APPX Source Code Control System

This page describes the Source Code Control System feature of APPX Application Design.

Concepts

Suites / Versions / Applications

Projects / Jobs / Tasks

Scope

Scope is usually used to define the boundaries for a Project, Job, or Task.  In other words, you can use scope to define which design objects are allowed to be viewed, edited, deleted, etc. when a designer is working on a specific Task.  If you want to exercise precise control, scope will let you do that.  For example, you could define a Task to modify the CUSTOMER MAINTENANCE input process and you could specify that only that one specific design object (CUSTOMER MAINTENANCE) is allowed to be changed and that it is not allowed to be deleted. However, on the other extreme, if you, as a project manager, don't want to control access to specific design objects, then you can simply not define a scope for a Task.

When defining the scope for a project, job, or task it is sometimes easier to specify the exceptions.  For example, you might define a scope to Exclude all design objects and then, by exception, you might define additional scope records identifying specific design objects to be included.  Or, you might take the opposite approach and define a scope to Include all design objects and then, by exception, you might define additional scope records identifying specific design objects to be excluded.

Scope can be defined for Projects, Jobs, and Tasks.  Scope can also be defined for Suites, Versions, and Applications.  If you define scope for a Suite, then all projects tied to that Suite, its Versons, or its Applications will be constrained by the scope defined for the Suite.  If you define scope for a specific Version of a Suite, then all projects tied to that Version or its Applications will be constrained by the scope defined for the Suite and the Version.  The scope defined for a Project, Job, or Task cannot broaden the scope defined for the Suite, Version, or Application that the projected is tied to.

Notes

Suites

The APPX Source Code Control system requires suites that are to be managed must first be defined.  The Suite Maintenance program can be used to enter and edit suites.

Suite Attributes

Suite ID

Each Suite is uniquely identified by a 10-character Suite ID.

Suite Description

Each suite has a 30-character description.

Design Access

Design access controls what level of access is allowed for the applications within a suite.  Design access must be specified for each suite and is inherited by each application in the suite in the event that design access is not specified for the application or the application's version.  The following design access levels are allowed:

• NO ACCESS - Does not allow design objects to be viewed or edited.
• VIEW ONLY - Allows design objects to be viewed but not edited.
• NOT TRACKED - Allows design objects to be viewed and edited.
• TRACKED - Requires that a Project/Job/Task be identified before a design object can be viewed or edited.

Scope Defaults 

Each Suite must include default scope specifications indicating that all design objects are to be automatically included or excluded and which design modes are allowed for included objects.

Scope Defaults must be specified for each suite and are inherited by each application in the suite in the event that scope defaults are not specified for the application or the application's version.  The scope default fields provide a quick way to specify the equivalent of a scope record for the suite.

Scope defined at the suite level cannot be overridden by project scope records.  In other words, a project manager cannot define a project that is outside of the scope defined for the suite.

The scope default values are not inherited by individual scope records when the fields are null (The fields should not be null in individual scope records.)

Scope Type

• INCLUDE - All design objects are included within the scope of the suite.
• EXCLUDE - All design objects are excluded from the scope of the suite.

Allow Add?

If checked, this option will allow new objects to be added to applications within the suite.

Allow Del?

If checked, this option will allow objects to be deleted from applications within the suite.

Allow Chg?

If checked, this option will allow objects to be changed for applications within the suite.

Versions

A Suite may have one or more Versions.  For example, a suite may have a Production version, a Development version, and a Test version.  Versions are identified by a two-character code.

Version Attributes

Applications

Each Version of a Suite may have one or more Applications.  The same Application may exist in more than one Version.

Application Attributes

Scope

Projects

Jobs

Tasks

Notes

Bugs:

1. Suite Maint - Version count is not correct when two suites have been entered.
2. Suite Maint - Scope count should display "None" when no scope records have been entered.
3. Suite Maint -  needs optional child to go directly to Versions.
4. Version Maint - needs optional child to go directly to Applications.
5. Suite Maint - Labels are not being displayed correctly on the buttons on the continuation frame for suites.
6. Suite Maint - Scope Type, Allow Add?, Allow Del?, and Allow Chg? should all be required fields.
7. Suite Maint - Field labels need to be more verbose, e.g. "Allow Add?" could be "Allow New Objects To Be Added?
8. Notes Maint - Titlebar needs to identify the parent type that the note is attached to, e.g. "Source Code Control - Suites"
9. Notes Maint - Heading area should identify the specific record that the note is attached to, e.g. "Suite: APPXBANG - APPXBANG Business Applications"
10. Notes Maint - When adding a note, if you press CANCEL, Notes Maintenance is canceled and you are returned to the calling program.  You should be returned to the list of notes.
11. Notes Maint - Change is not allowed from the scrolling list of notes.  Change should be allowed. Add, delete, and inquire are all allowed.

Enhancements:

1. Scope Maint - Need to be able to scan on Object Name field.
2. Scope Maint - Need to be able to see all higher level scope records.

-- SteveFrizzell - 29 Oct 2007