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Chapter 5: Configuring Tools and Settings

Analysis tools are used to find points of interest (POIs) and add them to, or extract them from, the worksheet. The tools can work with different settings, varying the criteria of the searches. You should decide how to use an analysis tool before starting work on a full project.

5.1 Introduction

SmartFind Plus supplies single-step and composite tools. Composite tools are an automatic sequence of single-step and/or other composite tools. It is possible to build your own composite tool. You can hide both types of tools from view in the Tool Palette Editor. This enables you to have only those tools on view that you are using. You can customize the settings of both types of tools to suit your own requirements.

Internal tools are built into the supplied specialized Year 2000 analysis tools. You can customize internal tool settings. They are not accessible individually for building your own tools. Internal tools are not available in the Tool Palette Editor.

Type of tool
Description
Composite tool Automated sequence of other tools with a broad range of settings. Available in the Analysis Tools palette. Can be used within other composite tools.
Single-step tool A single-step tool with a specific type of setting. Available in the Analysis Tools palette. Can be used to build a composite tool.
Internal tool A single-step tool with a specific type of setting. Not available in the Analysis Tools palette. Cannot be used to build a composite tool. The settings can be customized if the internal tool is in a supplied composite tool.

Settings are the criteria that each type of tool uses when searching. Tools have default settings which are saved in the tool file. You can create new settings using the Configuration Wizard and these are saved as a separate file.


Note: If you do not see an analysis tool that is described here, it might be excluded. To access any excluded tools; in the Analysis Tools palette, click Options and then the Tool Palette Editor tab. You can add or remove tools from the tools palette.


5.2 Analysis Tools

To run an analysis tool you either double-click on the tool name or drag code from the worksheet or a set onto the tool name in the Analysis Tools palette.

5.2.1 Which Code is Searched?

Which code the tool searches is dependent on its settings. The scope of a tools search is:

After a search, matching POIs are displayed as a set or in the worksheet.

5.2.2 Which Tool Settings?

The settings are the criteria that determine how a tool searches code. The methods below apply to both supplied and customized tools.

You can:


Note: Not all tools have settings that can be edited.


5.2.3 Editing Tool Settings

You can edit tool settings to change the search criteria.

  1. Right-click the tool whose settings you want to change.

  2. Click Properties.

  3. When the tool's settings are displayed, change them as required. You can click for help on any of the settings.

    If the tool is a composite tool, the Composite Tool Editor displays the sequence of tools and operations within the composite tool. You right-click on the required tool and select Properties and continue to do so until you have accessed the tool whose settings you want to edit.

5.3 Composite Tools

You can create a tool that includes an automated sequence of tools. This is a composite tool. You can save a composite tool and use it again. A new composite tool is saved as a <Toolname>.ct file. You can also share a composite tool with others (see the Group Working chapter). Using the same tool ensures consistency and saves effort when complicated selection processes are required.

You create a composite tool by right-clicking in the Analysis Tools window or on the audit trail of a Set View window and selecting New Composite Tool.


Note: When you create a composite tool, the Settings active at the time become the default settings of the new composite tool. If you distribute the composite tool you do not have to distribute a Settings file if you are only going to use the default settings. If you wish to use different settings for the same tool, you must distribute the other Settings file(s) with the tool. See the Group Working chapter.


5.3.1 New Composite Tool, Details tab

5.3.2 New Composite Tool, Properties tab


Tip: If Shared is grayed out, you have to set the path to the Remote fixlib in the Options button (in the tools palette), Analysis Tools Options tab, Remote fixlib.


5.3.3 Adding and Deleting in a Composite Tool

You can edit the tool sequence in a Composite Tool.


Warning: If you delete a tool embedded in a composite tool, it can affect the performance of the composite tool.


5.4 Set Views

Some analysis tools produce a set of POIs based on the Settings configured.

You can manipulate sets in the following ways:

See also the Analysis Tools and Sets chapter.

5.5 Custom Tool Settings

Although you can configure new tool settings each time you run a tool, this does not guarantee a consistent method of locating POIs, especially if you are working on a group project. You can define settings and pass these around. The three types of settings available are:


Tip: You can change to other previously configured custom settings, by using the Settings option on the Year 2000 menu. The tools settings you are currently using are shown at the bottom of the Analysis Tools window.


5.5.1 Imported Settings Files

The Import facility on some tool dialogs imports a text file containing the required settings; for example, all literals potentially referring to year issues. This means you type only once, which saves time and effort and ensures consistency. In the text file, each criterion must be on a separate line.

5.6 Other Custom Analysis Options

SmartFind Plus offers SmartFind Wizard and Revolve/2000 for users who have special requirements or have already set up search patterns using these features.

See the SmartFind Wizard and Revolve/2000 chapters.


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