OtfSolutionExplorer

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Solution Explorer

The Solution Explorer presents the whole OTX solution in a clear tree structure. All the elements are displayed as nodes in the tree starting from the root node to the ActionRealisation hierarchically.

All the elements of an OTX solution are listed below with the description of the important aspects, features and commands:

The Solution Explorer has a menu bar with commands to support...

Solution (root node)

An OTX solution is a standard folder in the file system and it is displayed as the "root node" in the Solution Explorer. The OTX solution contains a solution file (*.otfSln) with solution management information (see also Solution Setting section), and another file (*.otfSuo) to record debugging and display information. An OTX solution can have one or many OTX projects but it is not mandatory to have projects in the solution. These OTX projects are displayed as project nodes below the root node and only the project nodes are allowed here. The OTX projects may be located inside or outside the solution folder, the solution file references to these projects with relative paths or absolute paths.

To load or to create a solution, you can use the related functions in the Start Page or in the menu File of the Ribbon menu bar. The name of a solution can be arbitrary but it must comply with the restrictions of the operating system.

The solution node has a context menu, right-click on the solution node to show this context menu. The functions of each entry of the context menu are described below:

Menu entry	Description
Validate	Checks all the documents in the solution for any warnings or errors
Build Solution	Builds the dll files (also the executable files or setup files i) of all the projects in the solution
Change all paths to URI	Searches all the paths used in all the documents of the solution and changes them to URI
Add >> New Project	Adds a new project to the current solution
Add >> Existing Project	Adds an existing project to the current solution
Add >> Import project from Ptx library	Adds a new project to the current solution from a Ptx library
Subversion Category	Handles Subversion tasks on the solution scope (See Subversion section for more information)
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the solution folder in a new window with Windows Explorer
Properties	Opens the solution setting dialog

Projects

Like the OTX solution, an OTX project is a standard folder in the file system. It contains a project file (*.otfPrj) with project management information, and the configuration files for the OTX extension libraries used in the project??? ect. (see Project Setting section for more information). An OTX project can have one or many OTX packages but it is not mandatory to have packages in the project. The OTX packages in a project are displayed as package nodes below the project node and only the packages nodes are allowed here.

Important: The names of all the elements below a project node shall conform the OTX Naming conventions!

You can add a new project or add an existing project by using the context menu of the solution. Note that every new project added, a new package and a new document with the procedure "main" will be automatically created in the new project. The name of the new package will be derived from the name of the new project. Beside adding a project by the context menu of the solution, you can use the related functions in the Start Page or in the menu File of the Ribbon menu bar. The name of an OTX project should only contain letters, numbers, underscores and dashes, and the total length of the path to the project should be less than 128 characters (e.g. D:\Solution1\Project1\Project1.otfPrj < 128 characters).

The project node has a context menu, right-click on the project node to show this context menu. The functions of each entry of the context menu are described below:

Menu entry	Description
Validate	Checks all the documents in the project for any warnings or errors
Build	Builds the dll files (also the executable files or setup files i) of the project
Ptx Export...	Export the project to a Ptx library
Add >> New Package	Adds a new package to the project
Add >> Existing Package	Adds an existing package to the project
Add >> Add PTX library reference	Adds a reference to a Ptx library
Paste	Pastes a copied or cut package to the project
Delete	Deletes the reference of the solution to the project
Rename	Renames the project
Set as Startup Project	Sets the project as the Startup Project of the solution
Subversion Category	Handles Subversion tasks on the project scope (See Subversion section for more information)
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the project folder in a new window with Windows Explorer
Properties	Opens the project setting dialog

References

When a project references to one or many Ptx libraries with relative paths or absolute path, these Ptx libraries will be displayed as Ptx nodes below the "References" node of the project. To add a reference to a Ptx library for a project, you can use the context menu of the project. To manage the references to the Ptx libraries such as adding, deleting, including into project folder or converting references path, you can open the library manager in the tab "Libraries (PDX References)" of the project setting, or using the command on the tab "Test Step Libraries" in the Toolbox.

Right-click on the reference node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add >> Add PDX library reference	Adds a reference to a Ptx library in the project
Manage PDX references	Open the library manager in the tab Libraries (PDX References) of the project setting

Right-click on the Ptx node in the reference node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Delete	Deletes the reference to the Ptx library in the project
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the folder containing the Ptx in a new window with Windows Explorer

Packages

For the structural storage of OTX documents in the file system, the OTX packages are used. A package is simply a folder in the file system whose name corresponds to the OTX Naming conventions. The packages are displayed as package nodes below the project node. Each package can contain other packages (at any depth) or documents, it can also be empty. You can add a new package or an existing package, or paste a copied or cut package to a project by using the context menu of the project. You can also do the same tasks on a package by using the context menu of that package.

The package node has a context menu, right-click on the package node to show this context menu. The functions of each entry of the context menu are described below:

Menu entry	Description
Validate	Checks all the documents in the package for any warnings or errors
Add >> New Document	Adds a new document to the package
Add >> Existing Document	Adds an existing document to the package
Add >> Unallocated Document	Adds a document from the Unallocated Files section to the package
Add >> All unallocated Documents	Adds all documents from the Unallocated Files section to the package
Add >> New Package	Adds a new document to the package
Add >> Existing Package	Adds an existing document to the package
Cut	Cuts the package
Copy	Copies the package
Paste	Pastes a package or a document to the package
Delete	Deletes the package
Rename	Renames the package
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the package folder in a new window with Windows Explorer

Documents

An OTX document is an XML file that describes all the data required for a sequence. An OTX document can refer to other OTX documents, see Imports. The content of the documents are not automatically loaded with the solution (except that if a procedure in a document is automatically loaded). To load the content of a document, double click on the document or use menu Open/View in the context menu of the document. You can add a new document or an existing document, or paste a copied or cut document to a package by using the context menu of the package.

The document node has a context menu, right-click on the package node to show this context menu. The functions of each entry of the context menu are described below:

Menu entry	Description
Open/View	Loads the content of the document
Validate	Checks for any warnings or errors in the document
Debug	Executes the procedure main of the document in debug mode
Save	Saves all the changes in the document
Add >> Import/Reference	Adds a reference to a document
Add >> Global Declaration >> New Global Constant	Adds a new global constant to the document
Add >> Global Declaration >> New Context Variable	Adds a new context variable to the document
Add >> Global Declaration >> New Global Variable	Adds a new global variable (document variable) to the document
Add >> AdminData	Adds administration data (versioning data) to the document
Add >> Validity	Adds a new validity to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New Procedure Signature	Adds a new procedure signature to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New Screen Signature	Adds a new screen signature to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New Device Signature	Adds a new device signature to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New SingleEcuJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New FlashJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Add >> Signtures >> New SecurityAccessJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Cut	Cuts the document
Copy	Copies the document
Paste	Pastes a global element (valiadity, global declataion, signature) to the document
Delete	Deletes the document
Rename	Renames the document
Set as Startup Document	Sets the document as the Startup Document of the project
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the package folder containing the document in a new window with Windows Explorer
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the document

Admin Data

Some OTX documents have a very long lifetime. They may be used or modified by many people, or even they may be exchanged between the process partners. Therefore, the document should store the information about the change history, the person who responsible for the changes ect. This kind of data is called "Admin-Data". This data can be stored within the document or in a seperate file (*.adminData). The storage method may be set by the menu "File\Option" in the Ribbon menu bar. The "Admin-Data" is displayed as the AdminData node below the document node. You can use the context menu of a document to add the "Admin-Data" to that document.

Right-click on the AdminData node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Delete	Deletes the "Admin-Data"
Properties	Open the AdminData editor dialog???

Imports

With the import element, references can be made ​​to other documents. The references are displayed as import elements (or import nodes) below the Imports node of the document. When a document references to another document, it imports the global names defined in the referenced document and it can use these global names. However, not all the imported global names are accessible because their visibility attributes are not sufficient to the document which references to the other one.

You can add a reference to another document by using the menu context of the current document or the context menu of the Imports node of the current document (see below). When you click on the corresponding menu entry, a dialog of adding reference will occur. Here you can enter the prefix for the reference, note that the prefix must conform to the OTX Naming conventions. The format of an imported global name is "Prefix:ElementName". Through the import prefix, a global name of the imported document can be accessed and can be distinguished from the global names of the other imported documents (e.g. Variable1 = ImportPrefix1:GlobalConstant1 + ImportPrefix2:GlobalConstant1). You also have to select the document you want to reference to. The list of the available documents will be displayed in the dialog according to the current project and all the referenced projects or Ptx libraries. In each project or Ptx libraries, the documents will be displayed by the containing package names and the document names (e.g. "Package1.Package12.Package121:NewDocument1"). Note that you can use a document to import itself. After you enter a prefix and select a document to reference, click "OK" button to finish the process and then you can access all the global names with sufficient visibility in the referencing document.

Right-click on the Imports node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a new reference to a document

Right-click on an import node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Delete	Deletes the reference
Properties	Opens a dialog to modidfy the reference

Validities

Validities allow for configuring test sequences for different runtime contexts. A Validity is any logical expression which usually consists of contextual variables or global constants. All the validities in a document are displayed as validity nodes below the Validities node. To add a new validity to a document, you can use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the Validities node (see below). You can also copy or cut a validity by using the context menu of that validity node or using shortcuts in the keyboard (Ctrl+C:Copy and Ctrl+X:Cut). To paste a validity to a document, use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the Validities node of the document, or use the shortcut in the keyboard (Ctrl+V:Paste).

Right-click on the Validities node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a new validity to the document
Paste	Pastes a validity to the document

Right-click on a validity node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the validity
Copy	Copies the validity
Delete	Deletes the validity
Rename	Renames the validity
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the validity

Signatures

A signature describes the interface for a procedure, a screen or an external application ect. All the signatures in a document are displayed as signature nodes below the Signatures node. To add a new signature, you can use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the Signatures node (see below). To copy or cut a signature, use the context menu of that signature or use shortcuts on that signature. To paste a signture, use the context menu of the document or of the Signatures node or use the shortcut.

Right-click on the Signatures node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item >> New Procedure Signature	Adds a new procedure signature to the document
Add Item >> New Screen Signature	Adds a new screen signature to the document
Add Item >> New Device Signature	Adds a new device signature to the document
Add Item >> New SingleEcuJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Add Item >> New FlashJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Add Item >> New SecurityAccessJob Signature	Adds a new procedure signature with some supported parameters to the document
Paste	Pastes a signature to the document

Right-click on a signature node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Implement new Procedure (only active for procedure signature)	Creates a new procedure to implement the current procedure signature
Device Mapping (only active for device signature)	Opens the tab Device Mapping of the project setting
Cut	Cuts the signature
Copy	Copies the signature
Delete	Deletes the signature
Rename	Renames the signature
Add new realisation (only active when the signature has no realisation)	Adds a new realisation to the signature (procedure signature realisation ect.)
Delete realisation (only active when the signature has a realisation)	Deletes the realisation of the signature
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the signature

Global Declarations

Global declarations contains all the global constants and variables (context variables and document variables) which are visible in the whole document. These global constants and variables can also be imported and used in external documents according to their visibility. All the global declarations in a document are displayed as global declaration nodes below the Declarations node of the document (note that a procedure also has a Declarations node). To add a new global declaration, you can use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the Declarations node of the document (see below). To copy or cut a global declaration, use the context menu of that global declaration or use shortcuts on that global declaration. To paste a global declaration, use the context menu of the document or of the Declarations node of the document or use the shortcut. Note the special case that you can paste a global constant or a global variable to the local Declarations node (the copy of a global constant will be a local constant, and the copy of a global variable will be a local variable).

Right-click on the Declarations node of the document, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add >> New Global Constant	Adds a new global constant to the document
Add >> New Context Variable	Adds a new context variable to the document
Add >> New Global Variable	Adds a new global variable (document variable) to the document
Paste	Pastes a global declaration to the document
Delete not used declarations	Deletes all the unused global declarations

Right-click on a global declaration node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the global declaration
Copy	Copies the global declaration
Delete	Deletes the global declaration
Rename	Renames the global declaration
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the global declaration

Procedures

A procedure is the executable part of an OTX document. It describes the actual procedures/sequences. A procedure (usually the procedure with the name "main") can be used as the entry point of a test sequence to be executed, or it can be called by a ProcedureCall from another OTX procedure. All the procedures in a document are displayed as procedure nodes below the Procedures node of the document. To add a new procedure or paste a procedure, you can use the context menu of the Procedures node (see below). To copy, cut or modify a procedure, use the context menu of that procedure.

Right-click on the Procedures node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a new procedure to the document
Paste	Pastes a procedure to the document

Right-click on a procedure node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Open/View	Opens a new workflow tab??? of the procedure in the Workflow Designer
Validate	Checks the procedure for any errors and warnings
Execute Workflow	Executes the procedure
Stop Procedure	Stop the execution of the procedure
Update Parameters (only active when the procedure implements a procedure signature)	Updates the parameters and the exception declarations (in Throws node) according to the implemented procedure signature
Create ProcedureSignature from Procedure	Creates a new procedure signature for the current procedure to implement (the parameters and exceptions basing on the current procedure)
Cut	Cuts the procedure
Copy	Copies the procedure
Paste	Pastes a local element (comment, parameter, exception or declaration) to the procedure
Delete	Deletes the procedure
Rename	Renames the procedure
Add >> Comment	Adds a comment to the procedure
Add >> Parameter	Adds a parameter to the procedure
Add >> Throw	Adds an exception declaration to the procedure
Add >> Local declaration >> New Local Constant	Adds a new local constant to the procedure
Add >> Local declaration >> New Local Variable	Adds a new local variable to the procedure
Add new realization (only active when the procedure has no realisation)	Adds new realisation to the procedure
Delete Realization	Delete the realization of the procedure.
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the procedure	-

Comments

A comment contains a human readable information and a list of links pointing to the elements in the procedure that are related to the comment. Comments are used for additional descriptions beside specification. All the comments in a procedure are displayed as comment nodes below the Comments node of the procedure. To add a new comment or paste a comment, you can use the context menu of the current procedure or the context menu of the Comments node (see below). You can also add a new comment directly to an activity in the Workflow Designer by using the context menu of that activity. Besides, you can add a link between an existing comment and an activity by dragging the comment node from the Solution Explorer and dropping it on the activity. To copy, cut or modify a comment, use the context menu of that comment (see below).

Right-click on the Comments node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a new comment to the procedure
Paste	Pastes a comment to the procedure

Right-click on a comment node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the global declaration
Copy	Copies the global declaration
Delete	Deletes the global declaration
Properties	Opens the editor dialog of the comment

Parameters

The parameter declaration block may contain In-, Out- or InOut- parameters for procedures and signatures (TermParameter is only for ScreenSignature) . It will be displayed as the Parameters node in a procedure or a signature, the parameter will be displayed as parameter nodes in the Parameters node. To add or to paste a parameter, use the context menu of the Parameters node of the procedure or the signature (see below), you can also use the context menu of the procedure. To copy, cut or modify a comment, use the context menu of that paramter (see below). Note that you can only paste a copied or cut parameter from a procedure signature to a procedure and vice versa.

Right-click on the Parameters node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Update Parameters (only displayed with Parameters node of the procedure implementing a procedure signature)	Updates the parameters and the exception declarations (in Throws node) according to the implemented procedure signature
Add Item	Adds a parameter to the procedure or signature
Paste	Pastes a parameter to the procedure or signature

Right-click on a parameter node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the parameter
Copy	Copies the parameter
Delete	Deletes the parameter
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the parameter

Throws (exceptions)

The author of the OTX document can predict the exceptions that may potentially be thrown by the procedure. These exceptions shall be declared in the Throws (exceptions) node of the procedure. The implemented procedure signature of the current procedure, or the procedure calling to the current procedure or to the implemented procedure signature should also declare the same exceptions in their Throws nodes. The device service signatures also have the Throws node to declare the potential exceptions. Each declared exception is displayed as an exception node in the Throws node. To add or to paste an exception, use the context menu of the procedure or the context menu of the Throws node (see below). To copy or cut an exception, use the context menu of that exception.

Right-click on the Throws node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a new exception to the Throws node
Paste	Pastes an exception to the Throws node

Right-click on a exception node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the exception
Copy	Copies the exception
Delete	Deletes the exception

Local Declarations

Local declaration block is used to declare all the local constants and local variables which are only valid in their respective procedure. These constants and variables can not be accessed or used outside their procedure. These local declarations are displayed as local declaration node below the Declarations node of the procedure (this local Declarations node is different from the global Declarations node of the document). To add or to paste a local declaration, use the context menu of the procedure or the context menu of the local Declarations node (see below). To copy or cut a local declaration, use the context menu of that local declaration. Note the special case that you can paste a local constant or a local variable to the global Declarations node (the copy of a local constant will be a global constant, and the copy of a local variable will be a global variable).

Right-click on the Declarations node of the document, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add >> New Local Variable	Adds a new local variable to the procedure
Add >> New Local Constant	Adds a new local constant to the procedure
Paste	Pastes a local declaration to the procedure
Delete not used declarations	Deletes all the unused local declarations

Right-click on a local declaration node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Cut	Cuts the local declaration
Copy	Copies the local declaration
Delete	Deletes the local declaration
Rename	Renames the local declaration
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the local declaration

Flow

Under the flow node, the actual sequence of activities is presented. Each activity consists of a name and one or more realisations. It is displayed as activity node below the flow node, inside an activity node there may be a realisation node or another activity node (the case of compound nodes). The flow node has no context menu but the activity node or the realisation node has a context menu with some limited functions. To edit the activity, please use the Workflow Designer.

Right click on an activity node or a realisation node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Open/View (not displayed with realisation node	Opens (or sets on top) the procedure tab of the activity
Delete	Deletes the activity (or a deletable flow of a compound node)
Add new realization (only displayed with the "Catch" flow of the handler activity)	Adds new realisation to the "Catch" flow of the handler activity
Delete Realization (only displayed with the "Catch" flow of the handler activity)	Deletes the realisation of the "Catch" flow of the handler activity
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the element which has the adjustable properties