Business process debugger with parallel-step debug operation

A system for enabling a developer to concurrently debug parallel activities, comprising:

• a computer including a computer readable medium and processor operating thereon;
• a production server, executing on the computer, which includes at least one business process having a parallel activity, and
• a graphical user interface (GUI), which is accessible to a developer system and presents a graphical representation of the at least one business process;
• wherein the production server is operable to
• receive input which indicates where one or more breakpoints are to be added to the at least one business process,
• insert the one or more breakpoints to the at least one business process, and
• record the one or more breakpoints in a data structure which links each breakpoint to its associated activity;
• wherein upon receiving a request to debug the at least business process from a client system, the production server
• instantiates an instance of the at least one business process and executes the instance,
• enters debug mode automatically and pauses execution of the instance when a breakpoint is reached,
• receives an instruction to perform a parallel-step operation on the parallel activity,
• executes a plurality of current activities in the parallel activity concurrently, wherein said current activities in compiled format containing machine level instructions, and
• pauses execution before executing a next activity, which is determined by a token-based flow control block, wherein availability of a token in a token pool indicates a corresponding activity is ready to be executed next, and
• wherein after the production server executes a plurality of current activities in the parallel activity concurrently, the production server inserts an implicit breakpoint at the next activity.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the steps comprising:

• receiving a request to debug an at least one business process through a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the at least one business process includes a parallel activity;
• presenting a graphical representation of the at least one business process;
• receiving input which indicates where one or more breakpoints are to be added to the at least one business process;
• inserting the one or more breakpoints to the at least one business process and recording the one or more breakpoints in a data structure which links each breakpoint to its associated activity;
• instantiating an instance of the at least one business process and executing the instance;
• entering debug mode automatically and pausing execution of the instance when a breakpoint is reached;
• receiving an instruction to perform a parallel-step operation on the parallel activity;
• executing a plurality of current activities in the parallel activity concurrently, wherein said current activities in compiled format containing machine level instructions;
• and
• pausing execution before executing a next activity, which is determined by a token-based flow control block, wherein availability of a token in a token pool indicates a corresponding activity is ready to be executed next;
• and
• wherein after the production server executes a plurality of current activities in the parallel activity concurrently, the production server inserts an implicit breakpoint at the next activity.