Add process applications feature

[philippfromme]

Proposed Changes

Backend

• adds file-context feature
  • all open files are added to file context
  • metadata is extracted from every supported file type (.bpmn, .dmn, .form, .process-application)
  • process application is opened/closed automatically if opened/closed file is part of process application
  • opening process application watches process application directory

Frontend

• ProcessApplications feature to open and close process applications automatically
• process applications is a plugin

✨ New application menu entry

• to create process application
• choose directory, empty .process-application file will be created

✨ New (➕) entry

• to create process application
• works the same as new application menu entry

✨ New button in status bar

• shown when open file is part of process application

✨ New overlay

• shows all files that are part of same process application as open file

✨ Tab groups

• active tab now has darker background instead of bottom border
• bottom border for files that are part of process application
• different border colors for different process applications

Try it out

I've added an example process application: a354d21

Open any file in this directory to see the process application.

To run the Camunda Modeler try npm install && npm start

Follow-ups

• References feature to get reference from and to resources
• AutoCompletions feature to get autocompletions
• Branch: https://github.com/camunda/camunda-modeler/tree/references-autocompletions

Closes #4666
Closes #4675
Closes #4687
Related to #4676
Related to #4664

Checklist

To ensure you provided everything we need to look at your PR:

• Brief textual description of the changes present
• Visual demo attached
• Steps to try out present, i.e. using the @bpmn-io/sr tool
• Related issue linked via Closes {LINK_TO_ISSUE} or Related to {LINK_TO_ISSUE}

[nikku]

This will be used (again) once we support "endpoints" for deployment.

Why would we remove it here?

[nikku]

(Of course fine, if we consider to store the endpoints in a different place, once supported).

[philippfromme]

I removed it because it's not used at all at the moment and was probably meant to be removed. I would rather reintroduce it again in the context of adding a feature that requires it.

[nikku]

We just have to be aware that this is "the data model" that was previously used. We can remove it, but then we'll not remember the data model once we re-introduce an endpoints feature.

[nikku]

@philippfromme Please add "steps to try out" to this PR, so @lmbateman and others can give it a run (to understand the UX we propose).

[jarekdanielak]

Overall works fine on macOS! 👏

Perhaps if we can now create and open an application process, we could use an option to close it? Similar to close active/all/other tabs:

[philippfromme]

Perhaps if we can now create and open an application process, we could use an option to close it? Similar to close active/all/other tabs:

You mean Close process application would close all files belonging to the open process application? Interesting idea I haven't thought about. 🤔

[jarekdanielak]

You mean Close process application would close all files belonging to the open process application?

Exactly. 😊

[jarekdanielak]

When I try to deploy a file from a process application, the modeler just reloads.

Same thing happens when I save a file. Both only happens to files in a process application, the rest works normally.

Screen.Recording.2025-01-15.at.11.56.30.mov

[philippfromme]

When I try to deploy a file from a process application, the modeler just reloads.

Same thing happens when I save a file. Both only happens to files in a process application, the rest works normally.

Screen.Recording.2025-01-15.at.11.56.30.mov

This happens becasue the modeler reloads when something in resources changes. 🙈 Opening a process application outside will prevent this.

[barmac]

I've added the bpmn/dmn-moddle libraries to the app so that a built application can run: 70f0555

[barmac]

I'll try to help with this one.

[barmac]

@philippfromme were you able to run a local build of this? So the one from npm run build.

On my machine, the build job results in the source code of dmn-moddle being included in the asar. This is not coming from node_modules where the package is installed correctly.

To verify the build, besides running the app, you can execute this command for MacOS:
npx asar list dist/mac-arm64/Camunda\ Modeler.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar | grep dmn-moddle
This should show dist in the list. Not sure how to do it on Windows.

[jarekdanielak]

Creating a variable on any task in BPMN model with Variables panel open (or opening it after) crashes.

Screen.Recording.2025-01-15.at.17.36.50.mov

[barmac]

Also, we assume that a form json contains id property. We should try-catch this as null is a valid JSON.

[barmac]

^ - these are small changes

[barmac]

Tests pending...

[barmac]

Symlink issue can only be partially resolved with configuration. Even with followSymlink we report a file twice. There's no loop though.

[barmac]

Symlink issue can only be partially resolved with configuration. Even with followSymlink we report a file twice. There's no loop though.

OK somehow it's good now o.O

[philippfromme]

Also, we assume that a form json contains id property. We should try-catch this as null is a valid JSON.

A form always has an ID by default and you cannot remove it through the properties panel. If we want to account for cases that cannot be modeled we should also account for processes and decisions with no ID and add the same error handling to the BPMN and DMN processor. 🤔

try {
  const form = JSON.parse(item.file.contents); // if the form is null
  formId = form.id; // then this will throw

  assert(formId, 'Form must have an id'); // else this assumes that the form is not null but has no ID which cannot be modeled
} catch (error) {
  return {
    type: 'form',
    error: error.message,
    ids: []
  };
}

[philippfromme]

With the new RPA tab merged in the meantime should we add these as recognized process application items?

[jarekdanielak]

With the new RPA tab merged in the meantime should we add these as recognized process application items?

Perhaps only if RPA is enabled with the flag?

[barmac]

With the new RPA tab merged in the meantime should we add these as recognized process application items?

Eventually, yes. But it's also OK to add the support later, when we understand the story of RPA linking. AFAIK it was done via element templates so far which indicates that we may be missing something (@marstamm correct me if I'm wrong).