Can jBPM Executor be used as a scheduler for Business Processes?

Question

1. Can jBPM executor be used to schedule WHOLE business processes (or would such approach be a misuse)?

Short explanation of logic behind that question: almost all the examples I have found so far present jBPM executor as a way to: asynchronously invoke PARTS of business processes (work item handlers) or simple classes which contain some business logic.

Moreover this is an extract from jBPM Command interface javadoc (executor operates on Commands):

/**
 * Executor's Command are dedicated to contain purely business logic that should be executed.
 * It should not have any reference to underlying process engine and should not be concerned
 * with any process runtime related logic such us completing work item, sending signals, etc.
 * ...
 */

On the other hand I have found an entry on Maciej Swiderski's blog in which it is written that executor supports: 'async start process instance'.

2. In case WHOLE business processes can be started via jBPM executor, do you have any experience in extending executor functionalities? What I mean is adding more Quartz-like features eg support for business calendars, job chaining, job grouping.

Thanks in advance for all the answers.

Answer 1

I've talked with Maciej Swiderski (core developer of jBPM) on jBPM IRC Channel and the answers are:

ad 1. Yes, you could do it with this command: https://github.com/kiegroup/jbpm/blob/master/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/process/core/async/AsyncStartProcessCommand.java

ad 2. Job Executor can not easily be extended to provide Quartz-like features. It serves different purpose. One should use eg Quartz when such advanced options are needed.