BPSS schema - 10 fixin's and 10 review items

[David RR Webber <david@drrw.info>]

Folks – next time we have one of our F2F sessions - *someone* has to be
responsible for tracking schema changes. Especially when there are as many and
extensive changes as have been made.  We cannot continue just putting out a
schema with no change logs whatsoever.  That’s just not acceptable.

Anyway - I can see the rationale for most of the changes – and it mostly makes
sense – but this detective work after the fact takes hours and hours.  And who
knows if I caught all of it.

The notes needed don’t have to be vastly detailed – but should at least
reference the parent element tagname – and then – things like – restructured;
added attribute(s), deleted attribute(s); renamed; moved, etc, so implementers
/ reviewers know where to look.

On to the changes themselves…here’s what I’d like to propose based on the August
2nd posting of the XSD – in order to finalize this for V2 release.

Items from review of BPSS schema – I think we need to clean up some more and
have only items that are clear and simple in their function and purpose.  

Things that have unclear use are just confusing to users and implementers.  

Then there are some general bugs too – so two categories – items that don’t
seem
to be adding significant value, or can be handled other ways (no need to
re-invent the wheel) – or items that are schema syntax fix-ins.

1) Schema fix – Variable definition within package should be optional and
unbounded (its OK everywhere else its defined), and Signal should be unbounded
too (probably better to declare them as global schema types and reference those
to solve this).

2) Schema fix – DocumentSpecificationType should include BPSS, ebMS, ebContext,
CAM, XSLT and XML in token list

3) Schema fix – We have Package within Package.  This is very confusing for
implementers.  I’d remove this recursion.

4) Schema fix – Do we need the repetition of – SubstitutionSet, ExternalRoles
and Signal and Variable within Package?  Let’s just have one at the
ProcessSpecification level only.

5) Schema fix – ExternalRoles / BusinessPartnerRole / Performs has changed back
to fromRole / toRole etc.  Was this intended??  I’d like to add
variableGroupIDREF attribute to those attributes.

6) Schema fix – BinaryCollaboration - TimeToPerform – should be optional!

7) Schema fix -  BusinessTransactionActivity – TimeToPerform – should be
optional! 

8) Schema fix – rename TimeToPerform to timeToComplete – this avoids confusion
with the messaging attribute purpose.

9) Schema fix – replace the bare Variable definition with this structure – that
provides far more fine grained control ( also note – ConditionExpression should
have unbounded occurs )

<ContextVariables>
    <variableGroup name-‘default’ nameIDREF=’default01’> <!-- the first
variableGroup instance is automatically the default group that applies to all
roles and context.-->
        <Variable name=’myvar1’ nameID=’myvar1’ label=’Value 1:’ default=’01’>
            <ConditionExpression expressionLanguage=’XSD’ expression=’string’/>
            <ConditionExpression expressionLanguage=’XSLT’
expression=’string’/>
        </Variable>
        <Variable name=’myvar2’ nameID=’myvar2’ label=’Value 2:’ default=’002’>
            <ConditionExpression expressionLanguage=’XSD’ expression=’string’/>
            <ConditionExpression expressionLanguage=’XSLT’
expression=’string’/>
        </Variable>
    </variableGroup>
    <variableGroup name-‘for-GM-only’ nameIDREF=’gm01’> <!-- subsequent
variableGroup are referenced by name from ExternalRoles for specific
participants -->
       <Variable name=’GMvar1’ nameID=’myvar1’ label=’Value GM1:’
default=’NORMAL’>
            <ConditionExpression expressionLanguage=’XSLT’ expression=’
doc:\\CustomerPO\Header\orderType='URGENT’ documentRef=’purchaseOrder’/>
       </Variable>
    </variableGroup>
</ContextVariables>

10) Schema fix - Documentation – in addition to URI this should have an
xml:lang
attribute.

Then these changes are clean-up / clarification related:

11) SubsitutionSet – Deprecated - Remove

12) isConcurrent? Does this need to be there now – just use Join?  Remove?

13) isInnerCollaboration?  Same thing – surely endsWhen / beginsWhen handles by
inference this?

14) What does Pattern do?  It contains URI - linking semantics to BPSS models? 
What syntax is pattern in?  UML, PDF, Word?  If so – maybe we need patternType
attribute too?

15) isLegallyBinding – rename? How about – stepHasLegalMeaning 

16) Do we really need Include?  This can be done with an XSD include import,
right?  Deprecate / Remove?

17) Fork, Decision and Transition – these are now really all the same thing!!! 
I think we can remove Transition and Decision.

18) Fork has timeToPerform attribute.  Remove?!  [ the timeToComplete of the
preceding steps really control this]

19) Join should have an overall optional timeToComplete on it!!!  Add.

20) OperationMapping – what is this for?  Should it be using nameIDREF instead
of name?  

If we can reduce the amount of ‘clutter’ in the specification it will certainly
be a value-plus for V2 – and also make the specification easier to write and
read.

I suggest we discuss this on the list – and then schedule time on our next
conference call to step thru those that require final resolution then.

Thanks, DW

http://drrw.net