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Topics started by rene.de.bruin

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rene.de.bruin
published in RulesEngine internal component

RulesEngine.TranslateMessage

This article is about the TranslateMessage method of the RulesEngine internal component.RulesEngine.TranslateMessageReturns a USoft-defined or user-defined message text. Translates the message into the runtime language if a translation in that language is available for the message.Allows an external component connecting to the Rules Engine in a non-interactive setting (that is, through a programmatic call not involving a human interface) to make use of USoft's localisation/translation capabilities.External components generate their own log information and error messages. These messages are often hard-coded in the component and by default do not take advantage of USoft's translation capability. The TranslateMessage method offers this capability in this setting.SyntaxSELECT RulesEngine.TranslateMessage (    category,   name[,  parameter ... ])The required category is the category that the message belongs to, as specified in the System Messages record for the message. The required name is

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1 year ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Importing from USoft Studio into USoft Definer 10

 See also Before USoft 10.0.1D, on import, all Business Rules no longer in USoft Studio (ie., not found in the export file) were automatically dropped from USoft Definer if they did not have related Implementations attached to them. In 10.0.1D and later, only Business Rules with Source = USOFT STUDIO are automatically dropped, but the import fails if it attempts to drop a Business Rule with related Implementations.Before USoft 10.0.1D, the import utility was not aware of USoft Studio version control. In 10.0.1D and later, if Studio has multiple versions of the same formulation, the import utility selects the correct version for import.Before USoft 10.0.1D, the import utility did not transfer Motivation values. Motivations were also special in that they had a cascading Delete Rule to Business Rules. Since 10.0.1D, Motivations are transferred by Import using the same UPSERT principle as other rule attribute values. Since 10.0.1J, Motivations have a nullifying Delete Rule to Business Rule

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Export logs

Each time you create an export file on the basis of an Export Definition, details of this action are logged.To inspect such an export log:1. Click Teamwork, Object Shopping, Export Logs from the main menu.2. Query the export log(s) that you are interested in. If you do a default query, the most recent export log appears as the first record.Each export log is stored as the combination of:1 parent record in parent table Export Logs (T_EXP_LOG). A set of child records in child table Export Components (T_EXPORT_COMPONENT).   

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Inclusion rules for Jobs

This help topic shows which objects, in an export, are automatically included when you include a Job or an element of a Job.For example, the first two lines mean that if a Job is included, all its Job Tasks are automatically included as well:Job. . Job Task. . . . Action Task. . . . Export Task. . . . . . Export Task Set. . . . . . . . Export Task Set Element. . . . Import Task. . . . . . Import Task Set. . . . . . . . Import Task Set Element. . . . . . . . Import Task Set Virtual. . . . Job (executed by Job). . . . . . Job Task. . . . . . . . (etc.). . . . SQL Task. . . . . . SQL Task Statement. . Input Parameter Set. . . . Input Parameter Set Element. . Output Parameter Set. . . . Output Parameter Set Element

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Inclusion rules for Domains

This help topic shows which objects, in an export, are automatically included when you include a Domain.For example, the first two lines mean that if a Domain is included, any superdomains will automatically be included as well.Domain. . (super)Domain. . . . (etc.). . Allowed Value. . Domain Constraint. . Alternative Input Format

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Inclusion rules for Tables, Views and Relationships

This help topic shows which objects, in an export, are automatically included when you include a Table, Logical View or Relationship.For example, the first two lines mean that if a Table is included in an export, its Columns are also included:Table. . Column. . . . Index Column. . . . . . Index. . (supertype) Table. . . . (etc.)Logical View. . ColumnRelationship. . Table (= parent table). . . . Column. . . . . . Index Column. . . . . . . . Index. . . . (supertype) Table. . . . . . (etc.). . Table (= child table). . . . Column. . . . . . Index Column. . . . . . . . Index. . . . (supertype) Table. . . . . . (etc.)Domains and Datatypes are NOT automatically included with Columns, but you can have Domains included by setting the Include Domains = Yes flag if you explicitly include the Table or Logical View in the Tables tab of the Export Definitions window.Only database columns are included, not joined columns. 

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Inclusion rules for Implementations

The list in this help topic shows which objects, in an export, are automatically included when you include an Implementation.What is included depends on the Type of the implementation. In the list, the names surrounded by parentheses (on the first sub-level) refer to the Type of the implementation.For example, the first four lines of the list mean that if an Implementation of Type = Column is included, then the entire Table that the Column is part of, including all the columns in that Table, are included.Components: For a Component Method, the entire Component including all its Methods is included.Roles: For a Table Right, Column Right, Job Right or Component Right, the entire Role including all its rights is included, except Module Rights.Jobs: For Job Task or Job SQL, no inclusions are made. To have the Job included, add an Implementation with Type = Job.ESI (ie., GUI elements): For Controls, Pages and Windows, no inclusions are made. The implementation record itself is also not incl

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Inclusion rules for Business Areas

This help topic shows which objects, in an export, are automatically included when you include a Business Area or other container objects (Business Objects, Rule Sets, Note Sets).For example, the first two lines mean that if a Business Area is included, any Business Objects contained by it will automatically be included in the export:Business Area. . Business Object. . . . Repository Version. . . . Data Content (= Structure Definition). . . . . . Domain. . . . . . Table. . . . . . Relationship. . . . Business Rule / Business Process Step. . . . . . (belongs to) Business Rule / Business Process Step. . . . . . . . (etc.). . . . . . Repository Version. . . . . . Source. . . . . . Motivation. . . . . . Classification. . . . . . Implementation. . . . Implementation. . . . Source. . . . Motivation. . . . Note. . . . . . Repository Version. . . . . . Motivation. . . . . . Session. . Rule Set. . . . Business Rule / Business Process Step. . . . . . (belongs to) Business Rule / Business Process

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Overwrite behaviour in Object Shopping

This topic describes the overwrite behaviour for Object Shopping via an export file. For the behaviour with copy-paste, go to "Conflict Resolution" in help topic: Object shopping via the clipboard (copy-paste).When objects are imported in a target repository, they are imported as-a-whole. The standard 'UPSERT' algorithm (a mix of UPDATE and INSERT) is applied:If ... Then: The object exists in the target repository ... All non-key columns of the parent record are updated to the value found in the export file (UPDATE).All child records of children which are contained by the parent will be overwritten using the following algorithm:Child records which exist in the file but do not exist in the target repository will be insertedChild records which exist in the file and exist in the target repository will be updated.Child records which do not exist in the file but do exist in the target repository will be deleted. The object does NOT exist in the target repository ... The object is ad

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Object shopping via the clipboard (copy-paste)

As an alternative to shopping via an export file, you can also copy-paste the following types of implementation from one repository to another.Step 1: CopyIn the source repository:1. In USoft Definer, open the Catalog on the left hand side and click the Model and Rules tab.2. In the tree view, identify the implementation you want to copy-paste to the other repository.3. Right-click on the implementation and choose Copy.In the case of Database Tables, you can choose to copy also the underlying Domains: choose "Copy with Domains".Step 2: PasteIn the target repository:1. In USoft Definer, open the Catalog and click the Model and Rules tab.2. In the tree view, identify the folder where you want to paste the implementation, for example, the "Database Tables" folder.3. Right-click on the folder icon and choose Paste.LimitationsYou can only copy-paste the following types of object:Database tables * Component tables Logical Views Components Domains Jobs Relationships Table Constraints Decision

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

Defining a shopping basket and taking it to a different place

In the steps below, a Constraint is shopped from one repository to another as an example. You can also shop via the clipboard using Copy-Paste.Step 1: Create Export Definition1. In the repository from which you want to export, from the USoft Definer main menu, choose Teamwork, Object Shopping, Definitions.The Export Definitions window or tab opens.2. In the Export field, type a name for the export, for example: MY_EXPORT.3. In the Default Filename field, type a default filepath for the export file, for example: c:\temp\my-export.xml.4. Click the Constraints tab. Using the lookup button, identify the constraint you want to transfer, or make a list of multiple constraints that you want to transfer in one go.5. Save work.Step 2: Create export file1. Press the Create File button in the top right corner.The Create Export File dialog opens. See that you are about to export the specified constraint(s) to the filepath you specified and that the export will be in XML format.2. Press OK.The expo

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Object shopping

About object shopping

Object shopping in a narrow sense is the facility offered in the Teamwork, Object Shopping menu of USoft Definer. This facility enables you as a developer, without any coding, to compose a "shopping basket" or Export Definition of related objects (such as Domains, Tables, Roles, Components...). You can now export this collection of objects and import it in a different repository.This facility has the built-in intelligence to include objects that are necessary for the objects that you place in the basket to work in a different repository. The facility uses inclusion rules for this.This facility makes use of XML export and import tooling.Object shopping in a larger sense is the collection of all the features that USoft offers in the platform for exporting, importing, transforming, comparing, and reporting on XML data.Object Shopping is transparent across RDBMSs. For example, you can shop objects from Oracle into SQL Server.Shopping GUI objectsObject Shopping is limited to non-GUI objects

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Modular development

Modules as plug-ins

Due to improvements in USoft Authorizer 10.1, this feature is no longer supported from USoft 10.1 onwards.The standard use of USoft modules is at design-time. When the application is delivered to a runtime environment, all the modules are combined and they run as a single end user application. In other words, application functionality is split into modules at design time but there is a single, complete product at runtime.A further possibility is to vary the modules that you deploy to runtime environments. For each runtime environment, this gives you the option to deploy a module or not. One runtime environment may use a module that another runtime environment has no knowledge of.Modules distributed to a subset of runtime environments only are referred to as plug-ins. The primary use case for plug-ins is to offer a subset of functionality as a special option offered at separate conditions. Only clients who buy the option get the plug-in.In terms of functionality, plug-ins will be consum

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Modular development

Interface objects

An interface object is a repository object for which an Interface = Yes flag has been set. If an application with interface objects acts as a module used (or consumed) by another application (the consumer), the interface objects become known to the consumer if you press the Synchronise Internal Interfaces button in the consumer (via Tools, Manage Interface Interfaces, Consumed Interfaces in the Definer menu).The collection of interface objects in a module is the module's interface. After synchronising with the module, a consumer can start "using" (= referring to) the interface objects as if they were a part of the consumer itself.The following repository objects can be made interface object:Domains, Domain Allowed Values Tables, Logical Views, Component Tables Columns Decisions Jobs, External Sets, External Set Elements RDMI Components, Methods, Parameters and Named Protocols Relationships, Relationship ColumnsIn a consumer, you can get an overview of all interface objects. From the De

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Modular development

Modules as a concept

USoft allows you to develop modular applications (modules) that you can deploy as part of one or more other USoft applications. These other applications are consumers of the module functionality. The modules themselves are the providers of the functionality.At runtime, the modules are merged into a single application. End users do not see providers and consumers.Why modules?If you have clearly delineated functionality that is re-used by multiple consumers, modules solve the problem of having to do double work to maintain duplicates.Another problem that modules may be able to solve, is that when you have a single, large repository, you must always release it as a whole. Small projects may have to wait for larger projects to complete. Modules make you more flexible: you can develop and deploy a module relatively independently of its consumers.A word of cautionSplitting a USoft application into modules is a big strategic decision that cannot be rolled back easily. It can yield lasting ben

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Introducing repositories

Introducing repositories

Working with repositories Tools and utilities for basic repository management tasks USoft Binder USoft Delivery Manager Repository management wizards USoft command line Blend scripting framework Part repositories Modular development Object shopping USoft XML formatsThe USoft platform is strongly data-oriented. It is repository-based not only because it allows you to create applications that interact with end user data, but also because all the data held by the USoft development tools is equally stored in structured database records.A repository in USoft is any set of tables in a database that have a common purpose and that form an application.In USoft, you develop your application, say an application called MY_APP. You do this primarily by working in USoft Definer. USoft Definer’s application name is USD. So, when you start development in USoft, you have at least 2 repositories: one with USD tables and another with MY_APP tables.You need the MY_APP tables in Development because, d

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Interpreting diagrams

E/R diagrams

This article is an introduction to E/R diagrams in USoft. It gives team members an overview of the purpose and features of this diagram type in a USoft context.In USoft 10, if you are a developer and you want to create E/R diagrams, or you want more details on diagram symbols, please go to the Home page of USoft Studio. On the Help tile, on the Diagrams tab, open the PDF document about E/R diagrams.In USoft 11, if you want to create E/R diagrams, click here.What is an E/R diagram?An Entity-Relationship (E/R) diagram, also referred to as Entity-Attribute-Relationship (E/A/R, EAR) diagram, visualises data structure in a relational database by showing:A box for each database table. These boxes are referred to as an entities in the diagrammer. A list of textual items inside each box. These represent database columns. They are referred to as attributes in the diagrammer. Connecting lines between boxes. These lines represent parent-child relationships between 2 tables, except when they have

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Interpreting diagrams

Navigating BPMN diagrams

There are different ways to navigate from one BPMN diagram to another.Inter-diagram navigationFirst of all, BPMN diagrams in USoft benefit from general navigation features of USoft Studio. These allow you to "jump" to a related diagram via the sidepane with related concepts.To use this:1. In the first diagram, click on a subject that you suspect is in the "overlap", that is to say, exists also in a second BPMN diagram you might want to go to.2. In the sidepane on the right, find the formulation ("... is located here .") that represents that second diagram. The sidepane shows formulations for all diagrams where the clicked concept appears.3. Click on the " here " link in that formulation.The diagram you were looking at is now replaced by the second diagram.Subprocesses and call activitiesBPMN makes a difference between subprocesses and call activities. They both appear as activity boxes with a square containing a plus ('+') symbol, but call activities have a thicker border:Subprocess na

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Interpreting diagrams

BPMN process flow diagrams

This article is for developers responsible for USoft implementations. It tells them how to interpret (= read) BPMN concept diagrams in USoft Studio so they understand better what is expected of them.If you want to create BPMN concept diagrams, please go to the Home page of USoft Studio. On the Help tile, on the Diagrams tab, open the PDF document about BPMN diagrams.What is a BPMN process flow diagram?Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a formal specification of the Object Management Group (OMG). As the OMG states, "the primary goal of BPMN is to provide a notation [of business process flow]" that is readily understandable by all business users, from the business analysts that create the initial drafts of the processes, to the technical developers responsible for implementing the technology that will perform those processes, and finally, to the business people who will manage and monitor those processes."Here is a small example of a BPMN diagram as created in USoft Studio, fo

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Interpreting diagrams

Navigating SBVR diagrams

In a business domain described with SBVR, every concept is connected to a collection of neighbouring concepts, which are in turn connected to further neighbouring concepts. This creates a large landscape or concept map that typically does not fit on a single page or screen. You need multiple neighbouring SBVR diagrams."Panning" your way through map areasUSoft Studio supports the idea of "panning" through interconnected SBVR map areas that together form a whole. This is reminiscent of foldable route maps for car drivers, where panning areas or pointer symbols (or both) allowed you an overlap with, or stepping stone to, the next neighbouring area:To "pan" your way to a neighbouring area depicted by a different USoft Studio diagram:1. In the first diagram, click on a subject that you suspect is in the "overlap", that is to say, exists also in the neighbouring area.2. In the sidepane on the right, find the formulation ("... is located here .") that represents that second diagram. The sidep

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Interpreting diagrams

SBVR concept diagrams

This article is for developers responsible for USoft implementations. It tells them how to interpret (= read) SBVR concept diagrams in USoft Studio so they understand better what is expected of them.If you want to create SBVR concept diagrams, please go to the Home page of USoft Studio. On the Help tile, on the Diagrams tab, open the PDF document about SBVR diagrams.What is an SBVR concept diagram?USoft uses the practical terms of "SBVR diagram" or "SBVR concept diagram" informally, but they could lead to confusion. The formal specification "Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Rules" (SBVR) published by the Object Management Group (OMG) is not normative about any form of diagramming. It does use a subset of UML diagramming techniques informally in order to visualise concept structure, and thus support better understanding of the specification. This type of diagram is what may be created in USoft Studio as an "SBVR diagram".Here is a small example of an SBVR concept diagram:As you can

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Concept structure for developers

Types of rule

As a developer in a USoft team, it helps to think about rules as having different types. At the same time, the advantages are limited. Sometimes, confusion looms.There are many different ways in which you can classify a business rule by type. For example, you can classify a rule by its formal characteristics, or by the way in which it has been implemented (whether in software, or differently, or not at all). Graham Witt, in his Writing Effective Business Rules (Morgan Kaufmann 2012), proposes a practical classification, based partly on formal characteristics but mainly on business purpose. The remainder of this article uses the main categories of his subdivision.The USoft Studio tool is designed primarily to hold 2 types of language sentences. First, the special category of definitional rules: natural-language statements that define and describe a structure of underlying concepts and the constraints governing this structure. Second, sentences that express behavioural business rules, wh

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Concept structure for developers

Concept structure

If you have a collection of interrelated business rules, you can think of them as being underpinned by an underlying network of verb concepts and noun concepts. If you represent a verb concept by a blue dot and a noun concept by a green dot, you can think about this network as looking something like this (visualisation of the idea on the left; example concepts on the right):Noun conceptsNoun concepts appear in USoft Studio when a definition such as the following has been introduced (here, the noun concept is car):and also if a declaration such as the following has been introduced, which establishes car as a business term but without giving a definition:Verb conceptsVerb concepts appear in USoft Studio because a declaration such as the following has been introduced:This is an example of a verb concept that links 2 noun concepts (binary verb concept):A verb concept can also be introduced by a declaration such as:in which case it involves only 1 noun concept (unary verb concept):Categorie

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Concept structure for developers

Rule structure

For developers, it is helpful to understand how business rules are structured: what is their anatomy. Rules have both a concept structure and a logical structure. Concept structureThe meaning of business rules, as indeed the meaning of any textual software requirements, depends on the meaning of underlying verb concepts and noun concepts that are used to formulate the rule:Business rules are built on a structure of verb concepts and noun conceptsUSoft StudioUSoft Studio offers automatic colour-coding that shows this underlying structure. Verb concepts appear in blue italic type. Noun concepts appear in green underlined type. You can click on blue and green words to get more information about a colour-coded concept:You can hover a concept to get a definition. Here, the colour-coded word 'Guides' is being hovered with the mouse:You can search by concept using the Fast Search Box in the top right corner:Logical structureEach business rule is not only a formulation that uses concepts. It i

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3 years ago
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rene.de.bruin
published in Between business rules and implementations

Tasks and progress flags

USoft Studio has a set of progress flags. They are checkboxes that optionally allows your team to keep track of who defined, approved, built/implemented, cross-checked, tested, and documented an item.In USoft Studio, you can check these boxes in the ATTRIBUTES pane on the right for the item or items selected in the middle pane (in the picture, the selected item is visible on the left because of the way it is highlighed by a darker row colour):If you check a progress flag, your name appears in the By field and the current date and time appear in the On field.The USoft Studio version control system is also governed by progress flags: the Defined and Deprecated flags (not shown).The Owner of a USoft Studio project can use the Workspace feature to determine that certain flags must not appear in the screen because the team does not use them. Also, in Workspace, she can add a maximum of 3 custom progress flags. If such flags are added they appear in the Custom section of the ATTRIBUTES pane.

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3 years ago

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