Validating process applications and toolkits

Use validation functions to fix errors and refine process applications and toolkits as you build them.

IBM® Process Designer includes client-side and server-side validation functions that alert you to issues in your process applications and toolkits. Validation provides feedback about several types of issues, such as:

  • Broken references, such as missing implementations for activities
  • Problems with parameter mappings
  • Duplicate names and other naming violations
  • Problems in scripts

Process Designer supports client-side JavaScript semantic validation in the process editor, client-side human service editor, and heritage human service editor. To enable or disable validation or to specify the delay period before validation starts, you can use the Show JavaScript warnings and Validation delay (ms) settings in the Process Designer user preferences. Information about setting user preferences is found in the topic Setting preferences in Process Designer.

Client-side and server-side validation both include JavaScript syntax validation in script activities and variable initialization in service flows and processes. This function validates JavaScript syntax when you modify JavaScript code. The function also provides server-side validation of JavaScript syntax when you import process applications or toolkits.

For server-side validation, JavaScript syntax validation verifies changes that occur only after it is enabled. It doesn't work retroactively, meaning that existing snippets that are unchanged are not parsed after the function is enabled. For example, if you change some JavaScript code or import a process application or toolkit, JavaScript syntax validation checks only the changed scripts and imported process applications and toolkits but not unchanged scripts or process applications or toolkits.

Both client-side and server-side JavaScript syntax validation is enabled by default. However, in case of performance issues, you might choose to disable validation. To disable client-side validation, clear the Show JavaScript warnings check box in the Process Designer user preferences. For information about disabling server-side validation, see the topic Disabling server-side JavaScript syntax validation.

Client-side validation errors and warnings are displayed in the editors in Process Designer.

To view server-side validation errors and warnings:
  • At the snapshot level: In the Workflow Center console, in the Process Apps or Toolkits tab, click the process application or toolkit, and under a snapshot, expand the errors and warnings section. Click the Open in Designer link to open the artifact with the error. The link is available only for those artifacts that can be edited in the web Process Designer. For more information see Where to edit Process Designer artifacts.
  • At the artifact or project level: In the Process Designer footer, click Validation errors and warnings The image shows the Validation errors and warnings icon in the Process Designer footer..