The SDF Wizard provides a simple user interface designed to help new users create a System Definition File (SDF) with a minimum of effort and knowledge. The aim of the utility is to make the definition of commonly used features as simple as possible, by hiding complexity. Thus, some advanced features of an SDF cannot be defined using the wizard.

A System may be created using a data-driven or search-driven approach. A data-driven approach starts by defining the underlying table that will be searched, followed by search-strategies. Conversely, a search-driven approach defines the search requirements first, followed by the tables and indexes containing the search data. Naturally, all necessary search parameters cannot be fully defined without reference to the underlying data, so a search-driven approach requires the Search object to be revisited once the data objects have been defined. We recommend using a data-driven approach due to its elegance and simplicity.

To assist new users that are unfamiliar with Systems, the wizard contains cheat-sheets that provide step-by-step instructions for creating the necessary objects to support your search requirements. Cheatsheets are accessible through the

Help

menu.

The System Edit or provides an easy to use interface to change the rules that define a System. It is sensitive to the state of objects and prevents editing an object’s definition when it has already been implemented. For example the layout of an IDT cannot be changed if it has been loaded. Similarly, you cannot change key building rules for an IDX if it is already loaded, nor can you change the Search- Definition(s) used to load a Link Table.

The GUI System Editor uses a system template to add new components (IDTs, IDXs, Searches, etc). A system template is provided in the Server Installation in

ids/systems/system_template.sys

. A new template is shipped with every Fix CD. The console performs verification of the template when the console is started or when a new Rulebase is created. If the current template is not up to date then the template will be imported from the new template file. The template must not be edited.

The System Editor is invoked from the Console Client’s

System

Edit

button. The Editor works on a

copy of the rules

for a given System. If you have ended a previous editing session without Loading the rules, or the Load failed, the Editor will prompt you to either:

A tree structure is used to navigate to the object you wish to edit. Objects that belong in a logical hierarchy will appear in the tree structure in two places:

For example, IDXs are attached to their parent IDT and also to the root of the tree. The individual nodes attached to the root may be edited, cloned, etc. The nodes in the hierarchical tree structure are present nly to highlight the relationship between objects and can not be modified.

If you make any changes to an object, you must either "Save Changes" or "Discard Changes" before moving to another object. Saving and discarding only effects the copy of the rules.

The copy of the rules is not parsed until you click the

Load

button. A successful Load process will replace the existing rules with the copy and deletes the copy of the rules. If the Load process fails, the original system remains in effect and the copy of the rules you have been editing is available for correction by restarting the Editor.

The

Close

button will exit the editor without saving the most recent changes you have made.

An existing object can be cloned to create a new object of the same type. You will be prompted to name the new object after which you can edit it.

If you wish to add a new object that does not already exist, you will need to use the

Add

button. Click the

System

name in the tree structure and then click the

Add

button. Select the type of object you wish to add and enter a name for it.

Help is available as tool tips. Hover the mouse pointer over the item that you want help for and a tool tip appears.

By default, the Editor display only the most common options that the average user will want to see. If you wish to use some of the more advanced options, click the

Show Advanced

button will enable access to all options for a given object.

The Rulebase Editor provides a low-level interface for the maintenance of rules stored in the Rulebase.

To start from the Console Client, click

Rulebase

Edit

.