About
The AGETOR Configuration Workbench is configuration software that enables eased configuration of AGETOR Installations. The software presents an AGETOR installation as the hierarchical directory of files it is, but also provides a number of views and tools that makes it much easier to navigate the files and construct correct configurations.
- Multiple AGETOR installations may be configured from a central point
- The AGETOR Overview Page provide a central navigation point from which main entities like transformations, inlets, services etc can be seen and chosen
- Schema support on all major configuration files ensure that configurations are valid but also provide assistance and documentation while writing the configuration
- AGETOR Snippets are small configuration fragments that can be inserted into configurations to provide out-of-the-box functionality. The user is prompted for values which are inserted to the fragments before insertion to the configuration
- Property and configuration external file aware XML-editors (mouse-over values of properties and linking to referred-to XSL files etc.)
The AGETOR Perspective
The AGETOR perspective contains the main views relevant for working with AGETOR installations. These are:
Choosing/Activating the AGETOR Perspective
When a new AGETOR installation is added to the workbench the AGETOR perspective is automatically selected. To switch to the perspective later after having activated other perspectives you simply select it from the menu "Window"->"Open perspective"->"AGETOR Perspective".
AGETOR Explorer
The AGETOR Explorer lists all added AGETOR installations. The main folders and files are show in this explorer view but less relevant folders are not.
Adding an AGETOR Installation
To add an AGETOR installation from your hard-drive you simply choose to create a new project of AGETOR project type. See the
Setting up an AGETOR installation as a project for the detailed steps or in short form:
- Select "File"->"New"->"Project"->"AGETOR Project"
- Enter name of project
- Browse to location on disk
- Press Finish
Changing Filtering Rules
To change the directories shown in the AGETOR Explorer you may customize the view by selecting/de-selecting folders for exclusion.
The Navigator view
The Navigator shows a true view of all files and folders of your projects. I.e. any file and folder will be available here. It is useful if you wish to manipulate rarely used or advanced file types. E.g. the AGETOR_HOME/data folder is not shown by default in the AGETOR Explorer and may be accessed using the Navigator.
AGETOR Overview
The AGETOR Overview page is actually a number of pages hidden behind tabs. The AGETOR Overview page relate to
one installation, thus there is never more than one per installation. You select the overview page by clicking the AGETOR symbol or by right-clicking the AGETOR project and choosing "Project overview".
The overview seek to provide quick access to main entities such as transformations, inlets etc. using a few clicks. The front page shows some installation properties and has links to main configuration files, entities but also a section with links to external AGETOR resources. These are primarily documentation either on the internet or from the local installation (if its web-server is currently running).
For a number of AGETOR Entity types (transformations, inlets, properties, services, text parsers) an entity tab exist on the overview page.
Entity tabs in the AGETOR Overview page
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The tab list all entities. It is easy to quickly find the particular entity you are looking for, using the filtering mechanism of these listings. Depending on the entity type the columns presented and the columns supported for filtering may vary but the functionality is the same.
Entity list (properties)
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Filtering properties
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Once you have found the entity you simply double-click it to open its file with the entity in focus.
Opening property file on property from the entity view
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Central Editor View
The central part of the screen is reserved for editors. Different file types use different editors; property files use an editor that is aware of the name-value nature of property files whereas the AGETOR transformation files uses an editor that is aware of the legal syntax of a transformation file and so forth.
AGETOR Configuration File Editors
The AGETOR Configuration file editors are XML Schema-aware. This means that they know the schema of the XML files being edited and use that information for validating the file syntax and offering XML hints (completion) and documentation.
Note that you may have to upgrade some AGETOR packages (ftpinlet, adk and axt-basic) to get full schema support in your installation.
In the examples below you see how holding the mouse over an XML tag will make a description of the tag pop up.
Opening a new tag will provide context aware valid choices for tags.
Choosing a particular option will enter a skeleton code for that tag and while syntactical errors exist (due to missing values or sub-tags) the error prone positions are marked with red underlining.
The AGETOR Configuration Workbench now makes visual transformation design and validation easier than ever with a graphical transformation editor. You can drag and drop pre-defined filters and other constructs onto the transformation diagram currently being edited. Transformation filters are visualized as circles connected by arrows to reflect the data flow. This greatly improves the intuitive understanding of the transformation and distribution processes and print-outs can serve as valuable system documentation. However, schema aware editors for the various AGETOR XML configuration files are still only a tab away and these provide more completion support that before; context aware valid filter parameters and values are suggested as you type.
AGETOR Snippets
AGETOR Snippets are small configuration or
code templates that can be chosen from a palette and inserted into the current editor file. When chosen the user is
prompted for variables to substitute into the template (if relevant) and the final result is inserted into the current position of the editor.
Thus snippets are a fast way to construct complex configurations from fragments without typing too much. It also reduces the required knowledge on configuration constructs since they are given as more or less complete structures.
Eclipse Properties
The Eclipse properties view should not be confused with AGETOR properties. These are different things. The Eclipse properties view shows context sensitive information (properties) on various resource (files, directories, XML-tags etc.). It is particular useful with AGETOR when working with XML configurations because the property view will show all the allowed attributes of a tag and let you enter values. Combining this feature with the schema aware editor that can display help on tags and attributes gives good tools for creating the configuration without the need of AGETOR reference guides.
Working with AGETOR Installations
When working with the configuration of an AGETOR installation multiple entities (transformations, services, inlets etc.) are in play. Besides, these reside in multiple physical files. The Workbench acts as a central point from which files and entities may be reached in a number of ways; The Explorer allow you to navigate the file system, the AGETOR Overview provides an entity centric entry to the configuration files and individual configurations may link to other files through the installation awareness build into the AGETOR XML editors.
Report Designer
The AGETOR Report Designer is a BIRT based product which allows users to create reports describing how a data source should be presented in a visually appealing way. It can also be used for invoice layout, order confirmation etc. Below is a short presentation of the key features.
Graphical Layout Designer
The layout designer is where you compose the report by dragging report items onto the report. The designer also gives you access to the master page, which contains elements common to all pages, and a HTML preview function so you can see the results of your work immediately.
Graphical layout designer
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Palette
The palette contains items and tools for composing your report. The report items includes text components, data tables and a sophisticated data chart.
Palette
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Property Editor
The report components are highly customizable and the property editor organizes the component properties so they are easy to find and edit.
Property editor
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Data Source Wizard
A report can get data from different kinds of data sources, including databases (with JDBC), flat files (CSV) and XML files. The data source wizard guides you through the process of creating new data sources. When a report is rendered with the AGETOR Report Filter you can also use the transformation data as a data source.
Data source wizard
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Data Set Wizard
From each data source you can create one or more data sets with the data set wizard. With data sets you can use filtering, column mapping and other techniques to get exactly the right data for your report. Reports always access data through data sets.
Data set wizard
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Data Grouping
One of the many data manipulation and enrichment features of the report designer is the ability to set up data groups. Data groups are very useful for organizing large or complex data and presenting them in an easily understandable way.
Data grouping
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Charts And Images
To make your report more informative and visually compelling you can add charts and images. There are many chart designs to choose from and each chart can be customized to great detail. The chart editor also supports data features such as grouping, sorting and filtering. Images can be static or selected dynamically with a script expression so the actual image can depend on report data such as a customer number.
Chart designer
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Expression Builder
The report designer supports the use of dynamic Javascript expressions in many contexts, e.g. when building data sets, when grouping, sorting and filtering data, and many more. To assist you in writing script expressions, the report designer features an easy-to-use expression builder that gives you access to operators, functions, data sets etc.
Expression builder
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Localization Support
Reports can be localized with regard to language and formats such as date formats. This means that text elements like headers and leading texts can be translated into different languages so that a report can be rendered in different versions depending on language and country.
Localization
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Styles And Themes
You can make sure that your reports have a consistent design by using styles and themes. Styles can be created with the style editor or they can be imported from CSS files. A theme is a collction of styles that you can apply in one go by selecting the theme for the report. The report styling system is similar to, but not identical with, the CSS standard.
New style
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Import CSS styles
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AGETOR Workbench Help
Context Sensitive Help
The AGETOR Workbench comes with help and it is context sensitive. I.e. you may invoke it from any AGETOR view by pressing F1 and a help view will appear with information on that particular view.
The help view may be dragged to other positions or even floated in a separate window - e.g. on a second screen if that is convenient.
AGETOR Help Index
You may also browse the complete help by opening the menu "Help"->"Help Contents" and selecting the AGETOR Workbench Help entry:
Tips & Tricks
A few features are really useful when working with configurations. We have collected a small selection below.
Opening Editor File in AGETOR Explorer
When working with an AGETOR configuration file from the AGETOR Installation in an editor you may always jump to the file location in the AGETOR Explorer by right-clicking in the editor and selecting "Open in AGETOR Explorer":
Viewing Property Values in Editor Files
In the XML-based configuration editors mouse-over on AGETOR property references will reveal the value of the property as shown below.
Holding down Ctrl while doing the mouse-over will make the property a link (if it exits) and clicking the link will open the property file with the property in focus:
Opening Files Referred by Editor File
Often configuration files refer other files (XSL, XSD etc.). If the reference adhere to some simple rules it is possible to navigate directly to the file by holding down CTRL and clicking the link. The prerequisites are:
- Reference must be to existing file or folder
- Referred entity must be in the AGETOR installation
- The reference may not contain keys (since they are not resolvable) but it may contain AGETOR properties
Creating Your Own Snippets
You may add your own code and configuration snippets that you can use for specific file types or globally. Please refer to the online help in the AGETOR Workbench for details on this subject. The following features are supported:
- Create snippets either in specific installation or global snippets (valid for all installations)
- Limit snippets to particular file types
- Arrange snippets in categories
- Specify variables that the user is prompted for when inserting the snippet. The typed values are substituted into the snippet template.
Searching a Project
Sometimes you need to find files with particular names or content. You may even know approximately where in the installation the files are located. It is then convenient to use the search mechanism from the AGETOR Explorer.
- Select the base directory to search
- Press CTRL-H and specify content and file pattern. Also select "Selected Resource" to only search the folder and sub folders
All matching files will be found and displayed in the search result view (may appear on your right hand side and you may drag it to other locations - e.g. bottom part of the Workebench). You may now expand and click search results to open the file in found on the matching sub part
When working with XML-based configurations you may find your source file being messed up with bad indenting and spacing. E.g. if you inserted a snippet in an awkward position. A quick way to fix this is to press CTRL+SHIFT+F while the editor has focus. This will auto-format the source with nice indentation.
