diff --git a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/app-explorer/app/app-settings/misc-tab.md b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/app-explorer/app/app-settings/misc-tab.md index 33f3c145497..c0507273589 100644 --- a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/app-explorer/app/app-settings/misc-tab.md +++ b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/app-explorer/app/app-settings/misc-tab.md @@ -48,6 +48,14 @@ For more information, including which types of association this applies to, see When enabled, the names that Studio Pro suggests in microflows will start with a lower-case letter instead of an upper-case letter. +### Default Sequence Flow Type {#default-flow-type} + +This setting determines the type of new sequence flows in the microflow, nanoflow, and rule editors: **Curved** or **Orthogonal** (right-angled). Because it is an app setting, it applies to new flows for everyone working on this app, regardless of whether the [Orthogonal Flows](/refguide/preferences-dialog/#microflow-editor) preference is enabled. For more information, see the [Flow Type](/refguide/sequence-flow/#flow-type) section in *Sequence Flow*. + +{{% alert color="info" %}} +This is a beta feature, available in Studio Pro 11.15 and above. To use it, you must first enable orthogonal flows in the **Preferences** dialog box. For more information, see [Enabling Orthogonal Flows](/refguide/sequence-flow/#enable-orthogonal) in *Sequence Flow*. +{{% /alert %}} + ### Activity Default Colors This table allows you to select a default color for each microflow activity type that is available in your app. The selected color will be used as the background color for all microflow activities of that type in your app. It is possible to override this default value for individual activities in the microflow editor. If you change the default color for an activity type, and there are activities of that type present in the app that have an individual background color specified, a dialog will be shown that allows you to apply the new default color to these activities as well. diff --git a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow.md b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow.md index f90975f56f1..62edd9de202 100644 --- a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow.md +++ b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow.md @@ -6,12 +6,57 @@ weight: 30 ## Introduction -A sequence flow is a flow that is shown an arrow that links elements (events, activities, decisions, etc.) with each other. Hereby it defines the order of execution. Flows always flow in one direction where elements follow each other up one by one. Decisions always lead to one direction, so it is not possible that multiple flows take place simultaneously. +A sequence flow determines the order in which Studio Pro executes the elements of a microflow, nanoflow, or rule. It is represented by an arrow that runs from one element to the next, such as from an event to an activity or from an activity to a decision. -When you have two activities that you want to link together a sequence flow is used. +Execution follows the arrows along a single path, one element at a time. At a decision, the path continues in exactly one direction, so no two elements ever run at the same time. {{< figure src="/attachments/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow/sequence-flow.png" class="no-border" >}} ## Condition Value -The **Condition value** describes which direction should be followed based on the outcome of a [decision](/refguide/decision/) or an [object type decision](/refguide/object-type-decision/). +A flow that leaves a [decision](/refguide/decision/) or an [object type decision](/refguide/object-type-decision/) must have a **Condition value**. Studio Pro follows the flow whose condition value matches the outcome of the decision. + +Each possible condition value must have its own outgoing flow. This includes the `(empty)` value when the decision returns an enumeration value, or when the decision is an object type decision. + +## Flow Type {#flow-type} + +A sequence flow can be rendered as one of two types: + +* **Curved** – the flow is drawn as a curved line. This is the default type. +* **Orthogonal** – the flow is drawn with right angles. You can use this type to make your microflows, nanoflows, and rules look tidier on screen. + +The flow type is purely visual. It is stored in the model, but it does not affect deployment or the running app in any way. + +{{% alert color="info" %}} +Using orthogonal flows is a beta feature, available in Studio Pro 11.15 and above. To use it, you first need to enable it in the **Preferences** dialog box, as described in the [Enabling Orthogonal Flows](#enable-orthogonal) section below. +{{% /alert %}} + +### Enabling Orthogonal Flows {#enable-orthogonal} + +To enable orthogonal flows, do the following: + +1. In Studio Pro, open **Edit** > [Preferences](/refguide/preferences-dialog/). +2. Go to the **New features** tab. +3. Under **Microflow, Nanoflow, and Rule editor**, enable orthogonal flows. + +### Converting Flows {#convert} + +When orthogonal flows are enabled, you can convert flows through the context menu of the microflow, nanoflow, or rule editor: + +* To convert a single flow, right-click it and choose to convert it from curved to orthogonal, or from orthogonal to curved. +* To convert every flow in the current document at once, right-click on any flow and use the corresponding option in the context menu. + +{{< figure src="/attachments/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow/orthogonal-flows-context-menu.png" class="no-border" alt="Context menu options for converting sequence flow types" >}} + +### Setting the Default Flow Type {#default-type} + +You can set the default flow type for the whole app so that new flows are created with the type you prefer. To set the default flow type to orthogonal, use the [Default Sequence Flow Type](/refguide/miscellaneous-tab/#default-flow-type) setting on the **Miscellaneous** tab of the **App Settings** dialog box. + +The default flow type is an app setting, so it is shared between all contributors of the app. + +### Behavior When the Feature Is Disabled {#orthogonal-disabled} + +Because the flow type is stored in the model and the default flow type is an app setting, the following applies when the orthogonal flows feature is disabled: + +* Flows that are already orthogonal are still rendered as orthogonal. You can always convert them back to curved. +* If the default flow type is set to orthogonal in the App Settings, new flows are still created as orthogonal, regardless of whether the feature is enabled. You can always set the default flow type back to curved. diff --git a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/menus/edit-menu/preferences-dialog.md b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/menus/edit-menu/preferences-dialog.md index c3597ee9b44..caab319dd4f 100644 --- a/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/menus/edit-menu/preferences-dialog.md +++ b/content/en/docs/refguide/modeling/menus/edit-menu/preferences-dialog.md @@ -333,6 +333,14 @@ Select this option to use a custom AI provider for Maia. This setting allows you to set the beta version as the default editor. +### Microflow Editor {#microflow-editor} + +Select this option to allow rendering sequence flows as orthogonal (right-angled) lines in the microflow, nanoflow, and rule editors. When enabled, you can convert flow types between curved and orthogonal through the context menu. For more information, see the [Flow Type](/refguide/sequence-flow/#flow-type) section in *Sequence Flow*. + +{{% alert color="info" %}} +This is a beta feature, available in Studio Pro 11.15 and above. +{{% /alert %}} + ### Project Loading Select this option to enable optimizations during project loading. diff --git a/static/attachments/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow/orthogonal-flows-context-menu.png b/static/attachments/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow/orthogonal-flows-context-menu.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..39990928d9e Binary files /dev/null and b/static/attachments/refguide/modeling/application-logic/microflows-and-nanoflows/sequence-flow/orthogonal-flows-context-menu.png differ