BR
Hello,
We use ARIS as our BPM repository and would love to have it integrated with other tools. I have been researching ways to do that and could use a little help. There are two ways in this integration:
1) ARIS >> Other tools
The obvious way to do it is use the "File >> Export >> As XML File..." menu. The file generated is a humongous blob of text that, granted, has all the information necessary. It is, however, very inefficient. Also, it requires Database export privileges.
So, this path of integration is, to me, solved.
2) Other tools >> ARIS
This is the complicated path. The native XML import functionality was, seemingly, projected to import files that were generated by ARIS itself. Other tools have no practical way to create an XML file of that complexity and mainting something like this is impractical.
Through research, I found another method. A standard script called "Import data in Excel format". There are a few problems with this approach. First, treating spreadsheets is not ideal for several reasons. But the main problem is when you import something over a database filled with data. The script has no way of updating objects in the database, it just appends a (1) to its name. There´s no intelligence in managing import conflicts and, therefore, no way to integrate and "sync" models with other tools.
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I'm sure this need (ARIS integration) is very common, but there seems to be no easy way to do it. Anyone knows how to make this happen?
If developping a script by ourselves is the only way to go, does anyone have any tips/pieces of code that could help? What are your thoughts on ARIS integration?
Thanks in advance.
Bernardo,
@Other tools >> ARIS:
My guess is that "other tools" is too little specific to provide one answer.
In those cases, you'd have to use the XSD of ARIS-XML-Data (AML) and use an XSLT to transform the XML export of "your" other tool into the AML namespace, i.e. generate an output that conforms with the XSD.
My guess is that this won't work in most of the cases. AML data, as you already observed holds a ton of layout-, admin-, and other non-model data. Any "other tool" will naturally not provide this data.
@ARIS >> Other tools
I do not see much value in not using ARIS' default XML output, i.e. using a report to generate XML data. Instead, I'd rather use another XSLT on ARIS' default XML-export to transform this into another (reduced or otherwise customized) XML-output.
BR,
Stefan
Hi Bernardo,
For several clients we have used a technique of using a Web-service we developed ouselves.
The .NET Web-service infact executes an custom ARIS report in the background an parses the output. This way we can get exactly the things we want. The output can be a standard SOAP, or any custome XML we define.
Anyway, if you are interested, you can contact us:
http://www.cumulusit.hr/wp/?page_id=226
KR,
Nikola
