OtfSolutionExplorer

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Overview

The Solution Explorer (SE)??? presents the whole OTX solution in a clear tree structure. All the elements are displayed as nodes in the tree-view starting from the "root node" to the ActionRealisations hierarchically. With the display of tree structure and with various commands to modify and handle elements, the Solution Explorer does help users to manage all parts and elements of a solution easily, especially at design-time. The Solution Explorer also supports runtime with functions to execute a sequence (a procedure) directly, or check for errors before execution, or even build DLLs or executable files ect.

The Solution Explorer shows the structure of an OTX solution

The Solution Explorer is a dockable window which can be moved and attached in many positions in the OTF. Users can also close and re-open it, or set it to auto-hide mode. Besides, it has a menu bar with some commands to help users customize the presentation of the solution tree-view. Below are the short descriptions and guidelines for this menu bar:

Menu entry	Description
Expand	Displays all-level elements in the solution (note that the unloaded documents will not be expanded).
Collapse	Hides all elements in all projects, only displays the solution and projects.
Select current Procedure	Sets focus on the current procedure in the Solution Explorer (expands related elements if necessary).
Show flow node	Shows/hides the flow nodes of all procedures (default:OFF).
Display only global library elements	Hides all the elements in all referenced Ptx libraries that do not have the visibility:public (default:ON).
Up	Moves the element up one level in a scope (eg. moves a variable up one level in the local Declarations scope).
Down	Moves the element down one level in a scope.
Sort Items A-Z	Arranges elements of a scope in ascending order.
Sort Items Z-A	Arranges elements of a scope in descending order.

All the elements of an OTX solution are listed in the following sections with the description of the important aspects, features and commands.

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.

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

Menu entry	Description
Validate	Checks all the documents in the solution for any warnings or errors.
Build Solution	Builds the DLL files of all the projects in the solution (also the executable files or setup files if users check menu to create those files).
Change all paths to URI	Searches all the paths used in all the documents of the solution and converts them to URI (limits on some activities that use paths).
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 from a Ptx library to the current solution.
Subversion Category	Handles Subversion tasks in 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.

File:Projects32.png Projects

Similar to 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 necessary 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 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. Besides 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. 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. 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).

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

Menu entry	Description
Validate	Checks all the documents in the project for any warnings or errors.
Build	Builds the DLL file of the project (also the executable file or setup file if users check menu to create those files).
Ptx Export...	Exports 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 package to the project.
Delete	Deletes the reference from 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 in 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.

In the Solution Explorer, you can use keyboard shortcuts with almost the element nodes in the project node (Ctrl+C:Copy, Ctrl+X:Cut, Ctrl+V:Paste). This will be mentioned in some of the following sections where shortcuts are allowed.

File:References32.png 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. You can add a reference from a project to a Ptx library by using 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 "References" node, there will be a context menu with the following entries:

Menu entry	Description
Add >> Add PDX library reference	Adds a reference from the project to a Ptx library.
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 from the project to the Ptx library.
Open Folder in Windows Explorer	Opens the folder containing the Ptx in a new window with Windows Explorer.

File:Packages32.png 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 package either to a project by using the context menu of the project, or to a package by using the context menu of that package (see below). You can also use the context menu of a package to copy, cut or modify it. Shortcuts are allowed.

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

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 package inside the current package.
Add >> Existing Package	Adds an existing package inside the current 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 section for detail. All the documents in a package will be displayed as document nodes below the package node. The content of 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 (see below). 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. To copy, cut or modify a document, you can use the context menu of that document. Shortcuts are allowed.

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

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 from the current document to itself or to another 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 (validity, global declataion, or 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 admin-data node below the document node. You can use the context menu of a document to add the "Admin-Data" to that document. To modify the "Admin-Data" of the document, use the context menu of the admin-data node.

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

Menu entry	Description
Delete	Deletes the "Admin-Data".
Properties*	Opens the admin-data 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 imported 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 a 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, the "Add new reference (Import)" dialog will appear. 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). Besides the prefix, you have to select the document you want to add reference to. You can select the document in the list of the available documents displayed in the dialog, which are all the documents in the current project, in the referenced projects and in the referenced Ptx libraries. Below each project or each Ptx library in the list of available documents, 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 have entered a prefix and selected 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 current document. To modify a reference, use the context menu of the import node of the reference (see below).

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

Menu entry	Description
Add Item	Adds a reference from the current document to itself or to another 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 or to paste a 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, cut or modify a validity by using the context menu of that validity. Shortcuts are allowed.

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/an assembly??? ect. All the signatures in a document are displayed as signature nodes below the "Signatures" node. To add or to paste a signature, you can use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the "Signatures" node (see below). To copy, cut or modify a signature, use the context menu of that signature. Shortcuts are allowed.

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	Creates a new procedure to implement the current procedure signature. Note that the entry is only enabled for procedure signature.
Device Mapping	Opens the tab "Device Mapping" of the project setting. Note that the entry is only enabled for device signature.
Cut	Cuts the signature.
Copy	Copies the signature.
Delete	Deletes the signature.
Rename	Renames the signature.
Add new realisation	Adds a new realisation to the signature. Note that the entry is only enabled when the signature has no realisation.
Delete realisation	Deletes the realisation of the signature. Note that the entry is only enabled when the signature has a realisation.
Properties*	Opens the properties dialog of the signature.

File:GlobalDeclaration32.png 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 or to paste a global declaration, you can use the context menu of the document or the context menu of the Declarations node of the document (see below).Note the special case that you can paste a global constant or a document variable to the local Declarations node (the copy of a global constant will be a local constant, and the copy of a document variable will be a local variable). To copy, cut or modify a global declaration, use the context menu of that global declaration. Shortcuts are allowed.

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 an executable part of an OTX document. It describes the actual 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 activity 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. Shortcuts are allowed.

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	Updates the parameters and the exception declarations (see Throws) according to the implemented procedure signature. Note that this entry is only enabled when the procedure implements a 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	Adds new realisation to the procedure. Note that this entry is only enabled when the procedure has no realisation.
Delete Realization	Delete the realisation of the procedure. Note that this entry is only enabled when the procedure has a realisation.
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the procedure.

Comments

A comment contains a human readable information and a list of links pointing to the activities that are related to the comment. Comments are used for additional descriptions besides 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. You can also 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). Shortcuts are allowed.

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 comment.
Copy	Copies the comment.
Delete	Deletes the comment.
Properties*	Opens the editor dialog of the comment.

Parameters

The parameter declaration block may contain In-, Out- or InOut- parameters of procedures and signatures (Note that the "Term-Parameter" declaration is only for screen signature). The parameters will be displayed as parameter nodes below the "Parameters" node (this is the parameter declaration block). 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 parameter, use the context menu of that parameter (see below). Note that you can paste a copied or cut parameter from a procedure signature to a procedure and vice versa, but no other signature types are allowed. Shortcuts are allowed.

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

Menu entry	Description
Update Parameters	Updates the parameters and the exception declarations (see Throws) according to the implemented procedure signature. Note that this entry is only for "Parameters" node of a procedure, the entry is enabled when the procedure implements a 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. Shortcuts are allowed.

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, cut or modify 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 document variable). Shortcuts are allowed.

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	Opens (or sets on top) the procedure tab of the activity. Note that this entry is not displayed with realisation node.
Delete	Deletes the activity (or a deletable flow of a compound node).
Add new realization	Adds new realisation to the "Catch" flow of the handler activity. Note that this entry is only for the "Catch" flow of the handler activity.
Delete Realization	Deletes the realisation of the "Catch" flow of the handler activity. Note that this entry is only for the "Catch" flow of the handler activity.
Properties	Opens the properties dialog of the element which has the adjustable properties.