Method for Debugging a Business Process Flow

• US 20070276692A1
• Filed: 08/12/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mei, Xiaochun, Gooty, Subramanyam, Manavalan, Rangarajan
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

A method for debugging a process in a workflow engine, wherein the process includes a plurality of activity points, includes steps of: attaching to a running business process being controlled by the workflow engine; initiating a debugging session; receiving a set of breakpoints to be inserted into designated points in the process; stopping the running of the process at one or more of the breakpoints; and presenting a user with information relating to where the process has stopped and the status of the process flow.

Claims

1. A method for debugging a process in a workflow engine, wherein the process comprises a plurality of activity points, the method comprising steps of:

attaching to a running business process being controlled by the workflow engine;

initiating a debugging session;

receiving a set of breakpoints to be inserted into designated points in the process;

stopping the running of the process at one or more of the breakpoints; and

presenting a user with information relating to where the process has stopped and a status of the process flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow engine comprises a collaboration in an interchange server and the process is executed by the collaboration.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a step-over command, and

resuming the business process, to continue to a next activity node and pause.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the business process receiving a step-into command and

resuming the paused business process to continue to the first node in response to receiving the step-into command.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising

receiving a step-out command and

resuming the running of the collaboration responsive to receiving the step-out command.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising

receiving a run-to command comprising a parameter and

indicating an activity node to which the collaboration is responsive.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising

receiving a continue command comprising a parameter and

indicating an activity node to which the collaboration will proceed in response to receiving the continue command.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request for data relating to the process from a user.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a command to instruct the workflow engine on how to proceed.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting the user with information on how to continue the process.

11. A method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a business process service debugger, the method comprising steps of:

querying a database for tracking information regarding the business process service, wherein the tracking information contains an operation identifier;

receiving a query result and generating a shape representative of the operation according to the identifier; and

presenting the shape, the tracking information according to the query result, and a debugging option on the display device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving runtime data for the business process service and presenting the runtime data on the display device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the runtime data comprises message flow information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the debugging option is to place a breakpoint in the business process service.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting a content of a message according to the process.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving input from an input device to place a break point proximate a shape, and presenting a symbol representing the break point on the display device.