Java Workflow Tooling (JWT) 0.7 released

The Eclipse project Java Workflow Tooling (JWT) released version 0.7 which is now available for download. JWT aims to build design time, development time and runtime workflow tools and to foster an ecosystem of interoperable Business Process Management (BPM) platforms. JWT is integrated in the yearly release train of Eclipse and was already part of Eclipse Galileo.

The main features of the new release are:

• The meta model has been restructured: the project team separated the meta model that includes the business logic from the layout information. An independent meta model now allows developers to handle JWT workflows without causing unnecessary dependencies. View specific data like coordinates are now stored in a separate diagram file which makes the original files not only more robust, but also much lighter and easier to handle. Model transformations, like from and to BPMN, XPDL or the STP project's Intermediate Model are therefore easier to implement and maintain. To improve the visual representation of workflows, multiple layout information can now be stored for each element in the model.

• Automatic layout algorithms, which have been included from the popular GEF Zest project, finally remove the need of tedious rearranging of positions. Simply using an horizontal, vertical, spring or tree-based theme, the workflow models can now easily be arranged to a preferred layout.

• New converter: Full support for workflow files from previous versions of JWT is now guaranteed by a new ATL-based converter. While the old converter transformed the model elements using Java code, the new converter allows an easy adaptation to future changes of the meta model, including migration of user developed model extensions.
  

Besides the mentioned changes, version 0.7 provides a better support for aspect-oriented model extensions and significant improvements in performance and stability.

Version 0.7 is a joint release by researchers and developers of the University of Augsburg (Institute of Software and Systems Engineering, group of Prof. Dr. Bernhard Bauer) and the French company OpenWide SA. The University of Augsburg is now also an official (associate) member of the Eclipse Foundation.