Figure 8.15 – The Group class diagram

The Group element inherits the attributes and model associations of BaseElement (see Table 8.5), through its relationship to Artifact. Table 8.21 presents the additional model associations for a Group.

Table 8.21 – Group model associations

categoryValueRef: CategoryValue [0..1] The categoryValueRef attribute specifies the CategoryValue that the Group represents. (Further details about the definition of a Category and CategoryValue can be found on page 70.) The name of the Category and the value of the CategoryValue separated by delineator "." provides the label for the Group. The graphical elements within the boundaries of the Group will be assigned the CategoryValue.

Category

Categories, which have user-defined semantics, can be used for documentation or analysis purposes. For example, FlowElements can be categorized as being customer oriented vs. support oriented. Furthermore, the cost and time of Activities per Category can be calculated.

Groups are one way in which Categories of objects can be visually displayed on the diagram. That is, a Group is a visual depiction of a single CategoryValue. The graphical elements within the Group will be assigned the CategoryValue of the Group. The value of the CategoryValue, optionally prepended by the Category name and delineator ":", appears on the diagram as the Group label. (NOTE - Categories can be highlighted through other mechanisms, such as color, as defined by a modeler or a modeling tool). A single Category can be used for multiple Groups in a diagram.

The Category element inherits the attributes and model associations of BaseElement (see Table 8.5) through its relationship to RootElement. Table 8.22 displays the additional model associations of the Category element.

Table 8.22 – Category model associations

The CategoryValue element inherits the attributes and model associations of BaseElement (see Table 8.5). Table 8.23 displays the attributes and model associations of the CategoryValue element.

Table 8.23 – CategoryValue attributes and model associations

Text Annotation

Text Annotations are a mechanism for a modeler to provide additional information for the reader of a BPMN Diagram. A Text Annotation is an open rectangle that MUST be drawn with a solid single line (as seen in Figure 8.16).

The use of text, color, size, and lines for a Text Annotation MUST follow the rules defined in “Use of Text, Color, Size, and Lines in a Diagram” on page 39.

The Text Annotation object can be connected to a specific object on the Diagram with an Association, but does not affect the flow of the Process. Text associated with the Annotation can be placed within the bounds of the open rectangle.

Text Annotation allows a modeler to provide additional information

Figure 8.16 – A Text Annotation

The Text Annotation element inherits the attributes and model associations of BaseElement (see Table 8.5). Table 8.24 presents the additional attributes for a Text Annotation.

Table 8.24 –Text Annotation attributes

Table 8.25 – Artifact XML schema

<xsd:element name="artifact" type="tArtifact"/> <xsd:complexType name="tArtifact" abstract="true">

<xsd:complexContent>

<xsd:extension base="tBaseElement"/> </xsd:complexContent>

</xsd:complexType>

Table 8.26 – Association XML schema

<xsd:element name="association" type="tAssociation" substitutionGroup="artifact"/> <xsd:complexType name="tAssociation">

<xsd:complexContent> <xsd:extension base="tArtifact">

<xsd:attribute name="sourceRef" type="xsd:QName" use="required"/> <xsd:attribute name="targetRef" type="xsd:QName" use="required"/>

<xsd:attribute name="associationDirection" type="tAssociationDirection" default="None"/> </xsd:extension>

</xsd:complexContent> </xsd:complexType>

<xsd:simpleType name="tAssociationDirection"> <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">

<xsd:enumeration value="None"/> <xsd:enumeration value="One"/> <xsd:enumeration value="Both"/> </xsd:restriction>

</xsd:simpleType>

Table 8.27 – Category XML schema

<xsd:element name="category" type="tCategory" substitutionGroup="rootElement"/>

<xsd:complexType name="tCategory"> <xsd:complexContent>

<xsd:extension base="tRootElement"> <xsd:sequence>

<xsd:element ref="categoryValue" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/> </xsd:sequence>

<xsd:attribute name="name" type="xsd:string"/>\ </xsd:extension>

</xsd:complexContent> </xsd:complexType>

Table 8.28 – CategoryValue XML schema

<xsd:element name="categoryValue" type="tCategoryValue"/> <xsd:complexType name="tCategoryValue">

<xsd:complexContent>

<xsd:extension base="tBaseElement">

<xsd:attribute name="value" type="xsd:string" use="optional"/>\ </xsd:extension>

</xsd:complexContent> </xsd:complexType>

Table 8.29 – Group XML schema

<xsd:element name="group" type="tGroup" substitutionGroup="artifact"/> <xsd:complexType name="tGroup">

<xsd:complexContent> <xsd:extension base="tArtifact">

<xsd:attribute name="categoryValueRef" type="xsd:QName" use="optional"/> </xsd:extension>

</xsd:complexContent> </xsd:complexType>

Table 8.30– Text Annotation XML schema

<xsd:element name="textAnnotation" type="tTextAnnotation" substitutionGroup="artifact"/> <xsd:complexType name="tTextAnnotation">

<xsd:complexContent> <xsd:extension base="tArtifact">

<xsd:sequence>

<xsd:element ref="text" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/> </xsd:sequence>

<xsd:attribute name="textFormat" type="xsd:string" default="textplain"/>

</xsd:extension> </xsd:complexContent>

</xsd:complexType>