How do I test and debug a process app on Workflow authoring in CP4BA (playback, debug, test data)?

Question

Developers used the Process Center's playback and the Inspector. In Business Automation Studio, how do we run playbacks, inspect instances and reset test data on the Cloud Pak?

Answer 1

The web Process Designer inside Studio has the same run / debug functions, executed by the Workflow authoring environment's built-in Workflow Server ("the authoring runtime"):

• Playback: Run on a BPD / CSHS / dashboard opens a new tab on the authoring server (on the authoring server's route) - same as Process Center playback. Debug on a service flow gives the step-by-step debugger with variables.
• Inspector: Process Admin of the authoring server (.../ProcessAdmin > Process Inspector) shows instances, tasks and the execution tree; the same Operations REST API is available for scripted checks. Workplace of the authoring environment lists the playback tasks.
• Test data: environment variables / EPVs of the tip are set in Process Admin of the authoring server; instances are cleaned with the Operations REST (DELETE /ops/std/bpm/processes?force=true&...) or a small "test data" dashboard; the authoring database is yours to reset in development namespaces.
• Snapshots and playback isolation: several developers share the authoring runtime like a Process Center; use tracks or separate namespaces when isolation matters.
• Browser debugging of coaches is unchanged (F12); note the Zen path prefix when reading network calls.

# run a playback of a service flow from the command line against the authoring server (branch tip)
POST https://cpd.../baw-authoring/rest/bpm/wle/v1/service/1.7a3f...?action=start&branchId=2063.4b...&callerModelId=1.2c...&params={"orderId":"42"}&parts=all
Authorization: ZenApiKey ...   BPMCSRFToken: ...

Automated tests: the same REST calls in a pipeline (start exposed items, complete tasks with action=finish, assert variables) against a dedicated test Workflow Server; browser tests with Playwright / Selenium against Workplace for coaches. The desktop Process Designer and its Inspector do not exist on the Cloud Pak.

References

• CP4BA documentation - Business Automation Studio and workflow authoring
• Process REST API - starting services and processes