RE: [wsbpel] repeatUntil description issue

Chris, Prasad,

I read through issue 140 and I agree the intention for 140 is as you both mentioned - 'Perform an activity at least once and then check the results, if boolean condition is still true then continue iterating'.

If we continue with that line of thinking then the <repeatUntil> construct name is incorrect. And as Danny also mentioned in that case what we are looking for is the DO WHILE construct. And the name of the activity should be changed from <repeatUntil> to <doWhile>.

Also we need to make it clearer in the description that the enclosing activity is executed at least once regardless of the boolean condition, this is not clear in the current description.

So I change my proposal to:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) Change <repeatUntil> to <doWhile>

(b) In section 6.2 change

Current description:

The <repeatUntil> constructs allows you to indicate the repeated performance of a specified iterative activity. The iterative activity will continue to be performed so long as after it executes the given Boolean <repeatUntil> condition holds true.

to Proposed Description:

The <doWhile> construct allows you to indicate the repeated performance of a specified iterative activity. The iterative activity is performed at least once. Following that the iterative activity will continue to be performed so long as the given Boolean <doWhile> condition holds true.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

regards,
-Vinky

From: Prasad Yendluri [mailto:pyendluri@webmethods.com]
Sent: Fri 11/4/2005 1:42 PM
To: Danny van der Rijn; chris.keller@active-endpoints.com; Mehta, Vinkesh (US - Austin)
Cc: 'ws bpel tc'
Subject: Re: [wsbpel] repeatUntil description issue

We added this activity as a resolution for issue 140. The issue called for adding an activity with the following semantics:

<scope>
    activity1
    <while>
       <condition>bool-expr</condition>
       activity1
    </while>
</scope>

The intent was to permit executing at least once and repeat as long as the condition holds true.
The proposed resolution called the activity "until" but when it got incorporated into the spec it
got changed to "repeatUntil" which is a definite misnomer.

The intent of the issue was *not* to add an activity with "repeatUntil" semantics.
So I suggest we fix the name of the activity to capture the semantics appropriately than change the semantics of the activity to match "repeatUntil".

How about <repeat> or <repeatWhile>? Either of which I don't particularly like and the original name <until> in the issue resolution is not good either IMO.

How about <atleastOnce>?

Regards,
Prasad

------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Re: [wsbpel] repeatUntil description issue
Date:	Fri, 04 Nov 2005 10:24:15 -0800
From:	Danny van der Rijn <dannyv@tibco.com>
To:	chris.keller@active-endpoints.com
CC:	'Mehta, Vinkesh (US - Austin)' <vmehta@DELOITTE.com>, 'ws bpel tc' <wsbpel@lists.oasis-open.org>
References:	<200511041404.jA4E4OCR006542@mx2.tibco.com>

Which is usually called do.. while. We should either rename this, or redefine it. The current definition doesn't match the name.

Danny

Chris Keller wrote:

Hi Vinky,

I think the idea was to create a loop that executes at least once with a test after execution of the loop. As opposed to <while> which tests before the loop is executed and thereby the loop code may not execute at all. Is that still the semantics?

- Chris

From: Mehta, Vinkesh (US - Austin) [mailto:vmehta@DELOITTE.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2005 11:30 PM
To: ws bpel tc
Subject: [wsbpel] repeatUntil description issue

As we discussed during the Nov 2nd conf. call. I would like to request opening the following new issue:

In 6.2 the description of <repeatUntil> is incorrect. It is opposite of the traditional meaning of a REPEAT UNTIL construct. The expected meaning is for the iterator to repeat *until* the boolean condition is met(becomes true). But the description says otherwise.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current description:

The <repeatUntil> constructs allows you to indicate the repeated performance of a specified iterative activity. The iterative activity will continue to be performed so long as after it executes the given Boolean <repeatUntil> condition holds true.

Proposed Description:

The <repeatUntil> construct allows you to indicate the repeated performance of a specified iterative activity. The iterative activity will continue to be performed until the given Boolean <repeatUntil> condition becomes true.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regards,
-Vinky

Vinkesh O. Mehta
Deloitte Consulting LLP

Fax: +1 512 480 1261
Mobile: + 1 512 750 2006
vmehta@deloitte.com
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