The OKS schema editor: schemaeditor

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. 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 (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.

Warning: To get the main widow to update with the updated include file list it is sometimes necessary to click around in the main window until it updates!!

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.

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.

The current schema diagram can be saved from the 'Save View' button on the toolbar or printed via the 'Print View' button.

The View menu allows you to name, load, save and print the view tabs.

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-Q	Quit

---

Last git commit to the markdown source of this page:

Author: Gordon Crone

Date: Wed Oct 16 09:12:47 2024 +0100

If you see a problem with the documentation on this page, please file an Issue at https://github.com/DUNE-DAQ/dbe/issues