Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.
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BPSim - Configure Page
The BPSim Artifact will be configured to a Package. All BPMN elements under this Package or its sub-Packages will be loaded. By default, the Package containing this Artifact will be configured when loaded into this window.
This window is context sensitive. When an element is selected on a diagram or the Project Browser, the list will show current configurations for the element; also, the combo boxes will only show available parameters for the element.
When the BPSim Artifact is the context element, the list will show the ScenarioParameters.
Access
Ribbon |
Simulate > Process Analysis > BPSIM > Open BPSIM Manager > Configure Page |
Toolbar Options
Option |
Description |
See also |
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Click on this button to select or create a DMNSimConfiguration element. |
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Click on this button to set a Package for the BPSim Artifact. All BPMN elements under this Package or its sub-Packages will be loaded. |
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Click on this button to reload BPMN elements from the configured Packages. For example, when some BPMN elements are modified, run this command to reload the Package so that the changes will be taken into account for BPSim Simulation. |
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Click on this button to define Properties, which can be used as Property Parameters on BPMN elements. |
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Click on this button to define Calendars, which can be used to configure element parameters. |
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Click on this button to show or hide the 'Result Request' column. Result Request configuration is required for a Custom simulation. The execution report will only contain results that are requested. |
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Click on this button to save the BPSim Simulation window information to a BPSim Artifact element. |
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Click on this button to validate the BPMN model and the BPSim Configurations. Error or Warning messages might display in the System Output window if they are generated. |
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Click on this button to export the BPMN model with the BPSim configuration. This exported BPMN file conforms to the BPMN and BPSim specifications and can be used by third-party BPSim Execution engines. |
Scenario Parameters
A scenario is composed of a collection of element parameters. The scenario itself defines parameters used by all elements as global settings.
Name |
Description |
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Start |
The date and time at which the process starts to take effect. You can edit this by overtyping the values or, for the date, by selection from a drop-down calendar. |
Duration |
The length of time the process takes. The 'Duration' parameter is a required value. It must be long enough to accommodate a complete simulation; for example, if a process (and hence its simulation) takes three hours to complete, the 'Duration' parameter must be set to a value greater than three hours. You can edit this by overtyping the appropriate segment in the format 'days hours:minutes:seconds'. |
Time Unit |
The base unit in which periods of time are expressed in this scenario. All numeric and floating values representing time should be considered as being expressed in this unit, unless overridden locally. You can edit this by clicking on the drop-down arrow and selecting the unit. |
Cost Unit |
The currency unit of any costs recorded in the process. All numeric and floating values representing a cost should be considered as being expressed in that currency code, unless overridden locally. You can edit this by clicking on the drop-down arrow and selecting the unit abbreviation. |
Replication |
The number of replications of the scenario to be executed. Defaults to 1. You can edit this by simply typing a value in. |
Seed |
A random seed to be used to initialize a pseudo-random number generator. You can edit this by simply typing a value in. |
Expression Language |
XPath 1.0 and Java - XPath 1.0 is the default language. If Java is specified as the expression language, JDK Home must be set. You can edit this by clicking on the drop-down arrow and selecting the language. |
DMN Module |
When business rule tasks are used in the BPMN Model, you can implement these tasks as a DMN Model. You might first create a DMN Model and generate a DMN Server in Java, then click on the |
JRE Home |
The Enterprise Architect BPSim Execution Engine runs in a Java Environment, therefore a JRE Home has to be specified. Click on the You can edit this by clicking on the |
JDK Home |
When the expression language is Java, the Enterprise Architect BPSim Execution Engine will generate Java code and compile with javac as the vendor extension. So a JDK Home must be specified. Use the You can edit this by again clicking on the |
Port |
The Port number that Enterprise Architect used to communicate with the BPSim Execution Engine. The default port number is 1799. |
Created |
Read only field. The timestamp when the BPSim Artifact was created. |
Modified |
Read only field. The timestamp when the BPSim Artifact was last modified. |
Control Parameters
To begin defining Control Parameters:
- Select the element on the diagram, then choose 'Control' in the 'Category' column in the list
- After the category selection, the combo box in the 'Parameter' column will be filled with all the available parameters for the selected element
- After the parameter selection, you can enter the parameter value in the field or use the
button to open the 'Parameter Value' dialog
Temporal Parameters
To begin defining Time Parameters:
- Select the element on the diagram, then choose 'Time' from the 'Category' column in the list
- After you select the category, the combo box in the 'Parameter' column will be filled with the available parameters for the selected element
- After you select the parameter, you can enter the value in the field or use the
button to open the 'Parameter Value' dialog
- You can toggle the 'Result Request' column by clicking on the on the toolbar to customize the simulation result by requiring certain results
Resource Parameters
To begin defining the Resource Parameters:
- Select the BPMN Task element on the diagram, then choose 'Resource' from the 'Category' column and 'Selection' from the 'Parameter' column
- Click on the
button to open the 'Edit Resource Selection' dialog
- The top left list will be filled with the defined Resource elements; use the to confirm the selection
- The top right list will be filled with the defined Roles on the resource elements; use the to confirm the selection
- Edit the numbers in the 'Quantity Required' column
- Click on the appropriate radio button to set the logical relationship to AND or OR for the selection
- The final expression for Resource selection is composed and displayed in the text field
Property Parameters
To begin defining the Property Parameters:
- Click on the on the toolbar
The defined properties and their references are listed.
You can add a new property, delete the selected property, or update a property's name and type.
- With the defined properties, you can set property parameters on BPMN elements:
Choose 'Property' as a category and a defined property for 'Parameter'.
- Click on the
button on the 'Values' column to display the 'Parameter Value' dialog
Navigate to the 'Expression' tab; all the defined properties are listed and you can double-click on an item to enclose the property in curly brackets and append it to the edit control. In this example, we compose '{noOfIssues} + 1'
Calendars
With calendars, you can define any number of special periods of time that can influence the process, such as working days, shifts, holidays or periodic events (for example, stock-taking, inventory or auditing).
To begin defining the Calendars:
- Click on the Calendar button on the toolbar; the defined calendars will be listed
You can add a new calendar, or edit or delete a selected calendar; to add a new calendar period:
- Click on the
to display the 'Event Recurrence' dialog. - In the 'Event time' panel, the 'Start' and 'End' fields both default to the current time. The 'Start' field is the anchor; a change to either the 'End' field or the 'Duration' field automatically updates the other field, in reference to the 'Start' field. Click on the hour and minute segments of each field (and, for the 'Duration' field, the 'Day(s)' segment) separately, and use the 'spin' arrows to set the start time and the end time or duration of the period.
- In the 'Recurrence pattern' panel, select the radio button for the interval at which the calendar period recurs. Each option displays an appropriate set of fields in the right of the panel for refining that interval to every day/week/month or every two/three/four days/weeks/months, on a particular day of the week, or day or date of the month, or day or date in the year. Select the checkboxes or values in drop-down lists as appropriate.
- In the 'Range of recurrence' panel, select the date on which the calendar period takes effect and select the appropriate radio button to define when the period ceases to apply - never, after a set number of occurrences, or on a specific date. You can select an end date either from a drop-down calendar or using the 'spin' arrows on each segment of the date.
- Click on the to set the calendar period.
As you define calendar periods, they are listed in order of the start date and/or time, earliest first.
- With defined calendars, you can configure parameters on a selected calendar
Validation
After configuring BPSim parameters for some BPMN Elements, run the Validation model. Any BPMN or BPSim errors/warnings will be displayed in the System Output window. Fix the issues according to messages.
Then we are ready for the next topic: BPSim Execute Page.