Inspector reference

IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Create processes in IBM Process Designer > Debug processes with the Inspector
Inspector reference

Learn how to access and use each feature provided by the Inspector.
The following image shows the Inspector interface and each major functional area:

The following table describes each numbered area in the preceding image of the Inspector interface in IBM Process Designer:

Description of numbered areas on the Inspector interface image
Area number Description
1 Shows the currently active and previously run process instances on the Process Center Server or connected Process Server in the Process Instances tab. The highlighted instance is the currently selected instance, which means any action you perform or any data shown in the other areas of the Inspector apply to this instance. (The Services in Debug tab becomes active only if you select the Debug icon for a particular task.)
2 Use the Instance Name field and the Status drop-down menu to control the list of instances displayed in the Process Instances tab.
For example, if you want to see only active process instances that include the word employee in their name, type employee in the Instance Name field and select Active from the Status drop-down menu.
3 Use the drop-down lists to choose a different server on which to run the current BPD. You can also choose a different snapshot if you want to run a different version of the BPD. The Process Instances tab includes a Snapshot column so that you know which version of a process the currently displayed instances are running.
For example, in the preceding image, the Snapshot column displays Tip to indicate that you are running the version of the process currently under development in the Designer.
Remote Process Servers must be connected to your Process Center to be available. See Customize the Process Server connection settings to learn how to connect runtime Process Servers to the Process Center. To run a process on a different server using the Inspector, first deploy the process application snapshot that contains the process that you want to run as described in Deploying snapshots on a process server.
When you change servers or versions in the Inspector, you have to start the BPD again by choosing the run icon at the upper right of the BPD diagram.
4 Use the icons in the toolbar to manage process instances, run tasks, or debug services. See Inspector toolbar options for more information.
5 Shows the current task for the selected process instance. In the preceding example, the current task is the first task in the BPD called Submit job requisition. You can click the task to select it and then use the toolbar icon to run the task so that you can step through the entire BPD.
6 Shows the BPD diagram for the selected instance and highlights the current task so you know where you are in the execution of the process for this instance. In the preceding example, the red token above and the yellow halo around the Submit job requisition task indicate the active step. If you want to view other information about the BPD for the selected instance, you can click the other available tabs such as Overview and Variables.
7 Shows a navigation tree of the execution progress for the selected instance. In the preceding example, you can see the first step in the instance (the start of the process) and you can see the active second step, indicated by the red token. The navigation tree continues to expand if you decide to run the task and step through the entire process in the Inspector.
8 Shows the variables used in the current step. In the preceding example, we can see that the requisition variable is used in the active step. You can select a variable, right-click, and then select Show In Execution Evaluator to view and manipulate the variable values.
9 Use the drop-down menu to change the Inspector interface display. When you open the Inspector interface, you see the Standard display which is described in the preceding rows. You can choose to show less information (Simple) or more (Edit & Debug).

Inspector toolbar options

When viewing instances of processes in the Process Instances tab of the Inspector, the following toolbar icons are available to help you manage those instances.

Toolbar icons available on the Process Instances tab
Toolbar icon Function
Pauses the selected process instance.
Resumes a suspended process instance.
Stops a running process instance.
Removes any record of the selected process instance.
Refreshes the current list of process instances based on the filter you have selected and the most recent data from the Process Server. When stepping through a process instance, you need to click Refresh after completing a step so that the diagram view and navigation tree properly display your progress.
Pages through the BPD instances when more than 100 instances are displayed in the Process Instances tab.
Runs the selected task. A web browser opens to display coach(es), while the Inspector displays red tokens both in the BPD diagram and the navigation tree of the execution state to show the step that is executing in the active process instance.
Opens a debug session in your default web browser for the selected task. The debug feature enables you to step through each service in each stage of the process execution to view the business data that is passed in and out. As you step through a service in the debug session in your browser, the Inspector interface shows the same progress in the currently executing service in the diagram view and navigation tree.

Understanding tokens

In the Inspector interface, tokens indicate where the runtime instance is currently executing—both in the diagram of the BPD or service and in the navigation tree of the instance execution. The following general rules apply to tokens:

If a token is on a step, that step is in an active state. Until the step has been completed, the process instance cannot proceed.
If a token is on a conditional sequence flow, the target step is enabled—it can receive the token—because the condition on the sequence flow was met. Conditions are evaluated after the step has been completed but before the process enters the outgoing sequence flow.
A process instance can generate several tokens.
For example, a split can cause two tokens to be generated. These tokens are merged into a single token when the process reaches a join gateway.

Debug processes with the Inspector

Area number	Description
1	Shows the currently active and previously run process instances on the Process Center Server or connected Process Server in the Process Instances tab. The highlighted instance is the currently selected instance, which means any action you perform or any data shown in the other areas of the Inspector apply to this instance. (The Services in Debug tab becomes active only if you select the Debug icon for a particular task.)
2	Use the Instance Name field and the Status drop-down menu to control the list of instances displayed in the Process Instances tab. For example, if you want to see only active process instances that include the word employee in their name, type employee in the Instance Name field and select Active from the Status drop-down menu.
3	Use the drop-down lists to choose a different server on which to run the current BPD. You can also choose a different snapshot if you want to run a different version of the BPD. The Process Instances tab includes a Snapshot column so that you know which version of a process the currently displayed instances are running. For example, in the preceding image, the Snapshot column displays Tip to indicate that you are running the version of the process currently under development in the Designer. Remote Process Servers must be connected to your Process Center to be available. See Customize the Process Server connection settings to learn how to connect runtime Process Servers to the Process Center. To run a process on a different server using the Inspector, first deploy the process application snapshot that contains the process that you want to run as described in Deploying snapshots on a process server. When you change servers or versions in the Inspector, you have to start the BPD again by choosing the run icon at the upper right of the BPD diagram.
4	Use the icons in the toolbar to manage process instances, run tasks, or debug services. See Inspector toolbar options for more information.
5	Shows the current task for the selected process instance. In the preceding example, the current task is the first task in the BPD called Submit job requisition. You can click the task to select it and then use the toolbar icon to run the task so that you can step through the entire BPD.
6	Shows the BPD diagram for the selected instance and highlights the current task so you know where you are in the execution of the process for this instance. In the preceding example, the red token above and the yellow halo around the Submit job requisition task indicate the active step. If you want to view other information about the BPD for the selected instance, you can click the other available tabs such as Overview and Variables.
7	Shows a navigation tree of the execution progress for the selected instance. In the preceding example, you can see the first step in the instance (the start of the process) and you can see the active second step, indicated by the red token. The navigation tree continues to expand if you decide to run the task and step through the entire process in the Inspector.
8	Shows the variables used in the current step. In the preceding example, we can see that the requisition variable is used in the active step. You can select a variable, right-click, and then select Show In Execution Evaluator to view and manipulate the variable values.
9	Use the drop-down menu to change the Inspector interface display. When you open the Inspector interface, you see the Standard display which is described in the preceding rows. You can choose to show less information (Simple) or more (Edit & Debug).

Toolbar icon	Function
	Pauses the selected process instance.
	Resumes a suspended process instance.
	Stops a running process instance.
	Removes any record of the selected process instance.
	Refreshes the current list of process instances based on the filter you have selected and the most recent data from the Process Server. When stepping through a process instance, you need to click Refresh after completing a step so that the diagram view and navigation tree properly display your progress.
	Pages through the BPD instances when more than 100 instances are displayed in the Process Instances tab.
	Runs the selected task. A web browser opens to display coach(es), while the Inspector displays red tokens both in the BPD diagram and the navigation tree of the execution state to show the step that is executing in the active process instance.
	Opens a debug session in your default web browser for the selected task. The debug feature enables you to step through each service in each stage of the process execution to view the business data that is passed in and out. As you step through a service in the debug session in your browser, the Inspector interface shows the same progress in the currently executing service in the diagram view and navigation tree.