Link diagram elements to external resources

[ppfitzner]

We often create diagrams for discussing their content.

To support this scenario, we would like to see enhanced functionality - in detail we would like to add a hyperlink-property to diagram shapes and open the linked content (e.g. a sub process or called process).

Any plans for adding that to the modeler?

Tasks

• As a user, I can define links to external resources
• If links are external diagrams, these will be opened within the Camunda Modeler (cf. Make Call Activity clickable #119)

[nikku]

Related to bpmn-io/bpmn-js#52.

No direct plans for adding that. Would be interesting to understand what you exactly need though.

[rnbo]

Very important feature for Modeller!

We have the same problem - a lot of files that represent sub-processes. And it is very hard to operate them manually.

From my point of view, it will be great if this feature will look like additional pic in element operations (when you clicks on element). Only Task and SubProcess needs such function.

Only one BPMN editor (that I find) supports such thing - Aris, but we don't want to use it.

So, we looking forward for implementing this feature!

ps
And, by the way, in "resources" I mean - another bpmn-file. So, when you clicks "link" - another process opens in separate tab of editor.

[dewald-galjaard]

I've posted in the bpmn.io forum as well, and I do agree with rnbo so I'll make another comment here.

Having the ability to navigate to a subprocess is quite important. Problem is, bmpn.io is an authoring tool and typically that functionality would require a rendered view of the model. I think the 'Real-Life BPMN' book itself refers to an HTML rendered view (see Fig. 2.78 in Sub Processes chapter)

What may work is having a CMD+click in place to trigger an 'open file' command (similar to what you may find in Visual Studio and other IDE's) based on the call activity name assigned in properties?

[decentropy]

+1
Supporting a link property would greatly improve this product... especially if exporting to SVG carried over this property.

I can imagine BPMN modeling which exports to SVG, and produces navigable drill-down subprocesses which could be published on the web as documentation. This would be great.

[aagnie]

+1
External links would be a really nice feature.

/aage

[DioF]

+1 (at least)

[Melkor333]

+1

Actually I was expecting such a feature to be implemented in BPMN itself!
It would make it way easier to model complex processes when subprocesses can be saved in another file and accessed easily! For example an extra property in the General Properties panel where a (relative) filename can be specified would be nice.

[Gurmindermultani]

@nikku , If one had to implement this by themselves, can you provide some guidance on how to implement this. If all works well, maybe I can put it up as a pull request.

[nikku]

@Gurmindermultani The basic question is: How should elements be linked / linked elements be discovered. If you provide a robust answer to this issue, linking should be straight forward:

• Create an overlay that represents the link
• On overlay click, open the linked diagram

[Melkor333]

I know it is not very robust, but just have a relative path (relative from the current file) and if the file wasnt found give two fallback options:

1. Search redundantly from current file location or a given path
2. Manually enter the location

When a fallback path is used one should then probably be able to either set this as new path or use it temporarily.
I guess this would be robust enough for most people..

Btw. this may be a separate feature but it would also be cool to have a button like "create subprocess in new file" so that it creates a new file and links automatically. 😀

[DanielHilpoltsteiner]

We had a similar problem with linking to (external) subprocesses.
Our Solution was a model repository (relational database) where we have all information about the models. We used a TAG column as an identifier for a process to link to this model. Dimply added the information as a camunda property into the bpmn file. (little hacky solution and somehow way to bloated for the camunda modeler, but it was ok for our solution, because we already used the database)
I'm not totally sure if i showed this part of our solution at CamundaCon18.

But: i think defining a model repository on file system with a somehow defined file-structure, linking could be achived. The limitation would be a naming convention for the files to identify them

BTW: is there something like a model repository in the pipeline for camunda modeler?

[nikku]

BTW: is there something like a model repository in the pipeline for camunda modeler?

Not on our immediate roadmap. An integration with Cawemo, if you'd like to call it a repository will land some day, maybe.

[trozman]

Hi!
Firstly, a great modeller!
Any recent changes to this issue?
Today I was browsing our process models and I bumped into this issue again. We have a lot of nested processes (collapsed subprocess), which are detailed in different files.
It would be great if I could link them (click to collapsed subprocess - link to file/url - browse & select file). Double click on the subprocess could open another file/diagram.

Am I missing something? (camunda 3.6)

[pyranha-ch]

+1
I really like the modeller, and this feature would be a great improvement!

[korthout]

I was missing this feature when analyzing a large process broken up through call activities. Especially when the BPMN files are named differently from the bpmn process IDs.

Suggestion:

• Modeler loads other bpmn files in the same directory to map process IDs and file names
• A call activity in the open tab has an extra icon/button that allows opening the called process in a new tab using the preloaded mapping

cc @nikku 🙇
cc @ThorbenLindhauer

[nikku]

@korthout May your wish come true some day. Should not be too complicate to accomplish with a basic (simple) projects view #2508