Is there a SIMPLE getting started howto for the community version?

Q&A
1

Hi,
I wnat to test BPM but it’s verry frustrating! There is no documentation that work! There is always some hole or so in the docs…
I tried countless getting started that I found on the http://documentation.bonitasoft.com but they just don’t work!
The last I’m trying out is :
http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/ubuntu-openjdk-tomcat-mysql
Naurally it’s out of date, it’s for 6.3… Anyways It reference some files that are just not in the community archive.
I read here that BPM was better that joget.org but at least with joget.org I got it running within 30 minutes…

Any sugguestions would be appreciated?
Spazio

2

Hi,

Welcome to the Bonitasoft wonderful world ! :-/

The official online doc is the only can be found, but is barely updated with new versions…

I faced the same type of problems since few months and this compagnie seems to not care about its free “community”. Never any official team response! Fortunately there are a few active community members that are quiete experts, but they can’t answer every one and everything…
I guess only paid version can hope any kind of offical support… This does not really attractive to me, but I don’t have the choice for Bonita BPM, and can’t get any paid version.

For the “getting start” there is a link on the page http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/getting-started-tutorial-2 to the git hosting source code described in the page. I’ve just downloaded and tested with the last 7.2.0 version and it works as it is.

3

Hi,

Sorry to hear that you do not find what you are looking for.
However, the content should be available in the documentation.

If you want to try Bonita BPM to model and execute a first process, the best way to start is to follow the Getting started tutorial. This has been updated for 7.2 and you can find the corrections on GitHub.

If you want to install Bonita BPM on a dedicated server (more advanced use case), then you have some example platform installation instructions .

Now, regarding your comments on the outdated page, note that the link you provided points to to the 6.3 documentation which is of course no longer maintained.
To get up to date content, you need to switch to 7.2 version in the top menu bar.
There you will find instructions on how to install on Ubuntu + OpenJDK + Tomcat + PostgreSQL .

I hope this helps,

4

While I must admit that not everything is as easy as it was in version 6 we have found version 7 to be much more flexible.

The problems you are facing seem very generic by stating no documentation works. I have many times found the documentation (while sometimes lacking) to work in my environment.

The Getting Started Tutorial if followed correctly does work. Some explanation of concepts is missing granted but as an overall process it works.

You don’t say which version of Bonitasoft you are using so using 6.3 documentation for 7.2 will be wrong…

You also don’t say what you are trying to do…it helps if you can explain this.

That being said though the documentation here for 7.2

http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/ubuntu-openjdk-tomcat-postgresql-0

is also wrong in that it references 6.4.0 rather than 7.2.0. Bonitasoft should get this right absolutely agreed.

If you are able to tell us more about what you are trying to do…maybe we can help, and rather than create a massive thread, can you break down the issues you are having and ask separate questions, that way we can resolve them one at a time. It will be quicker.

regards
Seán

PS: If this reply answers your question, please mark a resolved.

5

Thanks for all answers.

Sean McP
I’m trying to do a platform install on a dedicated server with - Ubuntu + OpenJDK + Tomcat + MYSQL . All packages are current version.
Downloaded the BonitaBPMCommunity-7.2.0-Tomcat-7.0.67.zip
I didn’t find the Platform installation examples with mysql in the docs. That is why I reverted to the 6.3 version witch had the mysql part. Anyhow event If I installed the PostgreSQL the doc is wrong.
On http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/ubuntu-openjdk-tomcat-postgresql-0 I block here:

To define JVM system properties, you need to use a new file named setenv.sh:

Copy the file from deploy bundle to Tomcat bin folder: sudo cp ~/BonitaBPMSubscription-6.4.0-deploy/Tomcat-7.0.55/bin/setenv.sh /usr/share/tomcat7/bin/
Make the file executable: sudo chmod +x /usr/share/tomcat7/bin/setenv.sh
Edit setenv.sh file: sudo nano /usr/share/tomcat7/bin/setenv.sh
Change bonita.home value from ${CATALINA_HOME}/bonita to /opt/bonita/bonita_home-6.4.0
Change sysprop.bonita.db.vendor from h2 to postgres
Change btm.root from ${CATALINA_HOME} to /opt/bonita/btm
Change bitronix.tm.configuration from ${CATALINA_HOME}/conf/bitronix-config.properties to /opt/bonita/btm/conf/bitronix-config.properties

The /opt/BonitaBPMCommunity-7.2.0//Tomcat-7.0.55/bin/setenv.sh JUST DOESN,T EXIST in the archive!
There is no /Tomcat-7.0.55 folder in the BonitaBPMCommunity-7.2.0-Tomcat-7.0.67.zip archive. How am I supposed to know where and how to do this part! I mean, this is basic. This is what I mean when I say the doc is not working!

Spazio : Aspiring new Bonita soft user struggling…

6

Hi Riet1939,

I must say that I somehow disagree with your comments.

Of course, our documentation is not perfect but are always trying to improve it.
Rather than complaining about it without examples, you can help us by reporting documentation issues in our community tracker and we will try to address those.

Professional support is indeed part of our Subscription offer but we try to provide community support when we can.
We may answer a bit less on the forum these days but we are quite engaged with the community on other activities. For example, you may not have noticed it but we are dedicated to fixing product issues found by the community and providing small contributions in the Project section of the site.

In the end, you have to remember that we have limited resources as we are not such a big company.
Also, the community has to support itself a bit, this is the principle of open source. Basically you get a free product but you have to contribute back to the community.

Cheers,

7

Riet1939
I would love to be at the part to create a workflow but FIRST I need the platform to be up and running!!! And this is where I’m stuck at! I can’t start the damm car! :slight_smile:

philippe.ozil
I can understand that you have limited ressources but I can tell you the way to grow a community is to make it easy for new user to be up and running as fast as possible with the software! Witch, at this time the documentation is not doing! Like I said in my first post. I’m tryingm some workflow software to deploy a solution within the next few days. As I see it now, I will give Bonitasoft one more chance to install the software but If I can’t event get the car running!!! I will not use BonitaBPM and get another car that can be install and work in less than 2 hours. I need something that work without having to reinvent the installation process! I mean, the Bonitasoft peoples know the software. They should have the customer attitude in mind when doing the docs and at least try it once in a while.
If you don’t have the time to do it! Ask the community to try it!
Spazio

8

Hi Tech,

It seems that there is a confusion here: you do not need to install a dedicated platform to start modeling a process and execute it. This is only needed when you want to go to production or for more advanced tests.

All you need to do to start using Bonita BPM is to install the Studio and run it.
This requires no technical knowledge or configuration settings as the execution environment is bundled with it.

I suggest that you register to one of the upcoming BPM Camps if you want to learn more.

Cheers,

9

There is no confusion! I was ask to install a plateform on a server to be able to process workflow. And the instructions are not working!
This community is weird! I come here to get advice and share regarding a problem that I have, and some peoples tell me things on completely different topic that I didn’t even ask!
Thanks for your advice but I’ll stick to the problem at hand…

10

@tech_14 :
If mysql is not an imposed conditions, you might try this platform install documentation ?
Ubuntu + OpenJDK + Tomcat + PostgreSQL

11

@Spazio,

First - I use Windows and not Ubuntu so this is built from prior knowledge, not tested scenarios… :slight_smile:

There is a reason you can’t find Ubuntu + OpenJDK + Tomcat + MYSQL in the documenation for 7.2.0 as follows:

  1. MySQL must be configured with innoDB storage engine.
  2. Warning: There are known issues with the management of XA transactions by MySQL engine and driver: see MySQL bugs 17343 and 12161 for more details. Thus, using MySQL database in a production environment does not work and is not supported.

This is in page: http://documentation.bonitasoft.com/hardware-and-software-requirements-2

Personally, as MySQL is not supported then Bonitasoft should remove MySQL from the list of software requirements.

You are also right in the that this page has not been updated to include 7.2 in the Table…

Anyway, you want to install Bonitasoft on Ubuntu.

As I say I’m a Windows guy, so while the following is conjecture, it might work…I will try it later…when I get a copy of Ubuntu.

The EASIEST way of doing this as a Proof of Concept is NOT to follow the instructions you are using.

Not a problem, though not immediately obvious, just download the ZIP with the integrated TOMCAT, the file name will be:

BonitaBPMCommunity-7.2.0-Tomcat-7.0.67.zip

Unzip this and then you should be able to execute the system from workspace\tomcat\bin with startup.sh

This will use the integrated Tomcat and integrated H2 Database.

This should get the system up and running, then you will be able to

  1. login with install/install
  2. create your organization
  3. import your processes and applications
  4. and away you go

This will NOT allow you to develop though for that you will need the Studio as Philippe has said.

I hope this at least gets you up and running…

regards
Seán