Using Explorer object reports to create Explorer diagrams
The Explorer Object Report provides report specifications for populating the diagram with node symbols. Dragging it out of the Explorer and dropping it onto the diagram will run the report. The results of running the report will be arranged in a rectangular display. You can rearrange the symbols as you see fit. If the report is dragged into a Collection, the resultant objects are placed in the Collection, which will be enlarged to accommodate the symbols. Prior to running the report, any objects already in the Collection that were placed there as a result of running that report previously are removed. This can be viewed as a kind of Refreshing the Explorer diagram.
You can use the Report Generator to create a report and select the criteria you want to report on. This information can be copied and pasted into the Explorer Reports Content property. You can also click the Edit Content button in the definition report to create a report.
Creating an Explorer object report
1 Select Dictionary > New Definition or right‑click Definitions in the All Methods tab in the Explorer, and then click New.
The Select new type for All Methods dialog appears.
2 Double click Explorer Object Report.
The New Definition dialog appears.
3 Enter a name, and then click OK.
4 In the Description property, type a description of the report.
5 In the Content property, supply the reports specifications.
The Edit Content button supplies the reporting interface and allows you to create the report. For pre-existing reports, the Text Editor will be provided to you to create or change the report information.
6 On page 2 of the Introduction tab you can also specify Colors for the pen, the fill brush and the font. This allows you to make the objects populated by different reports easily distinguishable.
Here are a few examples of Explorer Object Reports that you can create:
Example P1
Where Type = "Data Element"
Where Class = Definition
Dragging and dropping the Data Element type header out of the Explorer can also achieve this. Or it can be more complicated such as:
Example P2
Which drops only those Data Elements whose names contain the letter "C". Or
Where Class = Definition
Where Type = "Data Element"
Where Name like * C*
Example P3
Drops only those Data Elements that are used by one or more Attributes of Entities.
Where Class = Definition
Where Type = "Data Element"
Join
Join
Where Class = Definition
Where Type = Attribute
Join
Join
Where Class = Definition
Where Type = Entity
Notice that the reports lack any Select clauses, but this need not be so. Prior to running the report, System Architect appends material before and after the report's Content to complete the report as System Architect needs it. With System Architect's additions, Example P1 shown above effectively becomes:
Example P1A
TABULAR 1
{ Select Identity legend SATargetIdentity,
Class legend SATargetClass,
Type legend SATargetType,
Name legend SATargetName
Where Type = "Data Element"
Where Class = Definition
}
Remember that the items that will be dropped are those represented by the top level of the report only. Therefore, in Example P3, Data Elements are dropped whereas Attributes and Entities are not.
You might have your own Select clauses in the report. The values for the fields selected are then connected with the fields' names and added to the resulting symbol as a Graphic Comment.
OrderBy clauses will control the order in which objects are dropped and so can be usefully included in the report.
Before the report is actually run, it is scanned to ensure that there are no parameters whose values you should supply. If there are, you are prompted for them and then the report is run. Therefore, this report:
Example P4
Asks you for the Audit Id value before the report is run.
Where Class = Definition
Where Type = "Data Element"
Select "Checked Out by"
OrderBy Name
Where Audit = # AUDIT#
Creating a report using the LISTOF property
A LISTOF property is a long string which includes everything in the list. You cannot use "=" as that would not be an exact match. You can use the wildcards "*" so that it would find the desired value anywhere in the list. You must also use the like comparison operator.
For example:
WHERE Class = Definition WHERE "Type Number" = 456 WHERE "Performs Processes/Services <-- Performs Processes/Services" like "*4. Enterprise Management*"
The property "Performs Processes/Services" is a listof and this will drop the definitions which have the value of "4. Enterprise Management" anywhere in that property.
