End Events
- 10.5.7 Scopes
- 10.6.7 Gateway Package XML Schemas
- 10.7 Compensation
- 10.7.3 Relationship between Error Handling and Compensation
- 10.8 Lanes
- 10.9 Process Instances, Unmodeled Activities, and Public Processes
- 11 Choreography
- 11.1 General
- 11.4.2 Artifacts
- 11.5 Choreography Activities
- 11.6.3 End Events
- 11.7 Gateways
- 11.7.1 Exclusive Gateway
- 12 BPMN Notation and Diagrams
- 12.1 BPMN Diagram Interchange (BPMN DI)
- 12.1.1 Scope
- 12.1.2 Diagram Definition and Interchange
- 12.1.3 How to Read this Clause
- 12.2 BPMN Diagram Interchange (DI) Meta-model
- 12.2.1 Overview
- 12.2.2 Abstract Syntax
- 12.2.4 Complete BPMN DI XML Schema
- 12.3 Notational Depiction Library and Abstract Element Resolutions
- 12.4.5 Choreography
- 13.2 Process Instantiation and Termination
- 13.3 Activities
- 13.3.3 Task
- 13.3.4 Sub-Process/Call Activity
- 13.3.5 Ad-Hoc Sub-Process
- Operational semantics
- 13.3.6 Loop Activity
- 13.3.7 Multiple Instances Activity
- 13.5 Events
- 13.5.1 Start Events
- 13.5.2 Intermediate Events
- 13.5.3 Intermediate Boundary Events
- 13.5.4 Event Sub-Processes
- Operational semantics
- 13.5.5 Compensation
- Compensation Handler
- 13.5.6 End Events
- Process level end events
- 14 Mapping BPMN Models to WS-BPEL
- 14.1 General
- 15 Exchange Formats
- 15.1 Interchanging Incomplete Models
- 15.2 Machine Readable Files
- 15.3.1 Document Structure
- 15.5 XSLT Transformation between XSD and XMI
- B.1 Scope
- B.2 Architecture
- B.4 Diagram Interchange
- B.4.1 Overview