IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Developing business processes > Building BPEL processes > Defining BPEL process logic > Adding an activity to a BPEL process > Work with structured activities

Linking activities within parallel and generalized flow activities

Links direct the sequence in which the execution of activities occurs within parallel and generalized flow activities.

To link the activities that are nested within a parallel or generalized flow activity, when only a small number of activities are present, proceed as follows:

Procedure

1. Drop a parallel activities or generalized flow activity onto the canvas, and then drop the necessary activities into it.
2. Move the cursor over an activity until the yellow circle appears.

3. Click the yellow circle. The cursor will change appearance, and will look like an electrical plug with a crossed out circle beside it.

4. Drag the cursor out over the canvas. A black string is now attached to the cursor, and when you hover over a valid incoming link icon, the crossed out circle disappears, and the link snaps into place.

5. Click the activity that you want to link to. The link becomes a solid purple line and connects the two activities.

6. If you would like to change the target activity, proceed as follows:

   1. Click the link so that it becomes highlighted.

   2. Click the black box at the target end of the link, and drag it to a new incoming link.

Work with structured activities

Building BPEL processes

Related tasks:
Work with structured activities
Work with parallel activities

Create links in complex flows

When a large number of activities are present in a parallel or generalized flow activty, it can be difficult to graphically create links. To link activities in a complex structured activity proceed as follows:

Procedure

1. Drop a parallel activities or generalized flow activity onto the canvas, and then drop the necessary activities into it.
2. Locate one of the activities that you want to link. The chosen activity can be the source or target of the intended link.
3. Right-click the selected activity, then click Create a Link From/To Here. This launches the Create a link window.
4. Make the selected activity the source or the target of the link. Select Create a link from here to make the activity the source of the link; select Create a link to here to make the activity the target of the link.

5. Choose the activity that you want to connect to your selected activity. Activities that are eligible to link to the selected activity are listed. Eligible activities are those which reside in the same structured activity. Select the activity by clicking on it.

   If the list is long, you can filter it, by typing the first few characters of the activity name in the text field. A message at the bottom of the screen describes the link that you are about to create, or provides information about why the link you are trying to create is not allowed.

6. If you are working in a Generalized flow activity, choose whether to create a standard link or a fault link. Select the check box to select the link type.

7. Create the link. Click OK.