BPAL : Public Web Home

User's Guide

Running BPAL
Required: Windows OS, Java 6

1. Run SemBPPlatform\eclipse.exe

2. Select a workspace
e.g.    .\workspace

Handling BPAL Projects
BPAL projects appear in the Navigator panel

To import an existing project:
File->Import->General->Existing Projects into Workspace
then browse to select the project to import

To create a new project:
File->New->Other->BPAL Project->Create BPAL Project

A project contains the following folders:
- BPMNRepository, contains the BPMN diagram (.bpmn_diagram file), its XML serialization (.bpmn file), and the serialization of the user's semantic annotations (.ser file)
- OntologyRepository, contains the ontologies (.owl files) to be used for semantic annotation;
- SemanticBPRepository, contains the OWL export (.owl files) of the BP

Process Modeling
Processes can be modeled by using the BPMN Graphical Editor and saved in the BPMNRepository.

To create a new BPMN diagram right click on BPMNRepository and select New->Other->Other->Bpmn Diagram.

Importing and Visualizing Ontologies
To open the OWLOntology panel:
BPAL->Show OWLOntology

The user can load the ontologies available in the project by using the "+" button in the OWLOntology panel. Also new OWL ontologies can be imported via the "+" button. Ontologies can then be visualized in the panel.

Semantic Annotation
A "Properties" panel associated with a process element can be open by right-clicking on the element and selecting Annotation->Show Properties View. The Terminological Annotation, the Condition and the Effects (Eff+, Eff-) can be specified by using the given buttons and text windows. The user can save the annotations through the "Save Annotation" button.

Namespace
Namespaces can be handled via the BPAL->ShowNameSpace.
A Key can be associated with a namespace identifier (URI).

Querying
Before querying the BP knowledge base the user must compile the project by using: BPAL->Consult WorkSpaceQueries can be issued from the QuBPAL panel, which can be opened by BPAL->Show QuBPAL. Queries have the syntax
    SELECT ?x* WHERE predicate

Exporting OWL
Semantically annotated BPs can be exported to OWL files by using BPAL->Export OWL. Processes and annotations are serialized and saved to the “OntologyRepository” folder of the project.