The Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) provides an abstract, easily understandable and platform independent view on a process or a program. However, most BPMN tools are focused only on one aspect of BPMN, namely the mapping to BPEL. Thus, while process modelling and BPMN should be independent of a specific executable language, the tools are not. To address this shortcoming, a pure BPMN editor is needed, that is dynamically extensible with added editing functionality and export features to executable languages.

The VSDT is a well-equipped BPMN editor that is independent of any specific target language. Thus, while the usual transformation to BPEL, as well as other transformations, is included, the VSDT can easily be extended with additional export functionality targeting other languages. For that purpose, the individual transformations are subdivided into several stages, so that large parts can be reused throughout different mappings, for instance the challenging transformation of the control flow. Further, a simple expression language can be used at modelling time, so that even the expressions can be translated to match the target language.

Editor Features

• BPMN editor with rich modelling support
• pattern-based process design
• import of existing (Web) services
• process structure view
• simulation and interpretation

Transformation Features

• natural language text generation
• easily extensible transformation framework
• validation and translation of expressions
• transformation to BPEL and JIAC
• import and export for STP-BPMN