How to Create a Standalone BPEL Subprocess

This section provides an example of how to create a simple application that uses a standalone subprocess.

Note:

A standalone subprocess can include an inline subprocess.

To create a standalone BPEL subprocess:

Create a SOA composite application that includes a BPEL 2.0 process. For this example, a synchronous BPEL 2.0 process is created.
Design a BPEL 2.0 process. For this example, the following process is designed:
- A variable of type string is created (for this example, named variable1) to pass in as a parameter.
- An assign activity is created in which the client input string is mapped to variable1.
Figure 40-21 shows the BPEL process design.

Figure 40-21 BPEL 2.0 Process Design

Description of "Figure 40-21 BPEL 2.0 Process Design"
Click the composite_name link above Oracle BPEL Designer to access the SOA Composite Editor.
Right-click inside the SOA Composite Editor, and select Insert > Subprocess or drag a Subprocess icon from Components window into the composite.

The Create Subprocess dialog is displayed.
Enter appropriate values or accept the default values, and click OK to create the standalone subprocess. Figure 40-22 provides details. For this example, the subprocess name provided is Subprocess1.

Figure 40-22 Create Subprocess Dialog

Description of "Figure 40-22 Create Subprocess Dialog"
Right-click the subprocess in the SOA Composite Editor, and select Edit.
Create a variable of type string in the subprocess (for this example, the variable is named p1), and click OK,

You now design simple process logic in the standalone subprocess.
From the Components window, drag an Assign activity into the process.
In the Target section of the Copy Rules tab of the assign activity, drag the Expression Builder icon onto the p1 variable.
Create a concat expression to read the value out of the parameter in the subprocess and update variable p1 with that value.
```
concat($p1,",from subprocess")
```
Save the composite or select Save All, and exit the BPEL 2.0 process.
In the SOA Composite Editor, right-click the BPEL process and select Edit.
From the Oracle Extensions subsection, drag a call activity below the assign activity in Oracle BPEL Designer.
Right-click the call activity and select Edit.

This invokes the Edit Call dialog. Note that variable p1 is displayed in the Name column after the selected Subprocess1.
Click inside the Value column to invoke the Variable Chooser dialog.
Select variable1, and click OK. This maps variable p1 from the standalone subprocess to variable variable1 of the initial BPEL 2.0 process that you created.
Leave the Copy By Value check box deselected.

Leaving this check box deselected copies the variable by reference. Only variables or partner links are accepted for variables, not XPath function queries. Copy by reference supports both input and output variables. Copy by value supports only input values.
From the Components window, drag a second Assign activity below the call activity.
In the Copy Rules tab of the assign activity, update the output message with variable1, and click OK. Figure 40-23 provides details.
Figure 40-23 Edit Assign Dialog

Description of "Figure 40-23 Edit Assign Dialog"

Figure 40-24 shows the BPEL 2.0 process with the subprocess. In this BPEL 2.0 process, the following logic is designed:
- The string value in the input message in Assign1 is taken and assigned to variable1 in the call activity, to be passed by reference.
- assign2 takes variable1 and creates the response. The variable1 value is updated by the subprocess.
Figure 40-24 BPEL 2.0 Process

Description of "Figure 40-24 BPEL 2.0 Process"
Go to the SOA Composite Editor and note that the BPEL subprocess is now connected to the BPEL 2.0 process because of the call activity.

You are now ready to deploy the SOA composite application and create a business flow instance in Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control.

When you access the audit trail for the created business flow instance in Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control, note that the call activity and its contents are displayed.

For more information about standalone BPEL subprocesses, see Section "Using Templates and Standalone Subprocesses to Update the Order Status in the Database" of Understanding Oracle SOA Suite.