BPAL : Public Web Home

User's Guide

EditRunning BPAL
Required: Windows OS, Java 6

1. Run SemBPPlatform\eclipse.exe
2. Select a workspace:
File->Switch Workspace
and select a folder, e.g., .\workspace

Handling BPAL Projects

Create a new project:
File->New->Other->BPALProject->CreateBPALProject

Import an existing BPAL project:
File->Import->Existing Projects into Workspace
and browse for folders

Show BPAL projects in the Navigator panel:
Window->Show View->Navigator

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).

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.

Querying
Before querying the user must export the BP knowledge base to OWL (see previous point) and compile the project by using: BPAL->Consult WorkSpace.
Queries have the syntax
    SELECT ?x* WHERE predicate