The solution...
ARCAD-Observer includes its own diagram editor. Its main characteristic is that it is driven from the information stored in the ARCAD Repository. It allows you to produce different categories of diagrams:
- Calling chains,
- Input/output diagrams,
- Flow charts,
- Working chains (production chain),
- Database relationship diagrams.
You can then work on all these diagrams using an HTML page editor to make their distribution easier.
Calling chains
Through these diagrams you to have a representation of the components linked together through “call” type links; these diagrams use a “cascade” form presentation. These links are indeed between programs, but also with commands and menus. From each arrow on the diagram, you can visualize the parameters passed between the components.
Input/output diagrams
Through these diagrams, you have a representation of the files used by a given program. Here again the representation is generated according to a predefined display rule (input files at the top, updated file on the side, etc).
Click on the arrow between the program and a file, and you have a direct access to the keys used to access the given file.
Flowcharts
Flowcharts are a sort of a mix between calling chains and input/output diagrams. They allow a combination of program calls and file usage. They are often used for the documentation of batch chains.
Working chains
Working chains allow you to get a flowchart view of the whole logic between program calls and used files. Again, this is often used for batch chains documentation.
Database relationship diagram
If you had to produce only one type of diagram, it would quite obviously be this one. Not only the developers need this type of documentation, by also users who access the database with every kind of tools such as SQL, Query, EAI, Reporting, etc.
Thanks to the database re-engineering module included in the ARCAD solution, you can retrieve all the links between your database files at field level.
From there you can generate diagrams for all the database or part of it. The files on the diagram will include the list of the fields together with their definition; the links between the files will explicitly show the fields that linked the files.
Personalization
Once you have built the diagrams from the components that you have selected, you can personalize it by adding:
• A footer,
• Comment boxes,
• Layers to help reading complex diagrams,
• All kind of boxes and arrows that you think can be useful.
Export in Visio format
If you have defined this software as a standard in your organization, you can export the ARCAD diagrams in a format compatible with Microsoft Visio.
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