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Information Management
In order to properly use SDL Suite, you need to understand the basics for how the information is organized.
SDL Diagrams
The SDL Suite primarily handles SDL information in the graphical representation, SDL/GR. The major advantage that follows this approach is that you are free to apply any graphical style guide to your diagrams since the SDL Suite lets you position symbols and shape lines the way you like.
Each SDL diagram consists of a number of diagram pages. An SDL diagram page may contain references to other SDL diagrams. This allows you to build a hierarchical structure which adheres to the SDL syntax rules. See Figure 16.
Each diagram stored on its own individual file. An SDL structure is built up from a number of these SDL files. These files are logically tied together by the SDL Suite components, in order to constitute a coherent SDL structure. This process is managed by the Organizer. The SDL Suite can manage several separate SDL structures at the same time.
You may also include SDL/PR files into an SDL/GR structure. Transformation of SDL/GR to SDL/PR and vice versa is supported.
MSC Diagrams
Message Sequence Charts are mainly handled in the graphical representation, MSC/GR.
In contrast to SDL diagrams, MSCs are not paginated and cannot build a hierarchical structure. However, an MSC diagram can reference other MSCs (or HMSCs, see below), but without implying any structure between them.
MSC diagrams may be managed as entities of their own. The Organizer also supports including MSCs in an SDL structure using the concept of associated documents.
SDL Suite allows reading and writing of MSCs expressed in the textual form, MSC/PR. Both the instance-oriented and event-oriented forms are supported, according to the recommendation.
High-Level MSC Diagrams
In contrast to "plain" MSCs, High-level MSCs (HMSCs) are paginated, but they cannot build a hierarchical structure visible in the Organizer. However, an HMSC diagram can reference other HMSCs or MSCs, but without implying any structure between them.
Textual SDL and MSC Formats
SDL Suite has the ability to read and write SDL and MSC textual files, SDL/PR and MSC/PR. The primary purpose is to enable importing and exporting of SDL and MSC information, rather than to provide an alternative storage format, since the layout and exact appearance of a diagram is lost when stored in PR format and read back again.
SDL Suite also use the PR formats as temporary storage formats when processing information.
SDL/GR diagrams can be converted to and from CIF (Common Interchange Format) files, by using CIF converters supplied with the SDL Suite. CIF is an extension to SDL/PR that also stores the graphical layout information. However, CIF files cannot be managed directly by the SDL Suite.
Object Model Diagrams
Object Model (OM) diagrams may be managed as entities of their own, or grouped together using the concept of modules in the Organizer.
OM diagrams are paginated, but does not contain any structure information. However, a scope concept is used to allow the same object class to be defined in more than one OM page or diagram. All diagrams and pages within the scope are considered when the complete definition of a class is needed. OM diagram belong to the same scope if they are managed in the same module in the Organizer.
State Chart Diagrams
State Chart (SC) diagrams are paginated, but does not contain any structure information, nor any references to other diagrams. They are always managed as entities of their own.
Text Documents
SDL Suite and TTCN Suite handles text documents in the form of plain ASCII files. SDL Suite and TTCN Suite uses the file extension of text files to determine the type of text file. SDL Suite and TTCN Suite recognizes text files as C header, ASN.1 or as plain text files.
Text documents are managed as entities of their own, but C header and ASN.1 specifications can be linked to the rest of the system by using the concept of dependency links. In this way, these text documents can be analyzed and translated to SDL/PR format.
A text document can also be a build script, containing commands to control the analyze and code generation process in detail.
The System File
Once SDL Suite is up and running, you may work on individual documents, regarding them as individual objects of their own. However, this requires that you keep track of each individual file.
When the amount of documents increases, this process tends to become rather complicated, in particular when introducing inheritance and specialization between SDL diagrams, and dependency links between different document types.
To cope with this problem and as a means to ensure the consistency of a document structure, the system file is introduced. The system file is managed by the Organizer.
Document Structure
The system file holds the information about the SDL structure and all other documents included in a system. It also keeps track of the file bindings, i.e. what file a particular document is stored on, and the dependency links between the documents. When working on your documents, the Organizer keeps track of the changes you apply and updates the system file accordingly.
A graphical approach is used, in order to display the contents of the system file in the Organizer. Documents may be freely organized into chapters and modules (within chapters) to keep related documents together.
Connections between documents in different chapters, modules and SDL structures can be made in the form of associations and dependency links.
Options
In addition to the properties mentioned above, the system file may store information about what options you have set up for the document structure that is managed by the system file. Typically, analysis and code generation options are stored in the system file.
The Link File
The Link Manager keeps track of all link endpoints and implementation links in the system. This link database is stored on a separate link file, which is referenced from the system file.
Control Unit Files
Control unit files facilitate multiuser support when you work with an SDL system. They contain structure information for a subset of a document system and are suitable for configuration management (revision control). If control unit files exist, they are referenced from the system file.
Source Management
Since SDL Suite operates on files, you may use any revision handling system for checking out work copies of your SDL diagram files to your work directory (this task needs to be performed outside the SDL Suite).
The SDL Suite may also be configured to manage multiple versions of your source documents, by binding a document to any suitable file in your file system.
Teh SDL Suite provides mechanisms for an easy rebinding of documents. These file binding mechanisms allow you to keep track of multiple versions of your source documents with a minimum of effort.
Target Management
Virtually all of the output information that is produced with the SDL Suite consists of files, most of them use a text-based format (for instance SDL/PR files and C files).
You may specify default locations for files that are generated. Also, you may specify the level of granularity, allowing you to generate multiple files or one file only.
Furthermore, the SDL Suite features an SDL-Make mechanism that minimizes the turnaround time, by computing the passes the tool must run in response to a modification of a source diagram.
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