Creating a Service Process Interface

A service process interface allows the dynamic selection of service processes at runtime. A service process interface specifies the deployment target, events and their parameters that must be present in the service processes created using that service process interface. At runtime, any of the service processes that implement the interface may be chosen based on the data available at that time.

Note: You can only use service process interfaces with service processes.

Using the Service Process Interface Editor, you can add the deployment targets, events and parameters you require. You must specify a deployment target. You can choose either:

  • the process engine
  • the pageflow engine

The deployment target you choose depends on whether you are invoking your service processes from business processes or pageflow processes.

Once created, a service process interface can be used by several different service processes. If a service process is created using a service process interface, the deployment target, the events and parameters specified in the interface must be present in a service process that implements the interface. You can add additional events or parameters, but removing any of those required by the interface invalidates the service process.

If you do have additional parameters that are local to a service process that implements a service process interface, you can move the parameters into the service process interface by right-clicking the parameter and selecting Move Parameter to Interface. However, this option is only available for service processes that implement a service process interface in the same package, and for parameters that do not have any problems in the Problems view.

If you create a service process using a service process interface, the service process that you create inherits the deployment target, events and parameters created in the interface.

Procedure

  1. In the Project Explorer, select the package where you want to create your service process interface, right-click and select New > Service Process Interface.
  2. Enter the Label of the service process interface and select Next.
  3. In Description, add optional text that describes the process, an optional URL that links to documentation about the process, and select Next.
    Note: The Documentation URL field is intended for design-time collaboration; it is not displayed in the runtime environment.
  4. (Optional) In Destinations, select a destination environment. This controls the validation that TIBCO Business Studio performs when you save the service process interface.
    You must set an appropriate destination environment on the service process interface if you want to avoid error messages and warnings associated with modelling constructs that cannot be executed in your runtime environment.
    Note:
    • The exact destination environments that are displayed depend on the edition of TIBCO Business Studio that you have installed.
    • The specific destination components that make up a destination environment can be viewed by selecting Window > Preferences, and selecting Destinations.
    • If you select BPM, the Process will be validated against TIBCO ActiveMatrix BPM 3.x.
    • If you select Simulation, processes created under this project will be validated for simulation in TIBCO Business Studio as well as for BPMN correctness.

    If you do not select a destination environment, basic BPMN validation is performed.

    You can change or select the destination environment after the process is completed on the Destinations tab of the Service Process Interface Properties.

  5. (Optional) In Extended, add any optional supplemental information to the XPDL for the process.
  6. Select Finish.
    The Service Process Interface editor is displayed. Use this to configure the deployment target for the service process interface and add or remove start events, intermediate events, and parameters.
  7. Once you have created your service process interface, you must configure the deployment engine that you want the service process interface to be deployed to.
    When you create a service process interface, the deployment target is automatically set to Deploy to Process Run-time so, if you want your service process interface to deploy to the pageflow engine, you must select Deploy to Pageflow Run-time in the General tab of the Properties view. Add any start events, intermediate events, and parameters and select Save.
    Note: There are other tabs available in the Properties view for service processes. See Process Properties for more information.