How to Assign a Value to a Project Data Object

8-14 Modeling and Implementation Guide for Oracle Business Process Management Figure 8–4 Scope and Life Span of Project Data Objects

8.13 Introduction to Data Associations

Data associations are used to pass the information stored in data objects in the following contexts: ■ To and from another process or service invoked from a BPMN process ■ To and from a Human Task service ■ To and from an Oracle Business Rule ■ To and from a script task. This BPMN flow object is used to pass data objects through data associations. Table Figure 8–4 lists the flow objects where you can define data associations. It also lists the objects implemented. You can use data associations to define the input and output from a flow object to an external service or process. It is important to note that although the inputs and outputs are defined in the data associations for a flow object, the defined values are passed to the implemented systems and services. You can use expressions to evaluate and change the input and output values

8.13.1 Introduction to the Data Association Editor

The data associations editor enables you to configure the input and output values passed between a flow object and a its implementation. Table 8–3 Flow Objects that Accept Data Associations Flow Objects Implementation Message start and end events Services and other BPMN processes Message throw and catch events Services and other BPMN processes Send and receive tasks Services and other BPMN processes Script tasks Do not contain an implementation, are used to pass data objects through data associations. User tasks Oracle Human Tasks Business rule tasks Oracle Business Rules Service Tasks Services and BPMN processes Handling Information in Your Process Design 8-15 Figure 8–5 shows the data association for the Enter Quote user task in the Sales Quote example. Figure 8–5 The Data Association Editor This figure shows the data association for the Enter Quote user task in the Sales Quote example. The Enter Quote task implementation requires a Quote object as an input argument and return a modified Quote object as a result of running the Human Task. Table 8–4 describes the different areas of the data association editor.

8.14 Introduction to Transformations

You can use XSL transformations to transform: Table 8–4 The Data Association Editor User Interface UI Area Description Inputs Contains text boxes that display the data objects assigned as inputs to the service or process implemented in the flow object. Next to each text box is an icon that launches the expression editor Flow Object Interface Lists the expected input arguments for the service or process implemented. The flow object interface also contains an expandable list of the data objects supplied as input and output. Within the flow object area, you can expand complex data objects to map to specific basic data objects within a complex data object. Outputs Contains text boxes that display the data objects assigned as outputs from the service or process implemented in the flow object. Data Objects Displays a list of all the data objects. This list is divided between process and project data objects.