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Conference azur::mcc

Title:DECmcc user notes file. Does not replace IPMT.
Notice:Use IPMT for problems. Newsletter location in note 6187
Moderator:TAEC::BEROUD
Created:Mon Aug 21 1989
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:6497
Total number of notes:27359

2097.0. "Accessing child entities with IMPM" by BALZAC::COULON (Even if it works, ask why) Tue Jan 14 1992 07:47

 My OST global entity has 2 levels of child entities (FEP and LINE). With the
FCL PM, I can use the command SHOW OST xxx FEP * LINE * ALL IDENTIFIERS, it
works  fine.

 From the Iconic Map PM, the only way (*) to display the list of the child
entities (which are not registered) is to "LOOK INTO" the entity (double-click)
which will first display, from the dictionary,  the list of child entity
classes (FEP ...) and then to  "Show all" with BS2 which will list all the FEP
instances and then to "LOOK INTO" one FEP instance (double-click) which will
display the list of child  entity classes (LINE ...) and then to "Show all"
with BS2... Sounds a bit complicated from the user's point of vue... and from
my AM too (the device specific protocol is able to return the whole 
configuration in ONE request, which poses the problem of data caching...).

 So, for performance reasons, I have tried to modify my AM SHOW IDENTIFIERS 
entry point to return (in out_entity) the FEP + LINE instances: Which means
I consider: 
		SHOW OST xxx FEP * ALL IDENTIFIERS and 
		SHOW OST xxx FEP y LINE * ALL IDENTIFIERS  as equivalent...

 Again the FCL PM is ok with this (it REALLY shows what is returned by the AM,
in out_p and out_entity) but the IM PM fails because it does not use the
out_entity: When I "Show all" on the FEP Class, the AM is called with FEP = *,
it returns all FEPs and LINEs (in out_entity) but the IMPM displays all this as
a list of boxes of FEP entities only...

 We have something similar with attribute lists: The FCL PM displays what is
returned by the AM while the IMPM displays what is declared in the dictionary, 
with the value --NOT RETURNED--... Is the IMPM consistent with the MCC calling
standard?

 Thanks,

 Serge


 (*) If we use "Find Entity" with "OST xxx FEP 1 LINE 0", we get the ACCVIO:

 %Thread 7 terminating with exception:
 %SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation, reason mask=00, virtual address=00000000,
 PC=201C0000, PSL=0018F5CC

 DECmcc T1.2.3, VMS 5.4-1, VAX 6350
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
2097.1IMPM navigates down one level at a timeBARREL::LEMMONWed Jan 15 1992 08:0226
   As you pointed out, the generic lookinto operation is dictionary 
driven, not out_e driven.  The premise for this has always been that 
the user navigates through one entity class one level at a time.   The 
lookinto code does the following:

	for each child class of the entity
           if (dynamic == true)
	   {
	      if (not a single instance)
		  display CLASS...    
	      else
		  issue show identifier and display out_e  
           }
	   else 
	      issue show identifier and display out_e


Returning different levels in out_e for the same wildcard opertion blows this
paradym (it also requires major design changes within the iconic map).  
I don't think we will be able to do anything about this in the v1.2 
timeframe but will put it on the to look at list.  

/Jim    
    
    p.s. You do not need to do a Show All over the FEP... class.  
         Just doubleclick over it.
2097.2Support for 2 levels of child entities?BALZAC::COULONEven if it works, ask whyWed Jan 15 1992 12:5535
 There is another problem with the "Double click": The picture is fine when 
you have only one level of child entities. The display looks like:

	[Class a]
		[Instance 1]
		............
		[Instance n]
	[Class b]
		[Instance 1]

 But in my case, when I "double click" one [Instance i], THE WINDOW IS CLEARED
and I only get the 2nd level of entity classes. I would have expected a picture
like this:

	[Class a]
		[Instance 1]
			[Class aa]
				[Instance 10]
				.............
				[Instance 10]
		............
		[Instance n]
	[Class b]
		[Instance 1]

 Another question: How long and where is all this data cached by the IMPM? When
I come back ("double click") on the same entity, the [class] [instance] window
is directly displayed without calling the AM, which is bad if instances are
really dynamic...

 Thanks and regards,

 Serge
2097.3I agreeTAEC::HARPERJohn Harper, DTN 830 3647Wed Jan 15 1992 13:437
    I agree. One of the most annoying things about the Iconic Map is the
    way it will only let you see one level of things at a time. Of course
    what you want (at least some of the time) is to be able to "open"
    things down as many levels as you need.
    
    	John
2097.4wouldn't it be nice!BARREL::LEMMONFri Jan 17 1992 07:5123
    re:.2 .3
    
    Yup, I agree that a SVN navigation like behavior would be more useful
    for the subentity level.  It is also on list of things to look at
    for v2.0. (actually it went on the v1.2 wishlist but
    was traded off because other basic functions needed to be implemented,
    like the graph)   
    
    About the caching...  V1.1 and the V1.2 eft kit code does not go
    out and re-ask the agent again for it's children information when
    you look up and then look back into it.  
    
    This was changed last week so that when you lookup and then look
    back into the entity, we always go to the agent and get the 
    children.  The caching was removed because many users requested
    it.  
    
    The looking into of a domain, however, is still cached.  
    
    One other thing.  If the entity class is truly dynamic, you should
    set the dynamic = true definition in it's msl. 
    
    /Jim