Shapes in Diagram Control

18 Nov 201819 minutes to read

BPMN shapes are used to represent the internal business procedure in a graphical notation and enable you to communicate the procedures in a standard manner. To create a BPMN shape, in the node property shape, type should be set as “bpmn” and its shape should be set as any one of the built-in shapes.

NOTE

If you want to use BPMN shapes in diagram, you need to inject BpmnDiagrams in the diagram.

NOTE

The default value for the property shape is “event”.

The list of BPMN shapes are as follows:

Shape Image
Event Event Shape
Gateway Gateway Shape
Task Task Shape
Message Message Shape
DataSource Datasource Shape
DataObject Dataobject Shape
Group Group Shape

The BPMN shapes and its types are explained as follows.

Event

An event is notated with a circle and it represents an event in a business process. The type of events are as follows:

  • Start
  • End
  • Intermediate

The event property of the node allows to define the type of the event. The default value of the event is start.

Event triggers are notated as icons inside the circle and they represent the specific details of the process. The trigger property of the node allows you to set the type of trigger and by default, it is set as none. The following table illustrates the type of event triggers.

Triggers Start Non-Interrupting Start Intermediate Non-Interrupting Intermediate Throwing Intermediate End
None None Trigger Start event BPMN Shape None Trigger Interupting event BPMN Shape None Trigger Intermediate event BPMN Shape None Trigger NonInteruptingIntermediate BPMNShape   None Trigger End event event BPMNShape
Message Message Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape Message Trigger NonInterupting Event BPMN Shape Message Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Message Trigger NonInteruptingIntermediate Event BPMN Shape Message Trigger ThrowingIntermediate Event BPMNShape Message Trigger End Event BPMN EndShape
Timer Timer Trigger Start Event BPMNShape Timer Trigger NonInterupting Event BPMN Shape Timer Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Timer Trigger NonInteruptingIntermediate Event BPMN Shape    
Conditional Conditional Trigger Start BPMN Shape Conditional Trigger NonInterupting BPMN Shape Conditional Trigger Intermediate BPMN Shape Conditional Trigger NonInteruptingIntermediateBPMNShape    
Link     Link Trigger Intermediate Event BPMNShape   Link Trigger ThrowingIntermediate Event BPMN Shape  
Signal Signal Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape Signal Trigger NonInterrupting Event BPMN Shape Signal Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Signal Trigger NonInterrupting Event BPMN Shape SignalThrowing Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Signal Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Error Error Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape   Error Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape     Error Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Escalation Escalation Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape Escalation Trigger Non-Interrupting Event BPMN Shape Escalation Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Escalation Trigger Non-Interrupting Event BPMN Shape Escalation Trigger Throwing Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Escalation Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Termination           Termination Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Compensation Compensation Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape   Compensation Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape   Compensation Trigger Throwing Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Compensation Trigger End BPMN Event Shape
Cancel     Cancel Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape     Cancel Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Multiple Multiple Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape Multiple Trigger Non-Interrupting Event BPMN Shape Multiple Trigger Intermediate BPMN Shape Multiple Trigger Non-Interrupting Event BPMN Shape Multiple Trigger Throwing Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Multiple Trigger End Event BPMN Shape
Parallel Parallel Trigger Start Event BPMN Shape Parallel Trigger Non-Interrupting Event BPMN Shape Parallel Trigger Intermediate Event BPMN Shape Parallel Trigger End Event BPMN Shape    

Gateway

Gateway is used to control the flow of a process and it is represented as a diamond shape. To create a gateway, the shape property of the node should be set as “gateway” and the gateway property can be set with any of the appropriate gateways.

NOTE

By default, the gateway will be set as none.

There are several types of gateways as tabulated:

Shape Image
Exclusive Exclusive GateWay BPMN Shape
Parallel Parallel GateWay BPMN Shape
Inclusive Inclusive GateWay BPMN Shape
Complex Complex GateWay BPMN Shape
EventBased EventBased GateWay BPMNShape
ExclusiveEventBased Exclusive EventBased GateWay BPMN Shape
ParallelEventBased Parallel EventBased GateWay BPMN Shape

Activity

The activity is the task that is performed in a business process. It is represented by a rounded rectangle.

There are two types of activities. They are listed as follows:

  • Task: Occurs within a process and it is not broken down to a finer level of detail.
  • Subprocess: Occurs within a process and it is broken down to a finer level of detail.

To create a BPMN activity, set the shape as activity. You also need to set the type of the BPMN activity by using the activity property of the node. By default, the type of the activity is set as task.

The different activities of BPMN process are listed as follows.

Tasks

The task property of the node allows to define the type of task such as sending, receiving, user based task, etc. By default, the type property of task is set as none. The following code illustrates how to create different types of BPMN tasks. The events property of tasks allow to represent these results as an event attached to the task.

The various types of BPMN tasks are tabulated as follows.

Shape Image
Service Service Task BPMN Shape
Send Send Task BPMN Shape
Receive Receive Task BPMN Shape
Instantiating Receive Instantiating Receive Task BPMN Shape
Manual Manual Task BPMN Shape
Business Rule Business Rule Task BPMN Shape
User User Task BPMN Shape
Script Script Task BPMN Shape

Subprocess

A sub-process is a group of tasks, which is used to hide or reveal details of additional levels using the collapsed property.

The different types of subprocess are as follows:

  • Event subprocess
  • Transaction

Event subprocess

A subprocess is defined as an event subprocess, when it is triggered by an event. An event subprocess is placed within another subprocess which is not part of the normal flow of its parent process. You can set event to a subprocess with the event and trigger property of the subprocess. The type property of subprocess allows you to define the type of subprocess whether it should be event subprocess or transaction subprocess.

Transaction subprocess

  • transaction is a set of activities that logically belong together, in which all contained activities must complete their parts of the transaction; otherwise the process is undone. The execution result of a transaction is one of Successful Completion, Unsuccessful Completion (Cancel), and Hazard (Exception). The events property of subprocess allows to represent these results as an event attached to the subprocess.

  • The event object allows to define the type of event by which the subprocess will be triggered. The name of the event can be defined to identify the event at runtime.

  • The event’s offset property is used to set the fraction/ratio (relative to parent) that defines the position of the event shape.

  • The trigger property defines the type of the event trigger.

  • You can also use define ports and labels to subprocess events by using event’s ports and labels properties.

Process

Processes is an array collection that defines the children values for BPMN subprocess.

Loop

Loop is a task that is internally being looped. The loop property of task allows to define the type of loop. The default value for loop is none. You can define the loop property in subprocess BPMN shape as shown in the following code.

The following table contains various types of BPMN loops.

Loops Task Subprocess
Standard Standard Task BPMN Shape Standard Subprocess BPMN Shape
SequenceMultiInstance Sequence MultiInstance Task BPMN Shape SequenceMultiInstance Subprocess BPMN Shape
ParallelMultiInstance ParallelMultiInstance Task BPMNShape ParallelMultiInstance Subprocess BPMN Shape

Compensation

Compensation is triggered, when operation is partially failed and enabled it with the compensation property of the task and the subprocess.

Call

A call activity is a global subprocess that is reused at various points of the business flow and set it with the call property of the task.

Adhoc

An adhoc subprocess is a group of tasks that are executed in any order or skipped in order to fulfill the end condition and set it with the adhoc property of subprocess.

Boundary

Boundary represents the type of task that is being processed. The boundary property of subprocess allows to define the type of boundary. By default, it is set as default.

The following table contains various types of BPMN boundaries.

Boundary Image
Call Call Boundary BPMN Shape
Event Event Boundary BPMN Shape
Default Default Boundary BPMN Shape

Data

A data object represents information flowing through the process, such as data placed into the process, data resulting from the process, data that needs to be collected, or data that must be stored. To define a data object, set the shape as DataObject and the type property defines whether data is an input or an output. You can create multiple instances of data object with the collection property of data.

The following table contains various representation of BPMN data object.

Boundary Image
Collection Data Object Collection Data BPMN Shape
Data Input Data Input BPMN Shape
Data Output Data Output BPMN Shape

Datasource

Datasource is used to store or access data associated with a business process. To create a datasource, set the shape as datasource.

Artifact

Artifact is used to show additional information about a process in order to make it easier to understand. There are two types of artifacts in BPMN.

  • Text annotation
  • Group

Text annotation

  • A BPMN object can be associated with a text annotation which does not affect the flow but gives details about objects within a flow.

  • A TextAnnotation points to or references another BPMN shape, which we call the textAnnotationTarget of the textAnnotation. When a target shape is moved or deleted, any TextAnnotations attached to the shape will be moved or deleted too. Thus, the TextAnnotations remain with their target shapes though you can reposition the TextAnnotation to any offset from its target. The textAnnotationTarget property of the BpmnTextAnnotation is used to connect an annotation element to the BPMN Node.

  • The annotation element can be switched from a BPMN node to another BPMN node simply by dragging the source end of the annotation connector into the other BPMN node.

  • By default, the TextAnnotation shape has a connection.

  • The textAnnotationDirection property is used to set the shape direction of the text annotation.

  • By default, the textAnnotationDirection is set to a Auto.

  • To set the size for text annotation, use the width and height properties of the node.

  • The offsetX and offsetY properties are used to set the distance between the BPMN node and the TextAnnotation.

Group

A group is used to frame a part of the diagram, shows that elements included in it logically belong together and does not have any other semantics other than organizing elements. To create a group, the shape property of the node should be set as group.

BPMN flows

BPMN Flows are lines that connects BPMN flow objects.

Association

BPMN Association flow is used to link flow objects with its corresponding text or artifact. An association is represented as a dotted graphical line with opened arrow. The types of association are as follows:

  • Directional
  • BiDirectional
  • Default

The association property allows you to define the type of association.

The following table demonstrates the visual representation of association flows.

Association Image
Default Default BPMN FlowShapes
Directional Directional BPMN FlowShapes
BiDirectional BiDirectional BPMN FlowShapes

NOTE

The default value for the property association is default.

Sequence

A Sequence flow shows the order in which the activities are performed in a BPMN process and is represented by a solid graphical line. The types of sequence are as follows:

  • Normal
  • Conditional
  • Default

The sequence property allows to define the type of sequence.

The following table contains various representation of sequence flows.

Sequence Image
Default Default Sequence BPMN Shpae
Conditional Conditional Sequence BPMN Shpae
Normal Normal Sequence BPMN Shpae

NOTE

The default value for the property sequence is normal.

Message

A Message flow shows the flow of messages between two participants and is represented by dashed line. The types of message are as follows:

  • InitiatingMessage
  • NonInitiatingMessage
  • Default

The message property allows to define the type of message.

The following table contains various representation of message flows.

Message Image
Default Default Message BPMN Shape
InitiatingMessage InitiatingMessage Message BPMN Shape
NonInitiatingMessage NonInitiatingMessage Message BPMN Shape

NOTE

The default value for the property message is default.