Business modeling, software engineering and prototyping method and apparatus5233513
Abstract
A microprocessor manipulated program which extracts the data inherent in the cognitive process leading to the spoken or written word and converts that data into business models capable of defining the interrelationship and functions of a business. The program models the business and the data thus generated is used to produce application software program code capable of controlling and/or performing all functions of the business. The system springs from The Connected Development Process of Four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling using the four basic linguistic entities of PROCESS and its attendant adjuncts of DATA, CONTROL and SUPPORT.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A method for creating a business management system, including the steps of:
creating a business model by analysis of process, data, control and support for business functions within the scope of said business management system; and
generating application programs by expert system manipulation of data defining said business model.
2. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said process, data, control and support is derived by cognitive linguistic evaluation.
3. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, including the steps of:
simulating said application programs;
testing said simulation on said business model; modifying said simulation to correct deficiencies detected during said testing; and
generating application program code from said simulation.
4. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of creating a business model includes the steps of:
creating an existing business model defining the business as it presently exists; creating an ideal business model defining
the business as it should be ideally; comparing said existing and ideal models;
analyzing said comparison to determine what must be done to reduce disparity between said models;
determining how to accomplish what must be done to reduce said disparity between said models; and
developing a software ideal business process model including the processes identified by said step of determining how to accomplish what must be done.
5. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, including the steps of:
creating for said business model, process models containing: (1) process transformations, (2) process sequence and process descriptions, (3) supporting agents for performing process and supporting instruments used in said process, (4) people and organizational units, (5) software program modules including automated software system, (6) computer hardware, (7) manual tools and automated machines, (8) agents and instruments used to perform said processes, (9) location of supporting resource and facilities information, (10) size of supporting resources, (11) quantity of people/computers/tools performing said processes, (12) commitment of supporting resources including person/computer/tool hours spent on said process per unit of calendar time, (13) cost of supporting resource including total of (person/computer/tool, unit cost).times.(resource commitment), (14) process efficiency including support time to perform job per 1 unit of output, (15) process throughput for calendar time to produce 1 unit of output, (16) process capacity in units of output=(resource commitment).times.(throughput), (17) data consumed and produced by each process, (18) transfer rules controlling transfers between the processes of branching, start, stop and sequence, (19) goals, objectives, policies and procedures controlling a process, (20) quality standard indicators for controlling input data quality, including edit rules and tables, reports, forms and data quantification of name, description, form and report number, (21) collect information on sizing, volume, security, retention and source database names, and (22) model interviewees' organization with an organization chart showing formal control structure for said business model.
6. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of creating a business model includes the steps of:
establishing Project Management Controls by determining the project scope, personnel, responsibilities, schedules, budgets, and deliverables;
modeling the current business practices of the organization for the scope that falls within the project;
modeling the business as it should be to meet requirements;
describing what needs to be done in order to make the transition from a current system to a proposed system; and
modeling how to implement changes to said proposed system by cognitive linguistic evaluation.
7. A method for creating a business management system, including the steps of:
modeling a business through the application of cognitive linguistic evaluation to develop structured data inputs to a modeling program;
running said modeling program on a microprocessor based engine for manipulating the data to create variable business models; and
converting said variable business models via said microprocessor to produce application software for said business.
8. A method for creating a business management system by establishing project management controls, including the steps of:
determining the scope, objectives and benefits for a business model of management controls;
quantifying scope limits for a business model of management controls;
establishing quality indicators for objectives for said business model of management controls;
quantifying benefits for said business model of management controls;
developing a deliverables list for said business model of management controls, including a deliverables list for each phase for said business model of management controls;
establishing project reviews for said business model of management controls;
establishing a review and acceptance cycle for said business model of management controls;
establishing progress reporting for said business model of management controls;
establishing a change control procedure for said business model management controls;
developing a plan for said business model of management controls, including a detailed plan for the first phase of the project for said business model of management controls;
developing project tasks for said business model of management controls;
developing manpower loading for said business model of management controls;
developing deliverable milestones for said business model of management controls;
developing review and acceptance dates for said business model of management controls;
developing hardware availability dates for said business model of management controls;
developing resource budgets for said business model of management controls;
developing a personnel budget for said business model of management controls;
developing a facilities budget for said business model of management controls;
developing a hardware budget for said business model of management controls;
developing software packages and tools budget for said business model of management controls;
developing a money budget for said business model of management controls;
developing interview lists and schedules for said business model of management controls;
modeling current business practices for said business model of management controls;
conducting interviews to build process models for said business model of management controls;
creating process models of line management and reporting job roles by function for said business model of management controls;
creating process models of higher management levels with line management reports for said business model; and
creating process models of automated computer and mechanical systems for said business of management controls.
9. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 8, including the steps of:
collecting user issues and problems about a current business process model;
modeling automated systems database schemas for said business model;
loading existing system database schemas as business information external schemas for said business model;
entering user supplied definitions and descriptions for database fields and record relationships for said business model;
collecting information on sizing, volume, security, retention and source database names for said business model;
summarizing and integrating process models, summarizing reports and forms and summarizing support for said business model;
summarizing first line management and worker process models up into a complete functional processes, including management control and worker execution by using a 7 plus or minus 2 rule for each functional area interviewed;
balancing summarized levels of data for said business model;
integrating summarized process models from different functional areas by summarizing them into larger complete functional processes with their controlling higher management control processes included;
observing said 7 plus or minus 2 rule if actual business follows said rule for said business model;
summarizing input and output data on higher level process diagrams by creating part-whole relationships; and
collecting examples of reports, forms, databases, policies, procedures, goals and other packets of information produced, consumed or controlled during interviews for said business model.
10. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 1, including the steps of:
creating a question map to model business data relationships;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from created simple sentences identifying the questions the user needs to answer;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from grouped like sentences combining all similar information gathered from different sources;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from developed population tables identifying role names and set up tablets of instances;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from uniqueness constraints which eliminate duplicates from tables and ensure the proper level of specificity;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from multiple reference roles which determine a unique way to identify roles;
creating a question map to model business data relationships from integrity constraints to keep logical consistency between statements about a system and reflect how an enterprise works;
grouping the question map into a conceptual schema to create an optimal database design;
modeling menus, screens and reports for use by programs developed from a business model;
specifying fields for menu function selection for use by programs developed from said business model;
specifying detailed hardware and packaged software requirements selection for use by programs developed from said business model;
producing database design documentation for use by program developed from said business model; and generating application software system from said models for use by programs developed from said business model.
11. A method for creating a business management system, including the steps of:
creating business models with a general knowledge modeling system incorporating a four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling Expert system;
automatically generating application software systems from said business models.
12. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 11, including the steps of:
creating a Metavision process model of a work group by providing a Metavision system program with the individual workers job steps for each job, the information each worker needs to know to do the job and the information produced by doing the job;
providing said Metavision system program with the goals and objectives of each job; and
creating an organizational model by having users enter the names and titles of the individuals they report to.
13. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 12, including the steps of:
running a Variety of Metavision analysis reports that identify job problems from the group including poor management control, lack of information needed to do a job and information bottlenecks that slow job performance;
comparing formal organization charts created in the preceding step with actual organizational controls on said process models;
changing the model based on problems identified, said changes including both improvements in the jobs performed by the workers and computer automation of job steps; and
generating a list of the information for the automated systems together with its sources and relationships to information automatically generated by Metavision.
14. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 13, including the steps of:
attaching automated process tags to the data generated in preceding steps; and
prioritizing projects which must be done first to feed information to later systems;
15. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 14, including the steps of:
selecting the kind of computer, computer language and database system that the automated system will be generated into.
16. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 15, including the steps of:
selecting a project from a list of job steps to be automated; and
reducing selected steps into greater detail until each job step is at a single function level of detail.
17. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 16, including the steps of:
linking all the single function processes that will be automated to menus that enable a system user to select them; and
generating a default menu selection system by selecting prototype menu selection processes from the Metavision product process option list.
18. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 17, including the steps of:
generating a complete three schema data model for all programs, screens, menus, reports, databases and inter-programs transfers of data that is automatically generated from the set of questions that a business user requires the information system to answer;
identifying the subjects and objects in the central question sentences;
evaluating information shared between two or more question sentences;
using the answers to evaluated questions with Metavision to calculate database relations, indexes, keys, navigational paths and referential integrity constraints;
using the answers to calculate report and screen root files and relational updates; and
automatically generating a third normal form logical databases design and corresponding third normal for external database structure.
19. A method for creating a business management system, as defined in claim 18, including the steps of:
selecting interface standard and hardware and software configurations to support the selected interface.
20. A method for creating a business management system as defined in claim 19, including the steps of:
selecting processes to be automated from the list; and
automatically generating application program code.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to modeling of businesses through the application of cognitive linguistic fundamentals and a microprocessor based engine for manipulating the data to create variable business models which are converted to application software for the business.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Programming engineering has evolved concurrently with hardware development in the computer industry. Unfortunately, the maturation process has not been equal and hardware sophistication has outpaced program engineering creating an ever increasing disparity where hardware is available to do the most sophisticated processes but the software is lagging or non-existent. To solve this dilemma, numerous attempts have been made to utilize a computer to create software. The prior art approach to computer generated software engineering has been a two pronged approach, that is, data flow modeling is created and then an entity relationship is developed based on that model. The entity relationship in the form of data is used to drive the design, that is, in the prior systems, the deduced data and only the data requirements or end result of the program are used to drive the code generator. This creates numerous problems with the detail processes and results in an unacceptable number of false starts through the trial and error process inherent in such systems.
The multitude of shortcomings inherent in the prior art are overcome by a merger of linguistic and cognitive science which have evolved to a system known as Metavision under the guidance of the patentee. The Metavision system presented herein encompasses the concept of cognitive modeling which creates a business model using a linguistic approach to create algorithms that generate programs in conjunction with expert systems. This is achieved through computational linguistic applications which create a four dimensional cognitive model. The dimensions are process, control, data and support (agents or instruments).
Three general principles underlie this system. They are, first the models need to be cognitive intuitive, that is they must be visualizations of thoughts. Second, the models must be complete, including all four dimensions, process, control, data and support. Finally, the models must have transformability.
The simplest model springs from a single sentence which according to linguistic principles includes a subject, verb and object. In cognitive modeling for computational linguistics applications, the subject is considered the source, the verb the path and the object the target. Thus from a simple sentence, a model and program may be developed. The source is the world knowledge. The path is the various avenues with which the data of the world knowledge flows and is manipulated to create the merged data or end result, the target.
The Metavision system with the aid of an analyst creates models based on world knowledge. These models are then converted to software designs via algorithms that include feedback to the models. Once the software design and models have satisfied all the feedback requirements to stabilize the software design, program code is generated to produce the desire application software based on the design.
The feedback process is enhanced by expert systems that perform diagnostics on the feedback to ensure that the input equals the reference or the end result is met with all of the required inputs modeled or accounted for.
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
A primary objective of the invention is to provide a method to establish project management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to determine the scope, objectives and benefits for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to quantify scope limits for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to establish quality indicators for objectives for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to quantify benefits for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a deliverables list for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method develop a deliverables list for each phase for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to establish project reviews for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to establish the review and acceptance cycle for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to establish progress reporting for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to establish a change control procedure for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a plan for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a detailed plan for first phase of project for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop projects tasks for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop manpower loading for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop deliverable milestones for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop review and acceptance dates for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop hardware availability dates for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop resource budgets for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a personnel budget for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a facilities budget for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a hardware budget for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a software packages and tools budget for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop a money budget.
Another objective is to provide a method to develop interview lists and schedules for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to model current business practices for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to conduct interviews to build process models for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to create process models of line management and reporting job roles by function for a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to provide a method to create process models of higher management levels that line management reports to.
Another objective is to provide a method to create process models of automated computer or mechanical systems for a business of management controls.
A still further objective is to provide a method for creating a business model including process models containing the following information:
process transformations, process sequence and process descriptions;
supporting agents performing process and supporting instruments (tools) used in process;
people or organizational units (group, department, division etc.);
software program module or entire automated software system; computer hardware;
tools: manual tools or automated machines;
support quantification (agents and/or instruments used to perform process);
location of supporting resource and facilities information;
size of supporting resource: quantity of people/computers/tools performing process;
commitment of supporting resource: person/computer/tool hours spent on process per unit of calendar time;
cost of supporting resource: total of (person/computer/tool, unit cost).times.(resource commitment);
process efficiency: support time to perform job per 1 unit of output;
process throughput: calendar time to produce 1 unit of output;
process capacity: units of output=(resource commitment).times.(throughput);
RFP data consumed and produced by each process;
RFP transfer rules controlling transfers between processes: branching, start, stope and sequence;
RFP goals and objectives or policies and procedures controlling a process;
RFP quality standard (quality indicators) for controlling input data quality: edit rules and tables;
RFP quantification;
name, description and form or report number;
collect DBA information: sizing, volume, security, retention and source database names.
Another objective is to model interviewees' organization with an organization chart showing formal control structure for a business model.
Another objective is to collect example RFP's produced, consumed or controlling processes (reports, forms, databases, policies, procedures, goals and other packets of information) during interviews for a business model.
Another objective is to collect user issues and problems about a current business process model.
Another objective is to model automated systems database schemas (within project scope) for a business model.
Another objective is to load existing system database schemas as business information external schemas for a business model.
Another objective is to enter user supplied definitions and descriptions for database fields and record relationships for a business model.
Collect DBA information: sizing, volume, security, retention and source database names for a business model.
Another objective is to summarize and integrate process models, summarize RFPs and summarize supports for a business model.
Another objective is to summarize first line management and worker process models up into a complete functional processes (including both mgt. control and worker execution) by using 7+/-2 rule for each functional area interviewed. Balance summarized levels RFPs for a business model.
Another objective is to integrate summarized process models from different functional areas by summarizing them into larger complete functional processes with their controlling higher management control processes included. Observe the 7+/-2 rule if actual business follows the rule for a business model.
Another objective is to summarize input/output RFP's on higher level process diagrams by creating part-whole relationships, i.e. create summary data class RFPs on high level process diagrams that own detail RFPs on lower level process diagrams for a business model.
Another objective is to summarize controls RPFs: link high level management goal RFPs with their decomposition into sub-goal RFPs i.e., high level goals own the tactical sub-goals of lower level management for a business model.
Another objective is to summarize supports: higher organizational units own their parts, software systems own their programs, computers own their processors and machines own their parts for a business model.
Another objective is to review models with business units and modify for correctness.
A further objective is to determine changes necessary to optimize current business practice: measure process model.
Another objective is to review issues and problems lists to determine if indicated changes are desirable in a business model.
Another objective is to use models of good industry practice to measure difference with a current business model.
Another objective is to verify control RFPs exist and function for regulatory compliance within a business model.
Another objective is to verify data RFPs exist to feed any proposed increases in information systems within a business model.
Another objective is to verify corporate control stack works: high level goal RFPs own low level objective RFPs and feedback loops exist within a business model.
Another objective is to locate information bottlenecks using process throughput measures.
Another objective is to calculate differences between formal organizational controls (formal organization chart) and actual process control RFPs for a business model.
Another objective is to verify quality indicator RFPs exist for goals and objectives of a business model.
Another objective is to create proposed changes to a current business model.
Another objective is to identify specific changes required to improve deficiencies within a business model including changes and additions to information systems or manual processes.
Another objective is to quantify organizational impact (job function changes etc.) and political cost of a business model.
Another objective is to estimate development cost and development time for changes of a business model.
Another objective is to quantify benefits of changes to a business model.
Another objective is to review proposed changes, modify and obtain user concurrence of a business model.
Another objective is to develop information system architecture plan for proposed changes to a business model.
Another objective is to list new information required to implement changes in a business model.
Another objective is to list new sources and owners of information.
Another objective is to list information integration changes: organizational changes, database changes, software changes, communications changes and computer changes.
Another objective is to list known data quality problems.
Another objective is to develop migration plan to implement proposed changes and estimated schedule.
Another objective is to refine estimated development costs and development time for changes.
Another objective is to review proposed changes, modify and obtain user concurrence.
Another objective is to review a proposed desired business practices model, modify and obtain functional management concurrence.
Another objective is to prepare a desired business practices model presentation.
Another objective is to modify models based on executive management priorities.
Another objective is to prioritize approved projects within a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to develop technical designs to implement information system architecture plan within a business model.
another objective is to choose the best implementation design based on relational projects selection methodology; project phase duration less than nine months; cost effectiveness; availability of resources; people, hardware and software; hardware technology; flexibility: open or closed architecture.
Another objective is to develop implementation schedules for each project within a business model.
Another objective is to transform a business model into a software engineering model.
Another objective is to increase detail of business process model in the area to be improved, i.e. compose more detailed levels.
Another objective is to choose single function business processes in improvement area to automate
information creation, read (retrieval), update and delete;
information reporting;
information tracking;
information sharing or transmission;
scheduling;
decision making;
procedures within a business model of management controls.
Another objective is to add computer system specific processes, to a business model.
Another objective is to provide menus of system functions (these will select automatable manual processes and computer specific processes) to programs developed form a business model.
Another objective is to provide automated interfaces to other systems to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide system error reporting and error recovery to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide system security to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide audit log of system transactions to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide database archival and restoration to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide database maintenance reports to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide database optimization to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to provide database integrity rule enforcement to programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to add system function selection transfer rules to menu processes to select all system functions within a business model.
Another objective is to specify transfer rules for all function selections of a business model.
Another objective is to model program logic as necessary for design of a business model.
A further objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from created simple sentences identifying the questions the user needs to answer.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from grouped like sentences combining all similar information gathered from different sources.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from developed population tables identifying role names and set up tables of instances.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from uniqueness constraints which eliminate duplicates from tables and ensure the proper level of specificity.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from multiple reference roles which determine the unique way to identify roles.
Another objective is to create a question map to model business data relationships from integrity constraints to keep logical consistency between statements about a system and reflect how the enterprise works.
Another objective is to group the question map into a conceptual schema to create the optimal database design.
Another objective is to model menus, screens and reports for use by programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to specify fields for menu function selection for use by programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to specify detailed hardware and packaged software requirements selection for use by programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to produce database design documentation for use by programs developed from a business model.
Another objective is to generate application software system from SE models for use by programs developed from a business model.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A unique merger of linguistic and cognitive science has lead to a revolutionary realization integrating business management planing, business execution and management/operational software development. This is achieved through a microprocessor manipulated program which extracts the data inherent in the cognitive process leading to the spoken or written word and converts that data into business models capable of defining the interrelationship and functions of every member of a business from the director to the shipping clerks and floor sweepers. The thoroughness with which the program models the business and its operations is capitalised on by the program which uses the data it generated to produce application software program code capable of controlling and/or performing any and all functions of the business. A dynamic relationship is created between the business model and developed programs which allows prototyping of all business activities and the investigation of any eventuality followed by generation of new code and programs as needed to follow business growth or change. The system springs from The Connected Development Process of Four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling using the four basic linguistic entities of PROCESS and its attendant adjuncts of DATA, CONTROL and SUPPORT. To simplify the detailed description of this revolutionary approach, the forgoing concepts are embodied in the newly coined word "MetaVision", which shall be used through out this patent to convey the notion of the entity of the applicants invention.
The Metavision program embodies a general knowledge modeling system incorporating four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling and a built-in process for creating the models and automatically generating application software systems from them. The process is the Connected Development Process which requires the execution of the following nine basic steps:
Step 1. "WHAT-IS" Business users create a Metavision Process Model of their job or the jobs of a work group by providing Metavision with the individual workers job steps for each job, the information each worker needs to know to do the job and the information produced by doing the job. The goals and objectives of each job are also provided to the Metavision modeler. An organizational model is created by having users enter the names and titles of the individuals they report to. To enter job process and organization informations, a user will select Metavision prototype job processes and then respond to the Metavision dialogue that follows about the particulars of their job. This results in a Metavision "what-is" model of how the business currently operates.
Step 2. "WHAT-SHOULD-BE" The business user or the work group measure problems in the Metavision "what-is" process model of their jobs by running a variety of Metavision analysis reports that identify job problems like poor management control, lack of information needed to a job and information bottlenecks that slow job performance. For example, the formal organization chart created in the preceding step is matched against the actual organizational controls on the process models. The users improve their job process by changing the "what-is" model based on problems identified. These changes may include both improvements in the jobs performed by the workers and computer automation of some job steps. New reports, forms or packets of information may be required. They will be added together with the new processes that create them, during this step. If a job step is to be automated then it is tagged for further attention. This results in a Metavision "what-should-be" model.
As a result of a "what-should-be" model, a list of the new information in the proposed automated systems together with its sources and relationships to other information is automatically generated by Metavision. This is called and Information Systems Architecture and it will be used to help prioritize projects.
Step 3. "WHAT-TO-DO" the "what-to-do" model is approved or modified by management. In the case of automated systems, management will either decide to automate or not by removing or adding the automated process tags attached in the preceding step. The information systems architecture developed in the previous step is used to prioritize projects since it shows which automated systems must be done first to feed information to later systems. This produces a Metavision "what-to-do" model of specific projects (some of which will be automated systems) and project priorities that the organization has validated.
Step 4. "HOW-TO-DO-IT" In this step, the users will choose "how-to-do-it" by picking the kind of computer, computer language and database system that the automated system will be generated into. This is done by making the appropriate selections from the Metavision menus.
Step 5. "SHOULD-BE-SOFTWARE-PROCESS-MODEL" The next project from "what-to-do" list is selected and the job steps to be automated are composed into greater detail until each job step is at a single function level of detail. Examples of single function job steps are report preparation or creation of new information. A business user does this by selecting Metavision prototype single function job processes and then responding to the Metavision dialogue that follows about the particulars of their job.
The user next adds the extra processes required by a well designed computer system, but that would not otherwise be a part of the business users job such as database reorganization and password security. Menu selections processes are not added at this stage, but in the next step. These, like prototypical job processes, can be selected from a list. However, the Metavision product will provide suggested selections if asked.
Step 6. "SHOULD-BE-CONTROL-LOGIC-MODEL" All the single function processes that will be automated must now be linked to menus that enable a system user to select them. The Metavision product can generate a default menu selection system or the business user can create new selection processes by selecting prototype menu selection processes from the Metavision product process option list. These processes are interconnected with control RFP arrows that contain the transfer of control rules.
Step 7. QUESTION MAP USER RFPs During this step a complete three schema data model for all programs, screens, menus, reports, databases and inter-programs transfers of data is automatically generated from the set of questions that a business user requires the information system to answer. These questions are transformed into declarative sentences and entered, in English, into the Metavision product. They are then parsed into a fifth normal form data model.
More sentences instances of the central question sentences are now collected from a business user. These instances are used by the Metavision product to develop a model of permissible value ranges for the subjects and objects in sentences. The Metavision product also uses them to automatically generate test data sets, record population control files, table validations and update edit rules.
another dialogue with the business user now takes place about how the user uniquely identifies the subjects and objects in the central question sentences. The business user must also engage in a dialogue about references to information shared between two or more question sentences. The answers to these questions are used by the Metavision product to calculate database relations, indexes, keys, navigational paths and referential integrity constraints. The product also uses them to calculate report or screen root files and relational updaters.
After these calculations are complete the Metavision product automatically generates a third normal form logical database design and corresponding third normal for external (Physical) database structure.
Step 8. MODEL, MENUS, SCREENS AND REPORT RFPs Select and interface standard and the hardware and software configurations to support the selected interface. Based on the specified interface standard, the screen is painted by selecting the database fields from a picture of the database.
Step 9. GENERATE SYSTEM Select processes to be automated from the list and the code will be automatically generated.
The nine steps outlined above are preformed by individuals under the direction of a master plan provided by a book of directions or a MetaVision modeler and entails the running of the MetaVision program to process inputs from the individuals. To simplify the detailed explanation of MetaVision, the steps are expanded first as the detailed steps preformed to produce the input to the program and then as the steps and routines performed by the program.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The standards of legibility require that some diagrams be divided into a plurality of sheets. To maintain continuity, all of the sheets which comprise a single diagram are given the same figure number with a letter suffix to identify individual sheets. Key letters are provided on individual sheets to assist in joining the sheets that comprise a single diagram. In the "Brief Description Of The Drawings" which follows, only the basic figure number, without letter suffixes, is provided to indicate substance of the diagram. Continuity is maintained between the plural sheets for a single diagram by "Joins Figure" notations where applicable.
FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C make up for FIG. 1 which is a functional diagram of the Building Management Systems.
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E make up for FIG. 2 which is a functional diagram of Business Modeling steps.
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D make up for FIG. 3 which is a functional diagram of the Establish Project Management Controls steps.
FIGS. 4A and 4B make up for FIG. 4 which is a functional diagram of the Model Business What Is steps.
FIGS. 5A and 5B make up for FIG. 5 which is a functional diagram of the Model Business What Should Be steps.
FIG. 6 is a functional diagram of the Decide What to Do steps.
FIG. 7 is a functional diagram of the Develop How To Do It steps.
FIG. 8 is a functional diagram of the Develop Software SHOULD-BE Process Model steps.
FIGS. 9A and 9B make up for FIG. 9 which is a functional diagram of the Model Current Business Practices steps.
FIGS. 10A and 10B make up for FIG. 10 which is a functional diagram of the Prototyping steps.
FIG. 11 is a functional diagram of the Develop File Design steps.
FIGS. 12A and 12B make up for FIG. 12 which is a functional diagram of the Model Control Logic steps.
FIG. 13 is a functional diagram of the Design Screens & Reports steps.
FIGS. 14A and 14B make up for FIG. 14 which is a functional diagram of the Question Map RFP's steps.
FIG. 15 is a functional diagram of the Create External Schema.
FIG. 16 is a functional diagram of the Input screen report layout steps.
FIG. 17 is a functional diagram of the Create Simple Sentences steps.
FIG. 18 is a functional diagram of the Group Like Sentences Together steps.
FIGS. 19A and 19B make up for FIG. 19 which is a functional diagram of the Develop Population Tables steps.
FIGS. 20A and 20B make up for FIG. 20 which is a functional diagram of the Add Uniqueness Constraints steps.
FIG. 21 is a functional diagram of the Identify Multiple Reference Roles steps.
FIG. 22 is a functional diagram of the Add Integrity Constraints steps.
FIG. 23 is a functional diagram of the Write/Edit Sentences from RFP's steps.
FIG. 24 is the Add Project data flow diagram.
FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C make up for FIG. 25 which is the Control Diagram DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIG. 26 is the Control Diagram CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 27A, 27B and 27C make up for FIG. 27 which is the Conceptual Scheme DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 28A, 28B and 28C make up for FIG. 28 which is the Conceptual Schema CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 29A, 29B and 29C make up for FIG. 29 which is the External Schema DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 30A, 30B and 30C make up for FIG. 30 which is the External Schema CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 31A, 31B and 31C make up for FIG. 31 which is the Organization Chart DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 32A and 32B make up for FIG. 32 which is the Organization Chart CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 33A, 33B and 33C make up for FIG. 33 which is the Process Diagram DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 34A and 34B make up for FIG. 34 which is the Process Diagram CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 35A, 35B and 35C make up for FIG. 35 which is the Question Map DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 36A, 36B and 36C make up for FIG. 36 which is the Question Map CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 37A, 37B and 37C make up for FIG. 37 which is the Report Design DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIGS. 38A and 38B make up for FIG. 38 which is the Report Design CREATE data flow diagram.
FIGS. 39A, 39B and 39C make up for FIG. 39 which is the Screen Design DIAGRAM data flow diagram.
FIG. 40 is the Screen Design CREATE data flow diagram.
FIG. 41 is the Move UP A Level data flow diagram.
FIGS. 42A and 42B make up for FIG. 42 which is the Move DOWN A Level data flow diagram.
FIGS. 43A and 43B make up for FIG. 43 which is the Create Process Box data flow diagram.
FIGS. 44A and 44B make up for FIG. 44 which is the Create Data Source/Sink data flow diagram.
FIGS. 45A and 45B make up for FIG. 45 which is the Create RFP (Arrow) data flow diagram.
FIGS. 46A and 46B make up for FIG. 46 which is the Create Fan data flow diagram.
FIG. 47 is the Create Free Text data flow diagram.
FIG. 48 is the Create Support Data data flow diagram.
FIGS. 49A, 49B and 49C make up for FIG. 49 which is the Open NEW Report data flow diagram.
FIGS. 50A, 50B and 50C make up for FIG. 50 which is the Open NEW Screen data flow diagram.
FIG. 51 is the Enter RFP Data data flow diagram.
FIGS. 52A and 52B make up for FIG. 52 which is the Control What If data flow diagram.
FIGS. 53A and 53B make up for FIG. 53 which is the Data What If data flow diagram.
FIG. 54 is the Process What If data flow diagram.
FIGS. 55A and 55B make up for FIG. 55 which is the Support What If data flow diagram.
FIG. 56 is the Grouping data flow diagram.
FIG. 57 is the Hypertext Processing data flow diagram.
FIGS. 58A, 58B, 58C, 58D, 58E, 58F, 58G and 58H make up for FIG. 58 which illustrates the Merge processes for two copies of a file, one in the source directory and one in the destination directory.
FIGS. 59A and 59B make up for FIG. 59 which is the Constraint Validation data flow diagram.
FIG. 60 is the Process Diagram Hypertext data flow diagram
FIG. 61 is the Organization Chart Hypertext data flow diagram.
FIG. 62 is the Question Map Hypertext data flow diagram
FIG. 63 is the Conceptual Schema Hypertext data flow diagram
FIG. 64 is the data flow diagram.
FIG. 65 is the Report Hypertext data flow diagram
FIG. 66 is the Screen Hypertext data flow diagram
FIG. 67 is the Matrix Diagrams data flow diagram
FIG. 68 is the Process/RFP Matrix Diagram data flow diagram.
FIG. 69 is the DSS/RFP Matrix Diagram data flow diagram.
FIG. 70 is the Process/Control RFP Matrix Diagram data flow diagram.
FIG. 71 is the Process/Support Matrix Diagram data flow diagram.
FIG. 72 is the Support/RFP Matrix Diagram data flow diagram.
FIG. 73 is the COBOL FD Documentation data flow diagram.
FIG. 74 is the Trangen Documentation data flow diagram.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A unique merger of linguistic and cognitive science has lead to a revolutionary realization integrating business management planing, business execution and management/operational software development. This is achieved through a microprocessor manipulated program which extracts the data inherent in the cognitive process leading to the spoken or written word and converts that data into business models capable of defining the interrelationship and functions of every member of a business from the director to the shipping clerks and floor sweepers. The thoroughness with which the program models the business and its operations is capitalized on by the program which uses the data it generated to produce application software program code capable of controlling and/or performing any and all functions of the business. A dynamic relationship is created between the business model and developed programs which allows prototyping of all business activities and the investigation of any eventuality followed by generation of new code and programs as needed to follow business growth or change. The system springs from The Connected Development Process of Four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling using the four basic linguistic entities of PROCESS and its attendant adjuncts of DATA, CONTROL and SUPPORT. To simplify the detailed description of this revolutionary approach, the forgoing concepts are embodied in the newly coined word "MetaVision", which shall be used through out this patent to convey the notion of the entity of the applicants invention.
The Metavision program embodies a general knowledge modeling system incorporating four Dimensional Cognitive Modeling and a built-in process for creating the models and automatically generating application software systems from them. The process is the Connected Development Process which requires the execution of the following nine basic steps:
Step 1. "WHAT-IS" Business users create a Metavision Process Model of their job or the jobs of a work group by providing Metavision with the individual workers job steps for each job, the information each worker needs to know to do the job and the information produced by doing the job. The goals and objectives of each job are also provided to the Metavision modeler. An organizational model is created by having users enter the names and titles of the individuals they report to. To enter job process and organization informations, a user will select Metavision prototype job processes and then respond to the Metavision dialogue that follows about the particulars of their job. This results in a Metavision "what-is" model of how the business currently operates.
Step 2. "WHAT-SHOULD-BE" The business user or the work group measure problems in the Metavision "what-is" process model of their jobs by running a variety of Metavision analysis reports that identify job problems like poor management control, lack of information needed to a job and information bottlenecks that slow job performance. For example, the formal organization chart created in the preceding step is matched against the actual organizational controls on the process models. The users improve their job process by changing the "what-is" model based on problems identified. These changes may include both improvements in the jobs performed by the workers and computer automation of some job steps. New reports, forms or packets of information may be required. They will be added together with the new processes that create them, during this step. If a job step is to be automated then it is tagged for further attention. This results in a Metavision "what-should-be" model.
As a result of a "what-should-be" model, a list of the new information in the proposed automated systems together with its sources and relationships to other information is automatically generated by Metavision. This is called and Information Systems Architecture and it will be used to help prioritize projects.
Step 3. "WHAT-TO-DO" the "what-to-do" model is approved or modified by management. In the case of automated systems, management will either decide to automate or not by removing or adding the automated process tags attached in the preceding step. The information systems architecture developed in the previous step is used to prioritize projects since it shows which automated systems must be done first to feed information to later systems. This produces a Metavision "what-to-do" model of specific projects (some of which will be automated systems) and project priorities that the organization has validated.
Step 4. "HOW-TO-DO-IT" In this step, the users will choose "how-to-do-it" by picking the kind of computer, computer language and database system that the automated system will be generated into. This is done by making the appropriate selections from the Metavision menus.
Step 5. "SHOULD-BE-SOFTWARE-PROCESS-MODEL" The next project from "what-to-do" list is selected and the job steps to be automated are composed into greater detail until each job step is at a single function level of detail. Examples of single function job steps are report preparation or creation of new information. A business user does this by selecting Metavision prototype single function job processes and then responding to the Metavision dialogue that follows about the particulars of their job.
The user next adds the extra processes required by a well designed computer system, but that would not otherwise be a part of the business users job such as database reorganization and password security. Menu selections processes are not added at this stage, but in the next step. These, like prototypical job processes, can be selected from a list. However, the Metavision product will provide suggested selections if asked.
Step 6. "SHOULD-BE-CONTROL-LOGIC-MODEL" All the single function processes that will be automated must now be linked to menus that enable a system user to select them. The Metavision product can generate a default menu selection system or the business user can create new selection processes by selecting prototype menu selection processes from the Metavision product process option list. These processes are interconnected with control RFP arrows that contain the transfer of control rules.
Step 7. QUESTION MAP USER RFPs During this step a complete three schema data model for all programs, screens, menus, reports, databases and inter-programs transfers of data is automatically generated from the set of questions that a business user requires the information system to answer. These questions are transformed into declarative sentences and entered, in English, into the Metavision product. They are then parsed into a fifth normal form data model.
More sentences instances of the central question sentences are now collected from a business user. These instances are used by the Metavision product to develop a model of permissible value ranges for the subjects and objects in sentences. The Metavision product also uses them to automatically generate test data sets, record population control files, table validations and update edit rules.
Another dialogue with the business user now takes place about how the user uniquely identifies the subjects and objects in the central question sentences. The business user must also engage in a dialogue about references to information shared between two or more question sentences. The answers to these questions are used by the Metavision product to calculate database relations, indexes, keys, navigational paths and referential integrity constraints. The product also uses them to calculate report or screen root files and relational updaters.
After these calculations are complete the Metavision product automatically generates a third normal form logical database design and corresponding third normal for external (Physical) database structure.
Step 8. MODEL, MENUS, SCREENS AND REPORT RFPs Select and interface standard and the hardware and software configurations to support the selected interface. Based on the specified interface standard, the screen is painted by selecting the database fields from a picture of the database.
Step 9. GENERATE SYSTEM Select processes to be automated from the list and the code will be automatically generated.
The nine steps outlined above are preformed by individuals under the direction of a master plan provided by a book of directions or a MetaVision modeler and entails the running of the MetaVision program to process inputs from the individuals. To simplify the detailed explanation of MetaVision, the steps are expanded first as the detailed steps preformed to produce the input to the program and then as the steps and routines performed by the program.
To provide a logical presentation of the steps involved in executing the Metavision System, this specification presents an overview of the equipment required, how the software is loaded into the equipment, how the various programs are invoked and the functions of the programs and routines. A glossary of terms is included to standardize nomenclature before the features of the Metavision Business Modeling software are presented. A detailed presentation of the four dimensions of BUSINESS MODELING WITH METAVISION follows to provide a complete understanding of the concepts involved. Next, a sample project provides `how-to` detailed steps a user should execute to carry out the types of analysis and automated software development obtainable through the Metavision system. This is followed by a functional description of the operations performed by the Metavision program in executing the sample project.
Details on installing and invoking the MetaVision software and Metavision fundamentals, including the use of the mouse and keyboard, the nature of Metavision pull-down menus and dialog boxes, plotting diagrams, the setup for printing reports, file import/merge and export, and the Metavision Help system follow.
In order to operate the version of MetaVision provided herein as a typical reduction to practice of the applicants invention, you must have an IBM PC or AT compatible computer with 640 kilobytes of memory with at least 520 kilobytes available for MetaVision, a hard disk, some type of video graphics adapter, a 25-pin parallel port and a graphics monitor. You must be running MS-DOS or PC-DOC 3.0 or later. A mouse as a pointing device is highly recommended. Hardcopy output may be produced on various printers and plotters.
An installation program is used which contains video device drivers for the following graphics adapters: IBM CGA, EGA and VGA, A.T.& T. 6300, Hercules, Compaq III and Toshiba 3100. All of the video device drivers are used in monochrome mode except the EGA and VGA device drivers. Microsoft, Mouse Systems, Visi-On, and IBM Personal System/2 mouse drivers are included. Hardcopy device drivers are included for Epson printers, for the Hewlett Packard Laser Jet+ printer, and for Hewlett Packard plotters. A variety of other device drivers are available
Initial installation of MetaVision requires the loading of MetaVision software onto the hard disk, the modification of the CONFIG.SYS file to load the device drivers required by MetaVision, and the modification of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
The MetaVision installation programs may be provided double sided/double density 51/4" floppy diskettes or 9 high-density 5 1/4" or 31/2" diskettes or any equipment compatible media. The following description of the installation procedure assumes that MetaVision is being installed from double sided/double density diskettes; the procedure for high density source media differs only by virtue of involving fewer diskettes. Since the difference in numbers of diskettes is reflected in the individual installation prompts, it will always be clear which particular diskette to insert at any given point in the installation procedure.
The first step in implementing the invention is to install MetaVision on a drive using the MetaVision Installation program by inserting the program containing disk into the operational drive and typing INSTALL N.sub.1 : N.sub.2 :. This invokes the program and the first parameter tells the installation procedure which drive to read files from. The second parameter specifies the drive to which the files should be copied. A third parameter may be used to indicate whether it is a new installation or an upgrade.
The program creates a batch file with a subdirectory named METAVISI on the hard disk and copies the MetaVision files into that subdirectory.
The examples presented assumes that you are reading from drive A:.
As the batch file begins execution, the following message will appear:
MetaVision Installation Procedure
Checking for existing files . . . .
Creating directories and copying files . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
At this point, after you strike a key, the METAVISI(ON) subdirectory will be created on your hard disk, and MetaVision files on MetaVision Installation Disk 1 will be copied to the subdirectory. After files from the first disk are copied, you will be prompted to insert additional disks one by one and files will be copied from these disks. As long as either the hard disk or floppy disk drive lights are lit, the copying process is going on.
When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Installation Disk 1, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Installation Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Installation Disk 1 and insert MetaVision Installation Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Installation Disk 2, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Graphics Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Installation Disk 2 and insert MetaVision Graphics Disk 1 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Graphics Disk 1, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Graphics Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Graphics Disk 1 and insert MetaVision Graphics Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Graphics Disk 2, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Database Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Graphics Disk 2 and insert MetaVision Database Disk 1 into drive A and strike any key. The file names of the database files will be echoed as they are being copied. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Database Disk 1, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Database Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Database Disk 1 and insert MetaVision Database Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Database Disk 2, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Database Disk 2 and insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 1 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision .EXE Disk 1, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision .EXE Disk 1 and insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision .EXE Disk 2, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 3 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision .EXE Disk 2 and insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 3 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision .EXE Disk 3, the following instructions will be displayed:
Insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 4 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision .EXE Disk 3 and insert MetaVision .EXE Disk 4 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision .EXE Disk 4, the following instructions will be displayed:
Insert MetaVision Help Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision .EXE Disk 4 and insert MetaVision Help Disk 1 into drive A and strike any key. The file names of the Help System files will be echoed as they are being copied. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Help Disk 1, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Help Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Help Disk 1 and insert MetaVision Help Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. The Help System file names will be echoed as they are being copied. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Help Disk 2 and the Help file build is completed, the following message will appear:
Insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision HELP Disk 2 and insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 1 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Prototype Disk 1, the following instructions will be displayed:
Insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 2 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Prototype Disk 1 and insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 2 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Prototype Disk 2, the following instructions will be displayed:
Insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 3 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
Remove MetaVision Prototype Disk 2 and insert MetaVision Prototype Disk 3 into drive A and strike any key. When all of the files have been copied from MetaVision Prototype Disk 3, the following instructions will be displayed:
The files necessary for METAVISION have been copied.
Before METAVISION can be run, you must set up METAVISION files AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS.
After the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files have been set up, you must re-boot the system before you can run METAVISION. Be sure to install the MetaVision Software Protection Device on the parallel port. This completes the METAVISION Installation Procedure.
To run METAVISION, type the following commands after re-booting the system and installing the Software Protection Device:
CD METAVISI
METAVISI
This is the end of the automatic portion of the MetaVision installation procedure. You must now set up the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files as follows.
A SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION message is displayed at the end of the software installation procedure. It gives instructions on the need to replace or alter two files in the root directory of your hard disk: the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and the CONFIG.SYS file.
The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is automatically executed by DOS when your system is booted (turned on); the CONFIG.SYS file instructs DOS to load the listed device drivers and to set the number of DOS files and buffers.
An AUTOEXEC.BAT file and a CONFIG.SYS file are created in the METAVISI subdirectory by the MetaVision Installation procedure. The commands in these files must be incorporated into AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files, or the files themselves must be substituted for your existing AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. Since they affect what happens when your computer is booted, you will have to reboot the system after making the changes.
The following is the sample AUTOEXEC.BAT file copied to the METAVISION subdirectory by the MetaVision Installation procedure:
path c: ;c: METAVISI
prompt $p$g
REM set location of font files:
SET FONTS=C: METAVISI REM set the upper 128 characters for
display
drivers:
GRAFTABL
REM set serial mouse parameters
REM SET MOUSE=VISMOUSE
REM SET VISMOUSE=COM2
REM plotter parameters
REM mode com1:96,n,8,1,p
REM mode com2:96,n,8,1,p
REM set plotter=hpplot REM set hpplot=com2
The first line is a DOS command to include the METAVISI directory in the search path. This line is required.
The next line is a DOS command to display the path of the current directory as the prompt. This line is optional.
The next two lines inform MetaVision where the graphics font files are located. These lines are required.
The next two lines set the upper 128 characters for display drivers. These lines are optional.
The next three lines are examples of how to inform MetaVision that a mouse is attached to serial port COM2 rather than COM1. The example is for a Visi-On mouse. This is necessary only if you are using a Visi-On or Mouse Systems mouse and it is attached to COM2. If you do not have one of these mice, you may delete these lines.
The last set of lines deals with setting parameters for an attached Hewlett Packard plotter. There are examples of mode statements for COM1 and COM2. If you have a plotter, you may use the one which references the serial port to which the plotter is attached. If your plotter is attached to COM2, the last two lines must be included to inform METAVISION of this. If you do not have a Hewlett Packard-compatible plotter, you may delete this set of lines.
If other statements in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file invoke memory-resident programs, be sure that at least 520 kilobytes are left free for use by MetaVision.
The following is the sample CONFIG.SYS file copied to the METAVISION subdirectory by the MetaVision Installation procedure:
BUFFERS=20
FILES=20
DEVICE=C: METAVISI MOUSE.SYS
DEVICE=C: METAVISI MSMOUSE.SYS /GROUP:INPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI MOUSESYS.SYS /GROUP:INPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI VISMOUSE.SYS /GROUP:INPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI PS2MOUSE.SYS /GROUP:INPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI IBMEGA.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI IBMBW.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI IBMVGA11.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI IBMVGA12.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI HERCBW.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI CGI6300B.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI COMPAQ3.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI T3100.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI HPPLOT.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI EPSONLQ.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI EPSONX.SYS /GROUP:OUTPUT
DEVICE=C: METAVISI FONTDRV.SYS /GROUP:FONTS
DEVICE=C: METAVISI GSSCGI.SYS /T
This file instructs DOS to load the device drivers needed by METAVISION. Device drivers are needed for input devices such as mice, for the graphics display, and for output devices such as printers or plotters which you may be using. Device drivers contain logic to access specific devices. Not all of the lines in this section should be retained in your final CONFIG.SYS file; lines dealing with devices which you do not have should be deleted. You may also delete any device drivers which you will not be using from the METAVISION subdirectory.
The first two lines of the CONFIG.SYS file are DOS commands to set the number of files and buffers. It is necessary to set FILES=20. The buffers number may be varied if desired. Consult your MS-DOS or PC-DOS manual for more information about these two statements. If you are using disk caching software, you may be able to omit the BUFFERS statement. Consult the disk caching software manual. Disk caching significantly enhances the performance of MetaVision. If you are not using disk caching software, the buffers number should be greater than 20.
The remaining lines all use the "DEVICE" keyword. These statements instruct DOS to load the device drivers required by METAVISION and tell DOS where to find the device driver files.
The last two lines are required lines. They refer to the font device driver and the main graphics device driver.
The first group of device drivers refers to input devices, namely, mice. If you have a Microsoft Mouse, include the first two lines in this section--the MOUSE.SYS driver and the MSMOUSE.SYS driver--in your final CONFIG.SYS file, and delete the other two lines ending with /GROUP:INPUT.
If you have a Mouse Systems Mouse, include the MOUSESYS.SYS driver and delete the other lines referring to /GROUP:INPUT.
If you have a Visi-On Mouse, use the VISMOUSE.SYS device driver and delete the other lines referring to /GROUP:INPUT.
If you have no mouse, you may delete all of the lines ending with /GROUP:INPUT. This will allow you to use the cursor keys on the keyboard to point and the alphanumeric keys to `click` for selection purposes.
The next set of device drivers--those lines which end with /GROUP:OUTPUT--refer to output devices. Of this set, the first group of lines refers to different display screens, the second group to printers and plotters.
You must have some type of graphics adapter in order to run METAVISION.
The first device driver in the first group is IBMEGA.SYS. This is the EGA (Extended Graphics Adapter) video device driver. If your system has an EGA graphics adapter and monitor, use this line and delete the rest of the lines in this section.
If you have a CGA (Color Graphics Adapter)-compatible graphics adapter, you may use the IBMBW.SYS device driver. This driver will use the CGA adapter in high resolution monochrome mode. You may also use this driver with an EGA adapter.
If you have a VGA-compatible graphics adapter, you may use either IBMVGA11.SYS or the IBMVGA12.SYS device driver. IBMVGA11.SYS is a monochrome device driver, IBMVGA12.SYS a color device driver.
If you have a Hercules-compatible graphics adapter you may use the HERCBW.SYS device driver.
If you have an A.T.& T. 6300-compatible graphics adapter, you may use the CGI6300B.SYS device driver.
If you have a Compaq Portable III, you may use the COMPAQ3.SYS device driver.
If you have a Toshiba 3100, you may use the T3100.SYS device driver.
Additional display drivers are available on request from Applied Axiomatics. If you want to use one of these drivers, obtain a copy from Applied Axiomatics, copy it to the METAVISION subdirectory on your computer and substitute the device driver name in one of the lines of the CONFIG.SYS file.
In all of the above cases, you should delete all the lines in the display section except the one you need for your display. If you are using a video driver other than the IBM CGA, EGA or VGA device driver, add the following line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
The SET VERIFYFONT=OFF command will cause smaller fonts to be used on your drawings.
The second group of output device lines refer to hardcopy devices. If you have a Hewlett Packard Plotter, use the HPPLOT.SYS device driver. If you have an Epson LQ printer (with a 24-pin print head) or a compatible one, use the EPSONLQ.SYS device driver. If you have an Epson EX, FX or MX-compatible printer, use the EPSONX.SYS device driver.
If you have both a printer and a plotter attached to your system, you may keep both lines in your CONFIG.SYS file.
Make the appropriate changes to your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files and reboot your system.
If any disk other than METAVISION Installation Disk 1 is in drive A: when the installation process is initiated, the system will respond as follows:
Insert METAVISION Installation Disk 1 into drive A . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
The above message will be displayed until METAVISION Installation Disk 1 is inserted into drive A.
In general, if at any point the requested disk is not found to be in the disk drive, the message requesting the disk will be repeated again and again until the correct disk is inserted.
If a METAVISI subdirectory already exists on your hard disk, the following warning will be displayed:
METAVISION Installation Procedure Checking for existing files . . .
WARNING:
METAVISION files may overwrite files in directory METAVISION
Press "Control/C" to terminate the installation or
Strike a key when ready . . .
The MetaVision installation procedure will place files in the METAVISI subdirectory. If you don't want this to happen, hit "Control/C" at this point to abort the installation procedure. You should give the current METAVISION subdirectory a different name. You may then rerun the installation procedure.
If you want the MetaVision files copied to your METAVISION subdirectory, hit any key to continue the installation procedure. The following message will then be displayed:
Creating directories and copying files . . .
Strike a key when ready . . .
When the above message is displayed, you will have another opportunity to abort the installation procedure by hitting "Control/C." To continue, press any key. If you continue, up to three error messages will be displayed:
Unable to create directory
Unable to create directory
Unable to create directory
If you omit the New/Upgrade parameter or the destination disk drive parameter, or enter only `C` instead of `C:` for the destination disk drive parameter, the following message will be displayed:
Calling sequence A:INSTALL C: N for new installation or
A:INSTALL C: U for upgrade
to install MetaVision on drive C:
Reenter the correct calling sequence, for example:
A:INSTALL C: N.
The exemplary version of the MetaVision system requires about 7 megabytes of disk space plus the disk space for each project being worked on. Each project resides in its own subdirectory. The sole limit on the project subdirectory size is disk space. The average project should run between 250 kilobytes and 1 megabyte.
In order to run MetaVision, you must attach the software protection device included in the installation package to the LPT1 parallel port of your computer system. If you have a printer attached to this port, you may attach the printer cable to the software protection device. This device will not interfere with your printer. If you have a printer attached, it must be powered on and in the ready condition for METAVISION to function properly.
After you have configured your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files, rebooted your system and attached the software protection device, execute MetaVision by typing:
CD METAVISI
METAVISI
To load a project database onto your hard disk, follow these steps:
1) Create a project with a relevant name using the ADD PROJECT selection on the Project Menu. This will create a project subdirectory of the name you specify. See the MetaVision Usage Guide for more information on the Project Menu operations.
2) Exit from MetaVision.
3) Change to the project subdirectory which you just created in the ADD PROJECT operation. For example, if you are loading the IFIP example project database and you entered a subdirectory name of IFIP, to change to the IFIP subdirectory you would enter:
CD IFIP <enter>
4) Insert the MetaVision DATABASE Disk 1 into drive A: of your computer.
5) Invoke the Archive Extraction Program to extract the database files for the project that you wish to retrieve. For example, if you are loading the IFIP example project database, type:
METAVISI ARCE A:IFIP.ARC *.* /R <enter>
This will load all of the IFIP project files into the database which you just created. If you want to load one of the other example projects, substitute the correct file name in place of IFIP.ARC in the above statement. Be sure to include the A:.
6) Change back to the MetaVision subdirectory by typing:
CD METAVISI <enter>
7) Now you may reenter MetaVision, select Process Diagram or the Business Information Diagram, and the Diagramming Activity in order to view the example project.
The Database Definition of MetaVision is also provided on the MetaVision DATABASE Disk 1. It is located in a file called CASEDB.ARC. The above procedure can be used to load this information onto your hard disk into an appropriate project subdirectory which you create.
It is recommended that a mouse be installed to facilitate interaction with MetaVision. Follow the instructions on Installation for installing the needed software.
Whenever a cursor is displayed on the screen, you may move it by means of moving the mouse on a flat surface. Cursors in MetaVision can have a number of different shapes and each of them can have a variety of functions, depending on which menu items have been chosen.
Most, if not all, of the functions are intuitively obvious from the menu option names. The arrow cursor is used for making menu and list selections. The menu selection that will be chosen when you click a mouse button is highlighted so that you know what you are about to select before you select it. The cursor executes the function in question when one of the mouse buttons is clicked. Either the right or left button on the mouse may be used in running MetaVision, since MetaVision does not make a distinction between them. Sometimes a series of clicks is involved in performing a function, with each click invoking a distinct function. For example, manually routing the line connecting two icons on a diagram involves a series of clicks to establish the X and Y axis turning points for the line.
If a mouse is not installed on your computer you may use the arrow keys to move the cursor around on the screen, select menu options, and perform other cursor-related functions by pressing any of the alphanumeric keys in the main portion of the keyboard, including the space bar and ENTER or RETURN key. The up and down arrows move the cursor up and down on the screen; the left and right arrows move it left and right; and the keys on the diagonal of the direction keys move it diagonally on the screen.
There are two modes of cursor movement, fine and coarse, with coarse the default. You may toggle to the other one by pressing the Ins (Insert) key. The fine mode is often necessary to precisely position the cursor on a diagram, as icons are positioned close to each other. Having a mouse attached is the default situation when using MetaVision, and this is reflected in the Helps and documentation. If you do not have a mouse attached, translate all directions involving a mouse to the corresponding keyboard directions.
For example, the frequent direction to click a mouse button should be interpreted to mean press an alphanumeric key, space bar, or ENTER key. If a mouse is not installed and the arrow keys don't move the cursor, check to see whether the NumLck key has been pressed--if NumLck is on, the arrow cursor will not respond to these keys, since they are being interpreted as numbers; pressing the NumLck key again will toggle the arrow keys to being cursor movement keys rather than numbers.
After invoking MetaVision from the DOS prompt, the various functions in MetaVision are accessed via pull-down menus. Menus are ordered from left to right but only the PROJECT and METHOD menus must be accessed in that order, so that, after a project has been chosen or added using the PROJECT menu and a method has been chosen using the METHOD menu, the other menus may be accessed in any order.
This documentation covers the Business Modeling Methodology and only the menu items that are related to Business Modeling will work. If either of the other methods (Software Engineering or Prototyping) is chosen, menus that apply to those methods will appear when selected but they will not be operational.
The main menu options available for each method under each menu header are as follows:
BUSINESS MODELING
ADMIN
Method Diagram
Document Management
Project Management
Report Writer
Process
Process Diagram
Process Hierarchy
What If
Data
Business Info Diagram
What If
Control
Decision Logic Diagram
Goals & Objectives Diagram
What If
Support
Organization Chart
Terms/Issues/Problems
What If
Prototype
None
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
ADMIN
Method Diagram
Document Management
Project Management
Report Writer
Process
System Design
Module Relationship
Data Flow Diagram
Data
Question Map
Conceptual Schema
External Schema
Screen Design
Report Design
Control
State Transition Diagram
Program Calls
Support
System Organization Chart
Prototype
None
PROTOTYPING
ADMIN
Method Diagram
Document Management
Project Management
Report Writer
PROCESS
None
DATA
None
CONTROL
None
SUPPORT
None
PROTOTYPE
dBASE III Prototype
Database Manager
Test Data Set
COBOL Prototype
CICS Prototype
Code Generator
For all three methods--Business Modeling, Software Engineering, and Prototyping--the main menu also consists of the following standard menu selections:
PROJECT
Choose Project
Add Project
Change Project
Delete Project
Change Password
Quit
To select a menu option, move the arrow cursor so that it is close enough to an option so that the option is highlighted, then click a mouse button. For some options, dialog and/or pop-up boxes appear that require either input from the keyboard or the positioning of the cursor and the clicking of a mouse button. A Menu is a set of choices (options) that are displayed by positioning the cursor so that the menu title is highlighted and clicking a mouse button. A particular option may then be chosen by positioning the cursor so that the option is highlighted and clicking a mouse button again. You can usually move the cursor outside the set of options provided by the pull-down menus and select another function.
When another menu is selected, the previously selected menu will be withdrawn automatically.
Dialog Boxes are used to input or edit data using the keyboard. The mouse is not active when you are in a dialog box.
Almost all dialog boxes consist of a header line indicating the four major functions that are available in a dialog box. These functions are invoked by pressing the corresponding function key on the keyboard. F1 refers to the function key labeled F1. F1 HELP invokes the Help system and provides help on the currently displayed dialog box.
F3 LIST provides a list of available responses that have previously been entered and may be chosen for the current box entry. This option is not always available, since it does not apply to some dialog boxes.
5 DONE indicates that the entries for the dialog box are as complete as desired at this time and that the system should process the information that has been entered and include it in the supporting database, either as temporary or permanent data, depending on which dialog box is present.
F10 CANCEL should be pressed when the function supported by the dialog box is not to be performed and any information entered in the dialog box is to be ignored. You will be returned to the screen from which the dialog box appeared without the option that brought up the dialog box having taken effect.
The body of a dialog box consists of a number of input fields for data to be input from the keyboard. Sometimes default values generated by MetaVision will be displayed in one or more of the input fields. Although generated values may be changed, they should normally be accepted as is.
A few basic edit functions are available for entering and changing text in the fields. The Back Space key is a destructive backspace, moving the cursor left and destroying the character to the left. The left and right arrows move the cursor without destroying any previously-entered data. The Home and End keys may be used to position the cursor at the beginning and end of a data field, respectively. The Enter/Return, Tab, or Down Arrow keys may be pressed to proceed to the beginning of the next input field. The Shift-Tab or Up Arrow keys may be pressed to move to the preceding input field. The Insert key may be pressed to insert a space at the position of the cursor. The Delete key may be used to delete characters at the location of the cursor. Note that data pushed off the right of the displayed field is lost.
Some of the entries on a dialog box are required, others are optional; some must be of a specific type (e.g. numeric). Many of the differences will be identified in this documentation and Helps but you will also be given error messages for many incorrect entries, since MetaVision does extensive error-checking on all input data before accepting a value when you press F5.
To select an item from a Selection list, place the arrow cursor in position to highlight the item on the list you wish to select and click a mouse button. If there are more items than will fit in the pop-up screen, you may scroll down the list using the pan bar on the right side of the list. You may cancel choosing an item at this stage by placing the arrow cursor on the word CANCEL in the upper right-hand corner of the pop-up screen and clicking a mouse button. You may obtain help by placing the arrow cursor on the word HELP in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up screen and clicking a mouse button.
When the desired item is in view, move the mouse so that the arrow cursor is positioned so that the item is highlighted and click a mouse button.
After clicking a mouse button on a list item, the pop-up screen will disappear and the item you chose will be used by the system for the field value for the field involved.
When an entry is evaluated by MetaVision and is found to be invalid, or an option is chosen that cannot be performed, an error message box is presented with a short characterization of the error. The word `Continue` is displayed in a box under the error message and you must position the arrow cursor inside the box and click a mouse button in order to resume your work. Normally, if you have been entering data in a dialog window and have pressed F5, you will correct the offending input field value and press F5 again.
All of the screens in MetaVision except for the Main Menu screen allow you to move the portion of the screen that is displayed by means of the pan bars located on the bottom and right side of the screen. The triangles in the bars indicate the position of the window on the screen relative to the total diagram.
If the triangles are in the center of the bottom and right side of the screen you are seeing the center portion of the diagram displayed on the screen. If the triangles are on the right side and bottom of the pan bars, you are seeing the bottom right portion of the diagram displayed on the screen.
You may change the portion of the screen being displayed in two ways. One is to use the arrows that appear at the top and bottom of the pan bar on the right of the screen and on the right and left of the pan bar along the bottom of the screen.
The other method involves placing the cursor at a position in the pan bars, not on the arrows, and clicking a mouse button to have the screen window centered on that position. To use the pan arrows to move the screen window, place the cursor on the appropriate arrow and click a mouse button. The screen will be redrawn with the centering triangle moved slightly in the direction pointed to by the arrow.
Repeated clicking of the mouse button will incrementally move the screen window in the direction pointed to by the arrow. To move the screen window more quickly and radically, move the arrow cursor to a location on the pan bar in the same box as the centering triangles at a position other than on the triangles and click a mouse button. This will re-display the screen so that the centering triangle is located where the arrow cursor is positioned and redraw the diagram so that it is re-centered on the new position of the triangle.
Sometimes it may help to use the ZOOM Menu option 1/2.times. to display more of a diagram on the screen at one time. You can then use the pan bars to reposition the screen window so that you can work on another portion of a diagram at a larger scale.
To set up the page size on which output is to be printed, use the Setup Menu header. The Page Size option is the only option under the Setup Menu header; it provides the capability of changing the size of a page that will be printed or plotted. The edges of the page are indicated on the screen by means of a thin (yellow) line. Page sizes are connected to each diagram independently, so they need to be set for each diagram if they differ from the default values. When the option is invoked, a pop-up dialog window appears that consists of a header line, the title `Page Size` and 2 input fields.
The header line includes the normal functions. The body of the window consists of two input fields, Page Width and Page Height, which are each 7 digits. The values input should be numbers and may contain a decimal point; other non-numbers are not supported. Diagrams are printed or plotted either rotated or not rotated, depending on the value included in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file for the ORIENTATION parameter. If you have the line SET ORIENTATION=PORTRAIT, output will not be rotated; if you have the line SET ORIENTATION=LANDSCAPE, output will be rotated 270 degrees counterclockwise from the way it appears on the screen. You need to take this into account when setting the page size using this option, especially if you want all of the diagram to print on a single page.
Another consideration in determining page size is the value of the PAPER parameter in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you have the line SET PAPER=NARROW, the diagram will be printed using a value of 8.5".times.11" for the paper size and the printer driver will write on an 8".times.10" area of the paper. If you have the line SET PAPER=WIDE, the diagram will be printed using a value of 14".times.11" for the paper size and the printer driver will write on a 13.2".times.10" area of the paper. A consequence of this is that if you want to print a diagram on a single 8.5".times.11" page using ORIENTATION=PORTRAIT, the page size should not be more than 8".times.10"; for ORIENTATION=LANDSCAPE, the page size should not be more than 10".times.8". The printer driver automatically continues printing or plotting on other sheets if the printout will not fit on a single sheet; the parts of the page can then be cut and pasted together. If the line SET FORMFEED=OFF is in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you may perform long "continuous sheet" print-plotting so that your height or width dimension may be extended, depending on whether you have ORIENTATION set to PORTRAIT or LANDSCAPE, respectively.
You must have opened a diagram on a Diagram screen in order to set the page size using the Setup Page Size option. Move the arrow cursor to the Setup Menu header (near or on the word Setup) and click a mouse button. The Setup option Page Size will be highlighted under the Setup Menu header. Click a mouse button a second time to invoke the option.
The Page Size dialog window will appear and you enter whole or decimal numbers for the Page Width and Page Height fields and press F5 to have the new page size established. F10 will leave the dialog window without changing the size of the page. Shortly the diagram will be redrawn with the new page edges indicated by the thin (yellow) line. It may be necessary to use the ZOOM Fit Screen option if the diagram doesn't fit on the resized page.
More information on setup is given in later chapters.
The Plotting Option provides the capability of producing hardcopy output of any diagram produced using MetaVision. The diagram may be sent to a plotter or printer. The diagram to be plot/printed is selected from the available diagrams by means of a selection list box. A number of formatting options are provided by means of a dialog box labeled `Plot Information`. Input fields on the dialog box are used to record Text Size, Title Size, Zoom Factor, Left Margin, and whether the output is to be sent to a plotter or printer.
Choose the Plotting option under the Activity Menu heading on the Main Menu screen to print or plot a MetaVision diagram. A selection list box will be presented for the diagrams available to be plot/printed and you may select from this list in the normal manner. The dialog box labeled `Plot Information` appears and you should enter positive integers or decimal numbers in the first 4 fields and a `Y` in the Printer or Plotter field and an `N` in the other. The `Y` specifies the device to be used for output. Make certain that the printer/plotter is connected and on-line and press F5 to begin the plot/print process. When the process is complete the Activity Menu options will again be displayed and control will be returned to you.
The Text Size and Title Size fields must contain integer or decimal values greater than 0.
The Margin field must contain an integer or decimal value greater than 0.
The Zoom Factor field must contain an integer or decimal value greater than 0. ##STR1##
Report generation in MetaVision is achieved through a utility called R&R, a product of Concentric Data Systems Inc. In report generation, R&R is run, and the program reads a configuration file whose default name is RR.CNF. This file describes the configuration of your computer system. For R&R to work properly, the information in this file must match the configuration of your system.
To import data from another directory or project use the FILE IMPORT/MERGE activity menu option. The data will be merged into the MetaVision database for the currently open project.
After clicking a mouse on this option, a dialog window will appear with the normal header line of:
F1: HELP F3:LIST F5:DONE F10:CANCEL
The body of the dialog window consists of a single field which should be filled in with the path name for the subdirectory containing the project information to be merged with the current project information.
All of the information is automatically merged from the files in the subdirectory with the entered path name.
Use the FILE EXPORT activity to output the information for a project to a set of dBASE III files that can be used to transfer information from one work station to another. This becomes especially useful when several people are working on a single project and it is time to integrate the pieces on one machine.
After clicking a mouse on the FILE EXPORT option a dialog window entitled Destination will appear with the normal header line of F1: HELP, F3:LIST, F5:DONE, and F10:CANCEL. The body of the dialog window consists of a single field, Path Name, which should be filled in with the path name for the subdirectory to which the current project information is to be written. Do not include the final ` ` for the directory; e.g. `a:`, NOT `a: `, to export the current project files to the a: drive root directory.
All of the information for the current project is automatically written to files in the subdirectory with the entered path name.
When several people are working on the same project, it is the responsibility of the project leader to assign non-overlapping sets of Diagram and Icon IDs to the individual team members. If there is overlap, difficulties will be encountered when the parts are to be merged on a single computer under the same project name. The dBASE III files will contain duplicate keyed information and this will seriously jeopardize the integrity of the control information.
Help in MetaVision is a context-sensitive system that closely mirrors the documentation presented in the individual chapters. Enter the HELP system by placing the cursor on the word HELP in the far right of the menu options along the top of the screen and clicking a button on the mouse.
A Help window will be displayed in the middle of the screen which contains three items across the top: HELP, HELP, and CANCEL. The left HELP may be used for accessing the information contained in this section on how to use the HELP system. The HELP in the top-center of the window identifies that you are in the Help system. You may leave the Help system by placing the cursor on CANCEL in the upper left of the window and clicking a button on the mouse.
A list of the Help topics that relate to the currently displayed set of menus is displayed when the Help system is initially invoked. Choose the topic on which you desire help by highlighting the topic and clicking a button on the mouse. When you have picked a topic, the subtopics or text relating to the topic you chose will be displayed. If there are more topics or text than will fit on the screen, you may move down the list or text by placing the cursor on the downward-pointing arrow in the lower right corner of the window and clicking a button on the mouse. Similarly, you may move up the list of topics or text by placing the cursor on the upward-pointing arrow in the upper right of the Help system window.
The four options listed along the bottom of the Help system window allow you to see Help on other topics. Placing the cursor on `NEXT` will display the topics or text for the topic which immediately follows the currently selected topic. Placing the cursor on `PREV` will display the topics or text for the topic which is immediately previous to the currently selected topic.
Choosing the `LEVEL UP` option moves you to the set of topics of which the currently selected topic is a member. `RELATED TOPICS` displays a selection list of topics that are related to the option for which Help is currently displayed.
To exit the activities under a particular menu heading use the Exit option. You will be returned, to the main menu option from which you came. Placing the cursor on CANCEL in the upper right-hand corner of the activity list will accomplish the same result.
The Main Menu Screen provides the highest level of access to the MetaVision functions. It directs users through the MetaVision system via ordered menu choices.
A series of pull-down menu titles are displayed across the top of the screen with the following titles: `PROJECT METHOD ADMIN PROCESS DATA CONTROL SUPPORT PROTOTYPE HELP`. The Project Menu header is initially high-lighted and the options for that menu are displayed in the pull-down menu under it.
After invoking MetaVision from the DOS prompt, the various functions in MetaVision are accessed via pull-down menus. Menus and options are normally invoked by means of a mouse which is used to move the cursor on the screen; when the cursor points at the desired menu or option, click the mouse. PROJECT must be accessed prior to any other menu. For some options dialog boxes and/or pop-up windows appear that require either input from the keyboard or positioning of the cursor and a mouse click.
If the software does not display the Main Menu screen as it should, the software was probably not loaded properly or there is insufficient memory for it to operate. Check that you have carefully followed the installation procedure in chapter 1 and review the suggestions offered there. Remember that you must first choose an item under the PROJECT header; otherwise the only other header that is active is HELP.
Initially, the PROJECT menu header is highlighted and its menu is pulled down, i.e., the options for that menu are displayed under it. The PROJECT menu is the entry and exit point for access to other parts of MetaVision. It is also the reentry point if you wish to change projects as you are working. Once a project has been chosen, another menu option (except for HELP) must be selected to do work on a particular project.
Proceed through the first two menu items from left to right. To pull down a menu place the arrow cursor so the menu name is highlighted and click a mouse button; the pull-down option list will appear. Choose an option from the menu displayed by highlighting the option and clicking the mouse. Proceed to the next option by moving the cursor using the mouse or arrow keys. To leave MetaVision, exit the tool you are using via the menu option provided. When you have returned to the Main Menu Screen, place the arrow cursor over the Project Menu title and click the mouse. Choose the Quit option and you should be back at the DOS prompt.CHOOSE PROJECT
The Choose Project selection allows you to select a Project from the list of Projects already defined in the system and access it.
To select a project, move the arrow cursor into position using the mouse to highlight `Choose Project` and click a mouse button. A selection list containing a Project List of available projects appears automatically. To select a project, place the arrow cursor into position to highlight the project you wish to select and click the mouse. If there are more items than will fit in the pop-up screen, you may scroll down the list by using the up and down arrows in the right of the box. You may cancel choosing a project at this stage by placing the arrow cursor on the word CANCEL in the upper right hand corner of the pop-up screen and clicking. You will be returned to the Project Menu. After clicking on an existing project the pop-up screen will disappear and the text `Please Enter Your Password` appears in the middle of the screen, if a non blank password was entered when the project was created or changed. Enter the password for the project at the keyboard and press Return on the keyboard. Be sure to enter the password using the same case letters as used when it was initially entered. The password will not be displayed as you type it. When the correct password has been entered the cursor will automatically proceed to the Method menu indicating a project has been successfully chosen.
If you click the mouse in places other than those prescribed, nothing will happen. If you try to choose a project before any have been added, you will receive an error message to that effect. An invalid password will be the result if you type the wrong letters or if the correct password is in upper case and you enter lower case or the password is in lower case and you enter upper case. The message `Invalid Password: Please Re-Enter` appears in a pop-up screen and you must click on the highlighted word `Continue` to enter another password. If you enter an invalid password three times in a row you will be returned automatically to the Project Menu.
Pick the Add Project option from the Project Menu to add a new project. The Add project option provides the means to include a new project in your list of projects on which you may work with MetaVision. It is available as a choice under the PROJECT pull-down menu of the Main Menu Screen. A dialog box appears that consists of a header and eight data elements to be input from the keyboard.
The header functions are those described in the Dialog Boxes section of Chapter I. The dialog box input fields include the following: The Project Name is the name displayed on lists of projects when you choose a project. The project name is 30 or fewer characters in length. The Project ID is a 6 (or fewer) character identifier of the project for MetaVision internal identification. Capital letters are distinguished from small letters so that, for instance, `Project` is distinct from `project`.
The Password for a project is a 4 (or fewer) character code that will be requested each time the project is chosen before entry is permitted for work on that project. Capital letters are distinguished from small letters when passwords are stored. It is possible to not enter an entry for the password, in which case that project will not be password protected unless a password is later assigned to it. The password may consist of any numbers, letters, or characters.
A subdirectory is created that contains all of the files that pertain to the project that has been created. A unique subdirectory name must be assigned with 8 or fewer characters. Capital letters are NOT distinguished from small letters for directory names. The subdirectory name must conform to normal DOS restrictions on directory naming. The name may consist of any combination of letters, numbers, or symbols from the set {0-9 a-z A-Z $ % ` - @ { } .about. ` ! # }. The character ` ` is not included in the subdirectory field value.
WP Call is the name of the word processor to be accessed through the ADMIN. Document Management menu option. The entry should consist of the drive, path, and program name (without extension) that will be used to invoke the word processor from the MetaVision subdirectory. A subdirectory, WP, will be created under the project directory. This subdirectory will contain the documents created using the software package from the Document Management option.
The PM Call is the name of the project management software to be accessed through the ADMIN. Project Management menu option. The entry should consist of the drive, path, and program name (without extension) that will be used to invoke the Project Management package from the MetaVision subdirectory. A subdirectory, PM, will be created on the project that is created. This subdirectory will contain the data files created by the Project Management package.
The DBMS Call is the name of the database manager software to be accessed via the PROTOTYPE Menu for the Database Manager option. The entry should consist of the drive, path, and program name (without extension) that will be used to invoke the DBMS package being used.
The RW Call is the name of the dBASE III compatible report writer software to be accessed via the ADMIN Menu for the Report Writer option. The entry should consist of the drive, path, and program name (without extension) that will be used to invoke the Report Writer package that can be used to perform ad hoc queries on your project files for the selected project.
Choose the pull-down menu `ADD PROJECT` on the Main Menu screen by placing the arrow cursor on or near the header `ADD PROJECT` and click the mouse. When the dialog box for this option appears in the center of the screen input the 8 items of information and press F5 to signal the end of entering data and to begin the creation of the subdirectory and files for the new project. You may use the editing features listed under Dialog Boxes in Chapter 1.
Enter the Project name by which the new project will be identified on screen lists and reports. The Project name should be easily identifiable and distinct from other project names but it is not required to be so by the system. Enter a unique project ID of 6 characters or less that will identify the project internally for the MetaVision files. Enter a password of 4 characters or less if password protection of the project being created is desired.
If you do not want any password protection, do not enter any password. Enter a valid DOS subdirectory name that has not already been entered for another project. You may edit entries using the movement keys.
Enter the drive, path, and file names for the word processing, project management software, database manager and report writer in the fields labelled `WP Call`, `PM Call`, `DBMS Call`, and `RW Call`, respectively. You may leave these fields blank if you do not wish to access one of these types of software. You must install the package(s) to be called from MetaVision yourself, of course.
If you don't enter anything in the Project Name screen input field and you press F5, you will receive the message `You must enter a name!`. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
If you don't enter anything in the Project ID field, when you press F5 to add the project the message `You must enter an ID!` is displayed. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
If you don't enter anything in the Subdirectory field, when you press F5 to add the project the message `You must enter a subdirectory name` is displayed. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
If you enter the same project name that you entered for another project, the project will be added but you will have two indistinguishable Project Names in the system. It is strongly advised that you pick unique project names. If you enter the same project ID that you entered for another project, when you press F5 to add the project the message `ID already exists!` will be displayed. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
If you enter the same subdirectory name that you entered for another project, when you press F5 to add the project the message `Could not create subdirectory name!` will be displayed. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
If you enter a subdirectory name that does not comply with the standard DOS directory naming conventions, when you press F5 to add the project the message `Could not create subdirectory name!` will be displayed. To continue click the mouse when the arrow cursor is on `Continue`.
To change any of the entries that you added by means of the ADD PROJECT menu option use the CHANGE PROJECT option. A list of previously added projects will be displayed and you should pick the one you wish to change by highlighting by means of moving the cursor and clicking a mouse button. If the project you pick has a password you will be asked to enter it at the keyboard. After typing it in you should press ENTER.
A dialog window containing the same fields that comprised the original ADD PROJECT dialog window (except Project ID) is displayed. The values in any of the fields may be changed and made permanent by pressing F5.
To delete a project pull down the PROJECT menu options by clicking a mouse button while the cursor is on PROJECT. Then click a mouse button with the cursor on DELETE. A series of windows will appear that ask for confirmation that the project, files, and directories are really to be deleted. The first one says `Delete Project ID <project name>` with the options `YES` and `NO`. You may choose the `NO` option and the project will not be deleted. If you pick the `YES` option the MetaVision control information will be deleted for the project. A message to that effect will appear in a window and you must press a mouse button with the cursor on `Continue`. You will then be asked if all files and subdirectories relating to the project are to be deleted as well. A `YES` response here will result in all word processing documents and project management data files as well as all information about your diagrams being deleted. After a `YES` response the message `Project files deleted` will be displayed and you must place the cursor on `Continue` to exit the delete option.
To change the password for a project choose the PROJECT menu and the CHANGE PASSWORD option under it. A list of previously added projects will be displayed and you should pick the one you wish to change by highlighting by means of moving the cursor and clicking a mouse button. If the project you pick has a password you will be asked to enter it at the keyboard. After typing it in you should press ENTER.
The message `Please Enter Your New Password` will appear in a dialog window. You should enter the new password at the keyboard and press enter. Remember that password may be up to four characters in length and may consist of any of the keyboard characters, numbers, letters, or symbols. Case is distinctive for letters and should be carefully noted. After pressing ENTER, the message `Verify this password` will appear and you should re-enter the new password just as before.
If you do not exactly repeat the same password in response to the `Verify this password` message a window will appear with the message `Invalid Password: Password not changed`. You must then click a mouse button with the cursor on `Continue` to return to the menu. You may then try again, if you wish, to enter a new password using the PROJECT then CHANGE PASSWORD menu options.
BACKUP PROJECT allows you to make a copy of project files in another subdirectory.
To backup a project, move the arrow cursor into position using the mouse to highlight to highlight `Backup Project` and click a mouse button. A selection list containing a Project List of available projects appears automatically. To select a project, place the arrow cursor into position to highlight the project you wish to select and click the mouse. You may cancel backing up a project at this stage by placing the arrow cursor on the word CANCEL in the upper right hand corner of the pop-up screen and clicking. You will be returned to the Project Menu. After clicking on an existing project the pop-up screen will disappear and the text `Please Enter Your Password` appears in the middle of the screen, if a non blank password was entered during project creation. After entering it correctly you should press ENTER.
A dialog window requesting the Path Name is displayed, and you should enter the name of the directory in which you want the backup copy stored (for example MV2). Hit F5 when the entry is complete.
If you enter a subdirectory name that does not exist, the words `Subdirectory not found` will appear in a box in the center of your screen and you must click on `Continue`. You will be returned to the Project menu.
If you enter an illegal path name (for example, not beginning with ), the words `Illegal Path Name` will appear in a box in the center of your screen and you must click on `Continue`. You will be returned to the Project menu.
If the backup is successful, you will be returned to the Project menu. No message will appear.
RESTORE PROJECT allows you to restore a previously backed up copy of a project's files from another subdirectory.
To restore a project, move the arrow cursor into position using the mouse to highlight to highlight `Restore Project` and click a mouse button. A selection list containing a Project List of available projects appears automatically. To select a project, place the arrow cursor into position to highlight the project you wish to select and click the mouse. You may cancel restoring a project at this stage by placing the arrow cursor on the word CANCEL in the upper right hand corner of the pop-up screen and clicking. You will be returned to the Project Menu. After clicking on an existing project the pop-up screen will disappear and the text `Please Enter Your Password` appears in the middle of the screen, if a non blank password was entered during project creation. After entering it correctly you should press ENTER.
A dialog window requesting the Path Name is displayed, and you should enter the name of the directory from which you want the backup copy restored (for example MV2). Hit F5 when the entry is complete.
If you enter a subdirectory name that does not exist, the words `Subdirectory not found` will appear in a box in the center of your screen and you must click on `Continue`. You will be returned to the Project menu.
If you enter an illegal path name (for example, not beginning with ), the words `Illegal Path Name` will appear in a box in the center of your screen and you must click on `Continue`. You will be returned to the Project menu. If the restore is successful, you will be returned to the Project menu. No message will appear. The project and all its files will be overwritten with the backup copy that you restored.
To exit MetaVision move the cursor to the PROJECT menu header and pull down the options under it by clicking a mouse button. Move the cursor to the `QUIT` option and again click a mouse button to leave MetaVision.
The Method Diagram option of Metavision contains process diagrams that explain the methodology intended to be used when using the MetaVision system. Although one can employ their own methodology and just use the tools provided by MetaVision, it is recommended to use the methodology that MetaVision was built to support. There is a diagram that explains the overall process of building information systems using MetaVision and three diagrams that explain each of the three modules of MetaVision; Business Modeling, Software Engineering and Prototyping.
To access the Method Diagram option from the main menu screen when no other menus are pulled down, move the arrow cursor so that the ADMIN menu header is highlighted and click a mouse button. A menu of options will be displayed under the ADMIN menu. Move the arrow cursor so that the Method Diagram option is highlighted. Click a mouse button and an Activity List will be displayed in a window. To view the Method Diagrams select Diagramming on the Activity List. Method Diagrams have all the functionality of a regular process diagram.
A Selection List will be presented entitled - Standard Document List. This contains the names of some standard forms that may be imported. The possibilities include:
CHANGE CONTROL STANDARD
INTERVIEW OUTLINE
For each of them a Dialog Window is presented that requests the name of file to be imported.
The following dialog window will be presented when the CREATE DOCUMENT option is chosen using the cursor and mouse. ##STR2##
The File Name is the DOS file name to be created in the WP subdirectory of the current project's directory. Include the extension but not the path or drive.
Document Name is the means by which the document will be identified for editing later on a selection list.
The Document Description is information about the document that is useful in establishing the contents of documents without having to review the total document.
Note that this option does not create the document on your hard disk but establishes the control information for the document. In order to actually create the document you need to select the Edit Document option (described immediately below) and pick the newly created document from the selection list and create the file for the document using your word processor.
When the Edit Document option is selected a list of available documents is displayed in a selection list window with the title WP Document List.
Select a document from the WP Document List and MetaVision will invoke your word processing system for the document located in the WP (word processing) subdirectory of the directory corresponding to the project chosen in the initial menu choices when MetaVision was invoked.
Use the documentation for your word processing system while you are in the document edit mode. When you exit the word processor normally you will be returned to the Document Management options in MetaVisision.
When the Delete Document option is selected a list of |
