Data paths are a way to define read and write accessors to workflow data of a process instance. For general details on using data paths in Stardust please refer to section Data Paths of chapter Workflow Data in our Key Concepts section.
You can use data paths programmatically during runtime via the provided WorkflowService. Please refer to the chapter Stardust Services for detailed information on the embedded usage of Stardust services. If defined as descriptors, data paths can be also used to visualize process data in the Stardust Portals. Note that only data paths defined as descriptors are visible in the Stardust Portals.
To add a data path, select Data Path in the Overview tree on the left side of the properties dialog pertaining to the chosen process definition. In the right pane, click the Add button.

Figure: Adding a Data Path
The Data Path property pane opens.

Figure: Adding a Data Path
You can specify the following attributes:
The created data path is visualized in the Outline view.

Figure: Data Path visualized in Outline View
To define a descriptor for a process definition, select the Descriptor radio button in the properties page. By default, Not a descriptor radio button is selected. Select a data to use as the process data. All data types are supported to be used as descriptors. However we recommend to avoid using Object types like Serialization, Entity Bean or Hibernate as this can lead to performance problems during queries.

Figure: Define a Data Path as Descriptor.
The descriptor is visualized in the Outline view by a red color.

Figure: Descriptor visualized in Outline View
Process descriptors attached to a main process do not apply to its sub-processes. If you like to apply the same descriptor, you have to set it explicitly for the sub-process itself.
A data path defined as descriptor can be used in the Stardust Portal to visualize data relevant for work items in a participant's worklist or to filter displayed entries by these values, for example:

Figure: Descriptors used as Filter in the Workflow Execution Perspective

Figure: Descriptors used as Filter in the Process Search View

Figure: Descriptors indicated in the Administration Perspective
You have the option to provide the total count of attached documents for a process definition as descriptor. To make the number of attached documents available as descriptor perform the following steps:

Figure: Support process attachments
IN
Figure: Select process attachments

Figure: Select access point for document count
Now the count of process attachments is displayed in the Descriptor column in your Portal process tables, e.g.:

Figure: Document count displayed in a Process Table
You can view it also in the specific document count descriptor column, e.g.:

Figure: Document count displayed in a Process Table
Similar as for attached documents, you can also provide the number of documents in a Document List as descriptor. To make the number of documents in a document list available as descriptor, perform the following steps:
IN
Figure: Select Data Path for Document Count

Figure: Document Count descriptor for a Document List
Now the count of documents in the referenced document list is displayed in the column for the above descriptor in your Portal process tables.
Key descriptors allow designating special descriptors to support searching related processes with matching key descriptors. To define a key descriptor for a process definition, select the Key Descriptor radio button.
For more information, please refer to the Case Descriptors section of the Case - Grouping Processes chapter of the Concepts handbook.

Figure: Defining Key Descriptor
When defining key descriptors, the following rules are applied for IN data path as well as OUT data path:
OR
A data path defined as key descriptor can be used in the Stardust Portal to search for related joined processes or cases. For more information, please refer to chapter Searching for related Processes or Cases of the End User Handbook.
The following example demonstrates how key descriptors can be used to identify a specific process instance in an abort and join scenario:

Figure: Data path Accountnr defined as key descriptor

Figure: Data path AccountName defined as key descriptor
Cityman and
4711 for the data referenced by key descriptors AccountName and
Accountnr.

Figure: Entering data values for key descriptors
Cityman) for the data
referenced by key descriptor AccountName and a different value for the data referenced by key
descriptor Accountnr.

Figure: Entering a different value for key descriptor AccountName
4711) for
the data referenced by key descriptor Accountnr.

Figure: Entering a different value for key descriptor Accountnr
Cityman and
4711and click the Abort Process and Join option.

Figure: Abort Process and Join option

Figure: Matching key descriptors

Figure: Match Any

Figure: Match Any