The OKS schema editor: <tt>schemaeditor</tt>

Prerequisite

Before running either schemaeditor or dbe you must load the dbe spack package with spack load dbe. This can have unwanted side effects like running the wrong version of Python due to spack messing with your PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH. To avoid this, keep your editing sessions in a different window to your normal development or create an alias /shell fucntion like:

function schemaeditor () 
{ 
    bash -c "spack load dbe; command schemaeditor $@"
}

Starting the editor

Just running the command schemaeditor will bring up the schemaeditor with no schema files loaded. You can then either open an existing schema file File -> Open Schema (or Ctrl+O) or create a new empty schema file with File->Create new schema (or Ctrl+N).

To start with an existing schema file, use the -f option.

Setting the 'Active' schema file

All new classes are created in the active schema file. This will initially be the file you loaded or created above unless the loaded file is read-only or locked by another process. To make another file the active schema file, use the context menu in the files tab (right-click).

NB: You cannot add new classes unless you have made a schema file 'Active'.

Adding include files

Most schema files will want to include at least the core dunedaq schema (dunedaq.schema.xml) from confmodel. To add an include to the currently active schema file, either File->Add/Remove include files (<Ctl>I) or right click on the name of the schema file in the File panel. This will bring up a dialog box for adding and removing include files. From here you can add existing files or create a new schema file.

Saving files

To save all modified schema files, File->Save Schema (Ctrl+S). To save only a single file, use the context menu in the File tab. Tis also allows you to save files that have not been updated (sometimes useful to ensure proper formatting of files edited outside of the schemaeditor.

Adding new classes

To add a new class Ctrl+A anywhere will bring up the new class dialogue box. From here you can define the attributes and relationships of your new class and set its superclass inheritance from the list of existing classes.

New classes can also be added from the context menu in the schema view tabs. This will place the new class on the schema diagram at the current cursor position.

Schema diagrams

To create a class diagram of the defined classes, simply drag the classes you are interested in from the 'Class Name' list onto a schema view tab. Relationships and inheritance connections will be automatically drawn. By default, only the direct properties of the classes are shown, to display all properties including those inherited the context menu in the schema view panel icludes an option to toggle inherited properties. The context menu on an individual class within the view allows the addition of all its parent/child/related classes to the view.

Multiple views of the schema can be created by selecting the "+" button next to the view tabs. A tab can be renamed by selecting the 'Name View' button on the toolbar. Tbas can be closed by selecting the cross ont the top corner of the tab or with the shortcut Ctl-W.

Highlighting classes from the active schema file

The classes contained in the current schema fie can be highlighted by selecting this option from the conrext menu. This can be useful to see at a glance which classes are in which file. Changing the active file from the File info tab will change which classes are highlighted accordingly.

Tool-tips

Hovering the mouse over a class in the schema view will bring up a tool-tip with the description fields of the class and all its direct attributes, relationships and methods.

View files

The current schema diagram can be saved from the 'Save View' or 'Save View as' buttons on the toolbar or printed via the 'Print View' button. These options also exist in the View menu along with an option to export to an SVG file.

Views can be loaded from files by using the Ctl-V shortcut or selecting 'Load View' from the View menu. Views load into new tabs unless the current tab is empty.

Notes

Notes can be added to the view by selecting 'Add note to view' from the context menu. Notes are currently written in very simple boxes with plain text. Line breaks should be added by hand.

Keyboard shortcuts

Key	Action	Notes
Ctl-A	Add new schema class	Only available when there is an 'Active' schema file
Ctl-N	Create New schema file	Only available when no schema files loaded
Ctl-O	Open new schema file	Only available when no schema files loaded
Ctl-I	Open include dialog	Only available when there is an 'Active' schema file
Ctl-S	Save modifed schema files
Ctl-V	Load View
Ctl-W	Close tab
Ctl-Q	Quit