Dry-run design time environment

A system comprising:

• a integrated development environment including a dry-run simulator, the dry-run simulator including:
• at least one memory device storing at least one business process model, the business process model including a data flow map that includes at least one path, the path including a sequence of a plurality of events, the plurality of events including a start event, an end event, and at least one other event, the at least one other event positioned between the start event and the end event in the sequence;
• a simulator tool adapted to step-through the plurality of events in the path to simulate each event in the plurality of events, identify at least one error corresponding to a particular event in the path, and pause stepping-through of the plurality of events at the particular event in response to identifying the at least one error;
• and
• an error resolution tool adapted to prompt a user for an input to at least temporarily resolve the at least one error and receive resolution inputs from the user, wherein paused step-through of the plurality of events resumes in response to a resolution input from the user.

An article comprising a machine-readable storage device storing instructions operable to cause at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• performing a dry-run of a business process model in a design-time environment, wherein performing the dry-run of the business process model includes:
• identifying a start event and at least one end event of the business process model defining at least one path of a flow map of the business process model, the path including a sequence of a plurality of events, the plurality of events including the start event, the at least one end event, and at least one other event, the at least one other event positioned between the start event and the end event in the sequence;
• stepping-through the plurality of events in the path to simulate each event in the plurality of events;
• identifying at least one error corresponding to a particular event in the path;
• pausing the stepping-through of the plurality of events at the particular event in response to identifying the at least one error;
• prompting a user for an input to at least temporarily resolve the at least one error;
• resuming stepping-through of the plurality of events in response to a resolution input from the user;
• and
• ending the dry run in response to stepping-through to the at least one end event.