Exclusive Decision
If statement in a process.
When you need to create alternative paths in Frends Processes, Exclusive Decision is the most common shape to use.
What is Exclusive Decision?
Exclusive Decision shape is used to make an alternative path in Frends Process, using a single condition. Similar to if-else-statement in common programming languages, either path will be entered and executed depending if the statement results in true or false.
In Frends Processes and BPMN, the shape consists of the gateway shape, as well as two connected sequence flows. Either one of the two arrows will be marked as default branch, which denotes the path to take when the expression of the decision results in false, while the non-default branch will be entered, if the condition is true. Frends automatically augments these branches with Yes and No display names, corresponding to true and fales evaluation, giving easy visual cue to which path will be taken.
Usage
Exclusive Decision can be used when a conditional execution is needed in a Process. To use it, add it to Process Canvas and connect it to an earlier shape in your Process by a Sequence flow. You can then connect the Exclusive Decision shape to exactly two other branches in your Process, continuing from the Exclusive Decision shape.
Once added to your Process, a condition should be entered to its parameters as a C# code expression that should result in a boolean value (true or false). This will decide, which of the two continuing branches from this shape will be executed.
One of the connected branches will be assigned as default branch, denoted by a small slash in the Sequence flow arrow. By default, Frends assigns the default branch a "No" display name. By selecting the non-default branch of the Exclusive Decision, it can be changed to be the default branch instead, changing which branch is executed if the condition is false. The non-default branch will be executed, if the condition evaluates to true.
Branches of Exclusive Decision can be two of the following designs:
Execution path in the Process, containing various shapes, including other Exclusive Decisions, joining back to the standard single execution path of the Process
Execution path in the Process, that can contain various other shapes, before ending to a Return or Throw shape
Empty path in the Process, which joins back to the standard execution flow in the Process at a later stage.
Configuration
To set up a Exclusive Decision shape, add it to your Process canvas and connect it to your Process flow using a Sequence flow. After this, you can configure the shape to required type and values.
You also have to connect the shape to exactly two further branches in the Process.
The following configuration parameters exist for Exclusive Decision shape.
Display name
Shapes can be given a display name in Frends Processes to distinquish them from each other. Shape's display name has no technical purpose and is only for documentational and visual purposes only. For shapes returning a #result reference value, the display name can be used to specify which result is meant.
Display name is given to the shape by double-clicking it on the canvas or through its configuration parameters.
Exclusive Decision shape requires an unique name to be given to it, before the Process is considered valid.
Expression
C# expression field in Exclusive Decision shape, which must evaluate into a boolean (true or false) value. This expression will be used to decide, which branch will be executed after the shape.
Default branch
Branches continuing from the Exclusive Decision shape contains an option to select which of the branches is the default branch. Default branch will be executed, if the condition results in a false value.
Reference values
This shape does not provide any reference values, and its result cannot be referenced later in the Process.
Last updated
Was this helpful?