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Chapter 15: Utilities

Revolve Utilities, accessible from the Utilities menu, provide both users and administrators with customization options for the Revolve workspace.

15.1 Color Menu

The Color menu, accessible from the Utilities menu or from the Revolve desktop status bar, provides a variety of colors for use with highlighting. The displayed color on the Revolve desktop is the color that is currently used to highlight objects in the database. Highlighting is a helpful feature because once an item is marked with a specified color it will appear in all tools or views in that color, making it easily identifiable.

See also Highlighting in Using Revolve, for more information.

15.2 Power Keys

The function keys F1 - F12 are assigned useful functions in Revolve. With a single keystroke you can perform frequently used commands. A menu of these commands is displayed by selecting the Power Keys option on the Utilities menu or by clicking the Power Key icon on the Status Bar.

The settings for the power keys are as follows:

Power Key:
Function:
F1 Help
F2 Highlight currently selected element in the source code
F3 Highlight all usages of the selected item in the source code
F4 Clear all highlights
F5 Select the definition
F6 Scope to component with selected item
F7 Previous selection
F8 unassigned
F9 Go to or show Source
F10 unassigned
F11 Add Annotation
F12 unassigned

15.3 Speed Menu

The speed menu is a pop-up menu that allows quick access to functionality that corresponds with the selected element. A menu of these commands can be displayed by selecting the speed menu option on the Utilities menu or by clicking the right mouse button on an element in any view, tool, or information browser.

The speed menu is designed to display features that are appropriate to selected data. Features that are not pertinent to selected items will not be available from the speed menu.

15.4 Update Tools

Tools can be integrated into Revolve with the Update Tools dialog box. Once a tool has been added into Revolve, it can be invoked from the Tools menu or the speed menu.

To add a new tool, first type the name of the tool in the Tool edit box. Then enter the command line call to the tool by entering it in the Command edit box, or by clicking the Browse button and selecting an executable program.

Once the tool name and command-line options have been completed, click on the Add Tool button to add the tool to Revolve. Note that if a new tool is being added with the same name as a tool already incorporated in Revolve, the newest tool replaces the older tool.

The command line can include the parameters for the file name, directory, line, and column of the selected element. These parameters are substituted into the following wildcards:

Wildcard:
Function:
%D Specifies the directory of the source code file that contains the selected element.
%E Specifies the extension of the source code file that contains the selected element.
%F Specifies the path and name of the source code file that contains the selected element.
%N Specifies the name of the source code file (with extension) that contains the selected element.
%S Specifies the name of the source code file (no extension) that contains the selected element.
%X Specifies the column in the source code where the selected element is located.
%Y Specifies the line number in the source code where the selected element is located.

To use these parameters, place {}'s around the portion of the command-line that you want to be executed when an item is selected For example:

notepad.exe {%F} 

If no item is selected when the tool is executed, then the command-line within the brackets is not executed. To modify any tools listed in the Update Tools dialog, double-click on the name of the tool. This allows modification of the name or command line for the tool. When finished with the changes to the tool, click on the Add Tool button to add it back to Revolve. If you modified the name of the tool, a new tool will be created. If the tool name remains the same, the older tool will be replaced with your modifications.

To delete a tool from Revolve select the tool's name from the list and left-click the Delete button.

15.5 Options

Important system parameters can be viewed and changed with the Options menu items. The Options dialogs can be invoked by choosing Options from the Utilities menu.

In addition to various tools and information browsers, Options are available to both users and administrators for customization of Revolve functionality.

15.5.1 User Options

To view or modify user options, select Utilities/Options/User...

The following options can be modified:

Memory Monitor

The Memory Monitor displays information about Revolve's memory and usage. It can be invoked by pressing the Memory Monitor button from the User Options dialog box.

Revolve's usage of free memory is displayed on the Memory bar. The Cache bar displays how much memory is currently being used for the Revolve database. The Hit Ratio indicator shows the cache hit ratio of database accesses that are being written to disk rather than cached to memory. Files Open is how many files are currently loaded into Revolve. The Close button closes the Memory Monitor. The Change button invokes the Cache Memory dialog.

Cache Memory displays your machine's physical memory and lets you adjust the memory available for the Revolve project's database cache. The cache size should be set between 4 and 12 KB. Memory allocations for other analyses are not controlled by Revolve. If memory problems occur, contact Micro Focus technical support for help.

Key Mapping

Key Mapping allows you to map actions performed in the Split Screen Editor with your keyboard. For example you can delete an entire line of code in the editor by selecting the line and using the Control and Y keys. There are several common operations which are mapped by default. These are displayed in the Current Mappings window.

To map a key stroke:

  1. In the Keystroke section check the utility keys (Alt,Ctrl,Shift) and the standard keys that you want to use as a map.
  2. In the Action section select a procedure from the list.
  3. Click Add.

The new setting will appear under Current Mappings. To remove existing mappings, select the undesired mapping and click Delete.

15.5.2 Administrator Options

Administrator Options allows project administrators to set and modify parameters useful to project efficiency. To access the Administrator Options choose Options/Admin... from the Utilities menu.

15.5.2.1 Public Annotations Directory

This parameter specifies location of public annotations associated with either a single-user or shareable project. The default location is the directory where the project was created. By pressing the Browse button you invoke a Get directory for public annotations dialog. From this dialog you can set the directory path to a local or network location. The Network button opens the Map Network Drive dialog to give access to the entire system. Multiple directories can be listed by separating each with a semicolon.

15.5.2.2 Common Database Directories

The Common Database Directory parameter specifies the paths where Revolve will search for local databases. By adding paths to this parameter, projects can share local databases without duplication. By employing this functionality you can share components between two or more projects. To do this:

  1. Create two projects (A and B) with individual subdirectories and load all of their components. These will be the common databases for a given project (C).

    See also For guidelines on creating projects see Setting up Projects.

  2. Create a new project (C) also in its own directory. This project will reference information in the databases of A and B. Do not add components yet.
  3. With project C open, choose Options/Admin... from the Utilities menu.
  4. In the Administrator Option dialog enter the paths to projects A and B. These will be used to build the database for project C. Use the Browse button to navigate to paths in your system.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Add all of project C's components including files that were also added to projects A and B. Note that after the components have been added the files which are also located in C will immediately have a status of "parsed."
  7. Perform a Make (Project/Make or ) on the project.

Following this procedure, the main project (C) will access the databases of the previous projects (A and B) for identical files and will not create new ones.

15.5.2.3 Parser Extensions

The Automatic File Extensions dialog box, invoked by selecting the Extensions button from the Administrators Options dialog, allows the administrator to customize the Automatic Typing used by Revolve when adding components to the project. It presents a list of mappings from file extensions to component type (e.g. COBOL, BMS, JCL, etc.) and allows the administrator to add/delete these mappings.

To add a new extension:

  1. Type in the three letter extension (with or without the '.') in the Extension: field.
  2. Choose the proper File Type. For COBOL choose the correct Cobol Version.
  3. Click Add.

To delete an extension:

  1. Select the desired mapping from the scroll-able list.
  2. Click Delete.

15.5.2.4 Component Parameters

The Component Parameters dialog, invoked by clicking the Component Parameters button in the Administrator Options dialog, is where you specify the default component parameters for new components that are added to the project.

Component Parameters Options

Option:
Function:
File Type: This pull-down list box allows you to determine component file type. Component parameters are applied to all components of this specified type that are subsequently added to the project. Component parameter's vary depending on this setting.
COBOL Version: This pull-down list box allows you to specify the variant of COBOL that is being used.
Starting Column: Determines the column in which the code begins (after line numbers and comment indicator column if any).
Comment Chars: User-defined comment characters must be entered into the comment chars field. No separations (commas, semicolons, etc.) are needed between characters. Lines of code preceded by the specified characters will be recognized by Revolve as comments.
End Column No Comments: Allows code to be loaded beyond column 72.
Comment * in first column: Marks any line starting with a * as a column no matter where the * first appears.
Use Component Name: For COBOL, PL/I, and text types, specifies that the component's file name should be used as the load module name.
Perform Partial Replace: Should always be selected when doing COPY REPLACING BY.
Use Oracle Keywords: For COBOL and PL/I types, initiates the parsing of Oracle keywords.
Align fields: For BMS types, aligns the BMS fields so that they fall on the correct boundaries. For example a setting of 2 bytes would align the BMS fields so that they all started on a word (16 bits) boundary.
Schedule ID: For JCL types, sets or changes the SCHID. The SCHID is optionally used by JCL to identify pieces of JCL code which should be executed.
Optional PROC Card: For JCL types, indicates that a proc card is not required on cataloged procedures.
PLI 48 character: For PL/I types, limits the character set for PL/I keywords.
Word Storage Mode: Effects COBOL BINARY variable size. With this option selected variables align on 2,4, and 8 byte boundaries, in contrast to single byte boundaries.
Multiple Statements/Line: Allows multiple statements per line in COBOL programs.
//Terminates Job// Indicates that when a "//" card is encountered in the JCL, processing will stop.

Note: Sometimes it is useful to redefine parameters for components that have already been added to the project. Revolve facilitates this in the Project Manager, invoked with on the desktop or by selecting Manager from the Project menu. For more information see Modifying At Component Level.


15.5.2.5 Search Directories

The Search Directories dialog, invoked by clicking Search Directories in the Administrator Options dialog, displays a list of directory paths which are used to search for copybooks, proclibs, control cards, and other included files.


Note: The following table describes adding and deleting search directories. Though adding search directories with this interface is a satisfactory method, it is preferred that you use the Add Components dialog and the Automatic Component Locator when adding search directories. Refer to Automatic Component Locator for a detailed description of this process.


Search Directories Options

Option:
Function:
Add Invokes the Search Directory dialog, where paths can be entered and defined.
Edit Invokes a specific Search Directory dialog for the selected directory. You can change type and path here.
Delete Removes undesired paths from the directory.
To Top Places the selected path first in the search order.
Help Displays Help dialog.
Cancel Closes the Search Directories dialog without saving changes.
Ok Closes and saves changes in the Search Directories dialog.
Type Column indicates the type of the directory.
Scan Column indicates that file was scanned for a string (this option is initiated in the Search Directory dialog, described below). If "yes" appears under the Scan heading it indicates that the text of the file was scanned. If "no" appears, the scan only looked for the component name.
Project: Displays the name of the project. If you are accessing the Search Directories dialog for component level directories (accessed through on the Project Manager), this field will display the type of component (if more than one was selected) or the name of the component (if one was selected), and the name of the project.

The Search Directory dialog will display information about the selected item. Select the directory type with the pull-down listbox. By checking the Scan File For String checkbox you initiate a search of the source file for proper module name. If this option is checked, "yes" will appear under the Scan column in the Search Directories dialog. Likewise if it's not checked, "no" will appear beneath the Scan column. The Browse button invokes the Get Search Directory dialog with which you can access all paths in all directories on your current system and set paths with the Set Path button.


Note: Sometimes it is useful to set a search directories for individual component's. Revolve facilitates this in the Project Manager. See Modifying At Component Level


15.5.2.6 Import Translations

The Import Translations dialog, invoked by selecting the Import Translations button from the Administrator Options dialog, lists the translations performed on copybooks, proclibs, control cards, libraries, and other included files. This dialog is especially useful for translating a copybook name with more than 8 characters or invalid DOS characters to a valid DOS filename, since Revolve 16-bit does not accept filenames longer than 8 characters nor invalid DOS characters. The 32-bit version of Revolve allows long filenames as operating systems permit. For example, Revolve 32-bit running under Windows '95/NT allows components to have long filenames.


Note: Long filenames within source code files will cause parsing problems in the 16-bit version. In these instances the filenames must be translated to an accommodating length of 8 or less characters. It is also important to remember that projects should contain 8 character filenames if they are shared between 16-bit and 32-bit versions of Revolve.


To add the translation of an included file (copybook, proclib, etc.) to a valid DOS name:

  1. Enter the included file's name in the Copybook/Library field.
  2. Enter an eight character filename (with or without extension) where the included file will reside in the To DOS field.
  3. Click the Add Translation button.

To add a translation from a library to a valid DOS path:

  1. Enter the library's name in the Copybook/Library field.
  2. Enter the complete path to the included files for that library in theTo DOS field.
  3. Click the Add Translation button.

To delete translations from the table, select the undesired translation in the table and click on the Delete Selected button.

15.5.2.7 Lookup Indices

The Lookup Indices options allow the user to specify which indices will be created and maintained for the current project. Each of these indices allows fast queries of data for different item types. It is highly recommended that all of the indices be maintained to improve Revolve's speed performance on queries. However, if one or more of these lookups is not common at your site, we recommend turning off the related indices to improve parsing performance and reduce the disk space required for databases. These indices can be reestablished at a later date if desired.

15.5.2.8 Change Password

The Change Password facility allows the user to enter a new password which is required for administrator access to the project. Once a password has been added, the user will be prompted for it any time he/she tries to access the project as an administrator. The password does not prevent authorized users from gaining read-access to the project. Please be sure to write down or remember the password.

15.5.2.9 Optimize For Size/Speed

By optimizing for Size, new databases created during parsing/reparsing will be smaller (typically 50% of those optimized for speed), but a slight performance decrease will be seen during loading. When optimizing for Speed, Revolve load times will be faster but database project size will typically be twice as large.

15.5.2.10 Advanced Options

The Advanced Options dialog can be invoked by pressing the Advanced Options button.

Post Processing Script Points to a script that gets invoked every time a component is loaded. To employ a script enter the path to its location in the adjoining field or use the Browsebutton to search for it through the system. This option is useful for adding system-wide associations.
Shareable Project Path Identifies the location of the Shadow Project (.SHA). The administrator can use the Browse button to specify the path of the Shadow Project.
Enable Automatic Component Locator When checked, enables the Automatic Component Locator.
Confirm Additions with User When checked, prompts for administrator confirmation before the Automatic Component Locator adds a component to the project.
Exclusion List Invokes the Component Locator Exclusions dialog, where you (or administrator) can view and add/delete components that the Automatic Component Locator has excluded from the project. To add components to the exclusion list (items that will not be loaded into the project), enter the specific names and wildcard (*) patterns into the Additional Exclusion field and select the Add Exclusion button. The new field should appear in the listbox. Exclusions are deleted by selecting the undesired exclusion and clicking Delete Selected .

Automatic Component Locator

During the initial setup of a project, you can spend a lot of time identifying relevant source code components in a system and downloading the correct files. Revolve provides the Automatic Component Locator (ACL) to make this process easier and faster. The first step is to define a subset of modules (i.e. JCL job members, CICS tables, etc.). Revolve then accesses other modules within the current components as they are referenced (i.e. COBOL, copybooks, procs, BMS, etc.). Instead of having to individually add all source components yourself, you can specify a subset of modules and let the Automatic Component Locator search for, and load all of the required components.

Step 1: Enabling The Automatic Component Locator

Before you can setup the ACL it must be enabled. To enable the Automatic Component Locator, create a new Revolve project or open an existing Revolve project. If the project is shared then you must be the administrator.

  1. From the Utilities menu, select Options/Admin....
  2. Click on the Advanced Options... button in the Administrator Options dialog.
  3. Check Enable Automatic Component Locator.
  4. Press OK to close the Advanced Options dialog and to close the Administrator Options dialog.

Step 2: Adding Search Directories

The next step in using the Automatic Component Locator is to add search directories so Revolve knows where to locate source modules.

  1. Invoke the Project Manager from the Project Menu or from the Project Manager button on the Revolve desktop status bar.
  2. Click the Add Components button .
  3. Select one or more directories from the Add Components dialog.
  4. Choose the component type from the pull-down listbox.
  5. Click the Add Search button.

The Automatic Component Locator has now been employed to find the directories. It will bring the necessary modules into the project.

Not only is the functionality of the Automatic Component Locator useful when setting up a project but also in maintaining the project. When new components are added into a project during development the Automatic Component Locator can add the new components and parse the new code. To start the loading process select Make from the Project menu or select the Make button from the Project Manager. Once the make is complete, press OK in the message box. Newly referenced source files will now be included in your project. The Automatic Component Locator only adds components referenced within the current project. Thus, on-line components not called by existing components in the project, such as MFS screens, may need to be added manually.

15.5.3 Display Options

The Display option invokes a Display Options dialog. From this dialog the Revolve user can change the way information is displayed in information windows. The Simulated Text option shows the type of each usage, plus some abbreviated information about the usage.

The Quick Text option, the fastest, only displays the type of the usage.

The Real Text option displays the actual text of the usage, so it takes longer to access the files than the other options.

Line numbers are displayed by default in Revolve. To remove line numbers from the information windows, uncheck the Display Line Numbers checkbox.

15.5.4 Tools Options

The Tools options, invoked from the Utilities/Options/Tools allow the user to have access to the option dialogs of various Revolve tools and views in order to set or change default settings.

15.5.5 Browsers Options

The Browsers options, accessed from Utilities/Options/Browsers, allows the user to have access to various option dialogs of various Revolve browsers in order to set and change default settings.

15.6 File Access

The File Access dialog, invoked by selecting File Access from the Utilities menu, allows you to set the location of Revolve's temporary file cache and to open additional setup dialogs.

When you are using source files from external sources, Revolve keeps temporary copies of those files in a subdirectory called RVIOCASH. Revolve creates this subdirectory in the location specified within the Revolve File Cache Directory field on the File Access dialog. You can establish the cache location by entering a fully qualified path in the Revolve File Cache Directory field or by clicking Browse to navigate to the desired location.

The cached files are deleted when a new project is opened within Revolve and when you exit from the Revolve project.

Revolve accesses source files in external file systems through one or more Revolve features called interfaces. The DOS interface is enabled with every Revolve installation. It can reach all files that are accessible in your workstation's file structure and files in redirected network paths. These files are accessed directly without being cached.

Separate interfaces are used to access files in a PVCS source file management system or files stored on a mainframe. To enable these interfaces you must have the appropriate components installed on your workstation and they must be visible to Revolve. In other words, the external product's dynamic link libraries must be in Revolve's "BIN" directory or reside in a directory listed in your workstation's PATH environment variable. Copies of files opened through these interfaces are temporarily stored in the Revolve File Cache (RVIOCASH).

Each enabled interface has a setup dialog that you can use to make adjustments to the file access configuration. To invoke a Setup dialog, select an enabled interface in the File Access dialog and click Setup,.

15.6.1 Format Specifications and Requirements

Revolve supports Intersolv's PVCS Version Manager® 5.2, or compatible, matching Revolve 16/32-bit capability.

15.6.2 Setting Up & Mapping DOS

When DOS is selected and Setup is clicked, a DOS Options dialog will be displayed.

This dialog allows you to map one DOS drive, directory, or file name to another. DOS mapping is useful when a Revolve project has been built on a drive that appears to have different logical paths to different users. For example, if a Revolve project has been built on one user's workstation where the source files are located on a logical path beginning with S:\SOURCE and those same source files are stored on a second user's workstation on the logical path J:\CODE, then a file name translation can be used to re-map the original files to both users files.

To create a mapping:

  1. Check the Enable Translations checkbox.
  2. Press the New... button to create a new mapping. The File Name Translation dialog is displayed.
  3. Enter the file name pattern that needs to be translated into the Source file name pattern field.
  4. Enter the file name translation in the Translate to: field.

To change an existing mapping, select the mapping in the DOS Options list box, click Change..., and make appropriate changes. To remove a mapping, select the undesired mapping and click Delete.

15.6.3 Setting Up and Adding With PVCS

To setup PVCS and add Revolve components based on PVCS archives, you should:

  1. Install PVCS 5.2, or compatible, and be able to operate it independently of Revolve.
  2. Put the PVCS executables on the search path, by adding their directory to the directory list in your system's PATH environment variable.

Note: Be sure your PVCS system is operational before you try to access it through Revolve. You should be able to read, and possibly lock and write, archived revisions using only PVCS commands or the PVCS Graphical User Interface. If you have trouble locating the PVCS configuration file, or if you have trouble with PVCS licensing or privileges, you should consult your PVCS system administrator.


  1. Open or create a Revolve Project.
  2. Go into Utilities/File Access or into Add Components/Setup, and open the PVCS Setup dialog. To do this, first click on the PVCS Enabled line in the listbox, then click on the Setup... button. PVCS will not be enabled if Revolve cannot find the PVCS executables. The PVCS Setup dialog is displayed.

  1. In the PVCS Setup dialog, specify the PVCS configuration file to be used. Your configuration should use the VCSDir PVCS Directive(s) to specify the archive directories to be used by Revolve. There are also options in the PVCS Setup dialog that control the Change Description and Version Label used when you save a modified source file.

Note: When you click OK in the PVCS Options dialog, the PVCS User and Check-in information is saved immediately in a file named RVIO.INI, located in your "Windows" directory. The PVCS configuration file name is saved with your Revolve Project information.


  1. Click OK to close each dialog.
  2. In the Add Components window, double click on the PVCS pseudo-drive to expand the list of PVCS archive directories. Do not use DOS Drive letters to locate archives.
  3. Select and Add archives, as desired, for inclusion as Revolve project components. The tip revision will be used from each included archive.

Thereafter, Revolve will get workfiles, as needed, from the PVCS archives. Normally, no locks are established in an archive. Revolve temporarily locks revisions only if you do a Save from a Revolve Editor Window.

Revolve requires the following PVCS privileges:

Functions:
Operation:
GetNonTip, GetTip, ViewArchiveHeader, ViewArchiveRev For basic operation.
AddVersion, DeleteVersion, LockNonTip, LockTip, ModifyVersion, PutBranch, PutTrunk, StartBranch, Unlock For source file update.
AddGroup, DeleteGroup, ModifyGroup For updating source files in Promotion Groups.

15.6.3.1 PVCS Configuration File

PVCS administrators may provide a PVCS configuration file that contains directives for the operation of PVCS. The default name for this file is VCS.CFG. To specify the configuration file to be used by Revolve, use the Browse... button, select the appropriate file and press OK.

15.6.3.2 PVCS User

The PVCS User field is used to identify the person saving a PVCS workfile. It is registered in the archive when the workfile is checked in by Revolve. The PVCS Version Manager does not use it for control of licensing or privileges.

15.6.3.3 Check-in

When you save a PVCS file in a Revolve session, you can configure Revolve to either prompt you for an optional PVCS version label and/or change description. Or you can have Revolve supply default values which can be null. To specify the default, click Default and fill in the field of the PVCS Put Options dialog box. To be prompted for this information instead, select the prompt check box.

Revolve locks revisions in an archive only when you attempt to do a File/Save. More specifically, if you modify a source file and save it, Revolve creates a branch based on the original revision in the archive, and attempts to merge it with the current tip revision of the trunk. If there are conflicts that cannot be resolved automatically, you are notified that the Save failed. In that case, the workfile is saved as a branch revision. If the Multilock Revision PVCS Directive is in effect, Revolve will usually be successful in checking in your workfile, even if other PVCS users are actively making modifications to it. However, if the Multilock Revision PVCS Directive is not in effect, the Save will fail if another PVCS user holds a lock on a revision that Revolve attempts to lock. All locks used by Revolve are temporary, and are removed before the end of the Save operation.

If your PVCS configuration uses promotion groups, and the revision you are trying to modify is not in a development level promotion group, you will be prompted for the name of one in order for the PVCS check-in to go to completion. Revolve will check-in your workfile as a member of the development group you specify.


Copyright © 1998 Micro Focus Limited. All rights reserved.
This document and the proprietary marks and names used herein are protected by international law.
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