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Procedure documentationStarting a Process Locate this document in the navigation structure

 

You have several possibilities for starting a process depending on its purpose and starting point. Processes are exposed as Web services when they are deployed at the runtime. The process starts when the start event is triggered. Therefore, the definition of the Web service (WSDL file) and the operation assigned to the start event affect the way for how the process is started.

Prerequisites

  • You have a user that has the SAP_BPM_SuperAdmin role or the relevant administrator action (SAP_BPM_SuperAdmin) is assigned to your user role.

  • You have the required role (SAP_BPM_TRIGGER_EVENT) and action (TRIGGEREVENT) assigned to you to start processes through web services.

For more information about the required administration of UME roles and UME actions for BPM administration tasks, see Authorizations and Roles.

Procedure

Starting Processes from Process Repository

You can start processes from the Process Repository tool that is integrated in the SAP NetWeaver Administrator. This way to start processes is mostly used for test purposes.

Note Note

When you start a process from the Process Repository the process is executed asynchronously, that means, it does not wait for a response, even if it is a synchronous process. For more information, see Synchronous and Asynchronous Processes.

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  1. To start the SAP NetWeaver Administrator, enter the following address in a Web browser and then provide your user name and password: http://<host>:<httpport>/nwa.

  2. Select   Configuration Management   Processes and Tasks   Process Repository  .

    The system displays the development components of the deployed processes and their details.

  3. Select your development component (DC) of the process you want to start.

  4. Choose the Processes, Tasks, and Rules tab page.

  5. Select the required process and choose Start Process.

    Note Note

    You can start a process with active version only.

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For more information about administration tasks in the Process Repository tool, such as downloading resources for support, see Displaying and Starting Processes in the Process Repository.

Starting Processes by Web Services

You can also start processes using Web services, for example, using the Web Services Navigator (WS Navigator), a Web Dynpro application, or another client application. The application uses the same service interface that is assigned to the start event of the process in the process composer.

Note Note

When deploying a process, the security settings User ID/Password and Logon Ticket are set automatically. This means that you need to log on when calling the Web service to start a process.

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Note Note

Synchronous processes that are started by Web services run synchronously. For more information on how to model synchronous processes, see Synchronous and Asynchronous Processes.

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Starting Processes from the Web Services Navigator

For working with the WS Navigator, you need a user, which belongs to the administrator group, or has an administrator role, or has the UME WS Navigator administrator action, in addition to the SAP_BPM_SuperAdmin role that is required to start a process.

  1. To start the WS Navigator, enter the following address in a Web browser and then provide your user name and password: http://<host>:<httpport>/wsnavigator

  2. You can search for a Web service using a WSDL URL, a provider system name, a logical destination name, or the Services Registry.

    More information: Finding Web Services

    Note Note

    If you have assigned the DefaultService service interface definition with the Empty operation to the start and end event in several processes without renaming them, many entries with the same name will be found in the WS Navigator. You cannot search for the process name. It is therefore difficult to find the right service interface and operation to start the particular process. We recommend that you create a new WSDL file and give the assigned service interface and operation descriptive names.

    More information: Creating Service Interface Definitions

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    Note Note

    If you want to call a Web service deployed on another system, enter the address of this system in the Web Services Navigator white list.

    More information: Configuring Web Services Navigator White List

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  3. After you have found the service interface, for example, by entering the WSDL URL, choose the operation that has been assigned to the start event in the process composer (see in the Process Composer perspective, the start event properties:   Properties   Interface   Operation  ).

  4. Choose Execute to call the Web service with the definition and operation you have assigned to the start event in the process composer.

    More information: Modeling Events, 3. Assign Service Interface Definitions to Events

    The start event of the process is triggered and the process starts.

More information: Testing Web Services in the Web Services Navigator

Starting Processes from Web Dynpro Applications

The Web service can be called from an application, for example, from a Web Dynpro application.

The Web Dynpro application developer has integrated the service interface into the application. The Web Dynpro developer can find the service interface in the WS Navigator. The same service interface is assigned to the start event of the process.

Starting Processes from a Web Service Client

You can call Web services from Web service clients and start the process.

The Web service client developer has integrated the Web service in an application. The developer knows the specific requirements for the Web service and creates a Web service proxy. Afterwards, the developer programs the client application using the service interface. This service interface is also assigned to the start event of the process.

More information: Consuming Web Services

Starting Processes from Debugger

You can start a process from the debugger that is integrated in the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio. In addition to the SAP_BPM_SuperAdmin role that is required to start a process, you need the SAP_BPM_Debug role assigned to your user, to be able to debug and start processes in the Debug perspective. The process needs to be on the server. For more information, see Debugging Processes.

Note Note

When you start a process from the debugger, the process is executed asynchronously, this means that it does not wait for ay response even if it is a synchronous process. For more information, see Synchronous and Asynchronous Processes.

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  1. To open the debugger, in the Developer Studio, choose   Window   Open Perspective   Other...   Debug   and choose OK.

    Note Note

    If you start the debugger directly from the workbench, the debugger configuration is created automatically.

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  2. Choose Debug in the context menu or the corresponding icon.

  3. In the dialog that appears, select Process and in the context menu, choose New.

  4. Choose the project and the process you want to start.

  5. On the Arguments tab page, select the Attach to a New Process Instance option. A new instance of the process is created.

    You can specify the input data for the process start event on the Design or Source tab page.

  6. Choose Apply to save the settings.

  7. Choose Debug.