processpiper 0.4.1

Processpiper. An open source python library to generate business process diagram using code.

ProcessPiper (Business Process Diagram as Code)

A python library to generate business process diagram using code.

Why ProcessPiper?

1. Generate professional business process diagrams with Python code, eliminating the need for manual drawing and complex tools.
2. Improve teamwork by utilising source code repositories for change monitoring, collaboration, and diagram history.
3. Enhance precision by generating diagrams with code, sharing/exporting them in PNG format, and integrating them with Python tools.

Features

• Generate business process diagrams with Python code
• Alternatively business process diagram can be generated by using plain text
• Business process diagrams contains
  • Diagram title
  • Pool(s)
  • Lane(s)
  • Elements:
    • Event: Start, End, Timer, Intermediate, Message, Signal, Conditional and Link
    • Activity: Task, Subprocess
    • Gateway: Inclusive, Exclusive, Parallel, Event
• Support for different colour themes
  • Default
  • GREYWOOF
  • BLUEMOUNTAIN
  • ORANGEPEEL
  • GREENTURTLE
• Save diagram as PNG file

Change Logs

Refer to this Change Logs page for the latest updates.

Installation

Install from PyPI

pip install processpiper

Frontend Application

Two frontend applications have been developed to showcase ProcessPiper capability.

• Piperoni - A desktop application
• Piperita - A Streamlit web application

Python version requirements:

• Python 3.10, 3.11

Library Dependencies

• Pillow 9.5.0

Supported Platforms

• Windows
• Ubuntu
• MacOS

Documentation

Please refer to Processpiper Wiki for more information on how to use this library.

Examples

(Method 1) Generate diagram using English like PiperFlow syntax

This is a sample code to generate a business process diagram using PiperFlow syntax.

from processpiper.text2diagram import render

input_syntax = """
title: Sample Test Process
colourtheme: BLUEMOUNTAIN
    lane: End User
        (start) as start
        [Enter Keyword] as enter_keyword
        (end) as end
pool: System Search
    lane: Database System
        [Login] as login
        [Search Records] as search_records
        <Result Found?> as result_found
        [Display Result] as display_result
        [Logout] as logout
    lane: Log System
        [Log Error] as log_error

start->login->enter_keyword->search_records->result_found->display_result->logout->end
result_found->log_error->display_result

footer: Generated by ProcessPiper
"""

render(input_syntax, "my_process_map.png")

(Method 2) Generate diagram using Python code

This is a sample code to generate a business process diagram using Python code. The code is self-explanatory. The diagram is generated using the default colour theme.

```python
from processpiper import ProcessMap, EventType, ActivityType, GatewayType

with ProcessMap(
    "Sample Test Process", colour_theme="BLUEMOUNTAIN") as my_process_map:
    with my_process_map.add_lane("End User") as lane1:
        start = lane1.add_element("Start", EventType.START)
        enter_keyword = lane1.add_element("Enter Keyword", ActivityType.TASK)

    with my_process_map.add_pool("System Search") as pool1:
        with pool1.add_lane("Database System") as lane2:
            login = lane2.add_element("Login", ActivityType.TASK)
            search_records = lane2.add_element("Search Records", ActivityType.TASK)
            result_found = lane2.add_element("Result Found?", GatewayType.EXCLUSIVE)
            display_result = lane2.add_element("Display Result", ActivityType.TASK)
            logout = lane2.add_element("Logout", ActivityType.TASK)
            end = lane2.add_element("End", EventType.END)

        with pool1.add_lane("Log System") as lane3:
            log_error = lane3.add_element("Log Error", ActivityType.TASK)

    start.connect(login, "User \nAuthenticates").connect(
        enter_keyword, "Authenticated"
    ).connect(search_records, "Search Criteria")
    search_records.connect(result_found, "Result").connect(display_result, "Yes")
    display_result.connect(logout).connect(end)
    result_found.connect(log_error, "No").connect(display_result)

    my_process_map.set_footer("Generated by ProcessPiper")
    my_process_map.draw()
    my_process_map.save("my_process_map.png")

The generated diagram is as follows:

Development Status

Initial first release would only cover the following basic business process elements. Other element types will be introduced in subsequence releases.

• Event: Start, End, Timer, Intermediate, Message, Signal, Conditional, Link
• Activity: Task, Subprocess
• Gateway: Inclusive, Exclusive, Parallel, Event

Any ideas or suggestions, please send it to me via GitHub Discussions.