Categories
Subgraphs

Subgraph versus multi-instance subprocess

With the Portal 6.8 release and process engine 4.12+ we introduce Subgraphs that will replace multi-instance subprocesses.

When you start DCR Simulator you effectively spawns the graph creating a new instance of the graph. When you inside a graph executes an activity that spawns a subgraph you effectively spawns a new instance inside the existing instance.

To make naming more consistent we decided to move away from the wording multi-instance subprocess and in the future use the naming a subgraph. Another reason for changing the name is to avoid confusion between a subprocess and a multi-instance subprocess.

Semantic a subgraph behaves a little different from a multi-instance subprocess. When we spawn a multi-instance subprocess we create a new subprocess that contains the newly spawned objects. This subprocess cannot be made non-pending which sometimes lead to confusions.

Visually multi-instance subprocesses are shown in light blue with three lines in the middle as illustrated for "Document" below.

Limitations of multi-instance subprocesses

Forms not allowed inside a multi-instance subprocess

The multi-instance subprocess did not allow us to have a form inside.

Using the above example try to spawn a multi.instance subprocess with a form inside.

If you execute it more than once and try to open the form it will fail.

The Subgraph allows this.

A multi-instance subprocess cannot be pending