Eldoret Software

About SchemaFX

Use this application to draw and view IDMS schema diagrams. This application will take the IDMS schema report and extract all records, areas, fields and record relationships and draw Schema diagrams using Visio. The minimum requirements: Visio 2003. For help send email to: SchemaFX@eldoretsoftware.com .

IDMS SchemaFX provides easiest creation, changing and maintenance for your diagrams by getting schema information directly from the IDMS dictionary.

Every systems Analyst or Programmer has encountered the problems associated with drawing and maintaining Schema diagrams while developing applications:

• Mostly they are always not current and up to date. As soon as a record changes, the whole physical diagram is obsolete.
• The shapes are jammed into single pages that can be hard view. 
• The information has to be re-verified using the mainframe since they are never correct. 
• Printed diagrams are a complete waste of paper especially if they span 20 pages and the business has 50 programmers. Imagine what would happen when a record changes! With this diagram, you will never need to print anything.
• Diagrams only show the properties of records but not the fields in a record. What if I want to know if I have a filler that I need to use? I have to go to the mainframe again.
• TIME is always wasted when a person spends a week updating the diagrams. This is tedious and is prone to introducing errors thus compounding an already bad situation.

With this application, the issues that makes it hard to make systems analysis are completely eliminated. Timely and accurate information that is shown can be relied upon to making a programmer's job productive. By removing all of these obstacles, a Developer or DBA with a PC Windows experience can tap into the great looking interface and within minutes be able to produce and up to date diagram. Since it is 100% automated, one can sit back and watch SchemaFX at work. All it needs is a current IDMS Report text file. 

SchemaFX uses standard CA-IDMS Schema Report, which is loaded onto the PC or some network server location. The software then takes this report and extracts all record properties and stores them into an Access database.

The main design concepts of SchemaFX are:

• IDMS report is needed to be used for the extract of all data needed.
• Owner and member records are shown along with set information.
• Interactive navigation of owner and member records can be performed.
• Detailed information relative to the selected record is shown.
• Existing Visio Diagrams are always shown for the active record.
• Quick mouse 'Hoover' displays a virtual Schema representation of the record.
• Records are also shown in dropdown and can be clicked for navigation.
• The diagrams are saved in VISIO for farther manipulation and sharing.

SchemaFX is designed to be installed on workstation. Future release (2.60) will allow scheduling and batching of reports files and an automated non user  diagram generation. This will be ideal for server based networks where users will use single software but many client schedulers . More to come on this feature. The IDMS Report file itself can either reside on a server, or be distributed to each Developer system. The generated Access database and Visio Files reside on the local PC application directory. By default, they are 'Database' and 'Visio Files' folders but the Visio settings change can relocate them too. The access database can be sent to everyone in the team when it is generated by a single DBA.

Remember SchemaFX is a tool for Drawing  and Viewing IDMS Schema diagrams for Developers requiring a quick, simple but above all accurate view of the Schema structure.

 Screen Shots

The following screen shots represent the functions of SchemaFX. The great looking GUI is also customizable for any user. It comes with 20 Skins to choose from. We are sure you will like it.

Menu options - The following are the menu options of SchemaFX. They are the System, IDMS Report, View / Draw and help options.

         

Settings - This is the form that will keep certain settings to be used by the system. The following are set in this menu:

• Software choice of Skins can be selected from among 11 skin types.
• Report file can be located and then set to be used by the application for extracting records and all properties that make up the record.
• Visio Files folder. This is the folder that the application will save the drawn diagrams. 
• The application randomly assigns color to shapes when color is set to yes. The default is no color.  
• Visio background image can also be set here.

All these are set in the area shown below when SETTINGS option is selected from SYSTEM menu option.

Tree view option - Shows the records relationship in a treeview format. Also shows the drawn Visio diagram if they have been generated. When a mouse is hovered over the record, a Schema representation is displayed. Clicking the record will isolate the record from that point forward. The record and its 'children' are moved to a different screen where a smaller diagram can be generated if desired. This allows for small area target for faster analysis.

  

The window that shows when a 'mouse over' event is raised is shown below.

 

To draw Schema diagrams  in Visio use the menu option 'View / Draw'. You can draw a whole diagram into a single page (not recommended for large schemas) or draw diagrams into separate pages. Separation is done based on CALC or DIRECT records.

IDMS SchemaFX provides trouble-free creation, editing and maintenance for your project database diagrams by sourcing schema information directly from the IDMS dictionary extracted from a report.

The main design concepts of IDMS SchemaFX are:

• A single project, with multiple diagrams based on a particular schema version.
• SchemaFX diagram creation and editing is naturally driven by the data and the structures of the schema that is stored into an access file .
• A single diagram on a single Visio page or multiple diagrams that fits into many visio diagrams can be generated.
• Schema updates / changes can automatically be reflected in existing SchemaFX diagrams. All a user needs is a new IDMS report.
• All diagrams are created connected and layed out automatically!

Visio View - The generated Visio diagrams can now be distributed to programmers who need accurate information to make accurate analysis!  Sample Visio diagram generated is shown below, all hands free. Distributing and Editing in Visio allows for universal sharing and is advantageous than using a proprietary diagram generating software.

 

Record List view option - This option list the records extracted from the IDMS report. When a record is clicked, the record layout is displayed with all other properties that are associated with the record. Now if you need quick information, you can confidently tell if we have s FILLER field that can be used for a new field or a record will need to be restructured without having to log into the mainframe for that information.

Record Isolation - When a record is clicked on the Main tab tree view option , this tab shows the record details and also the Visio diagram from this record. This helps to isolate that record and only show its own dependent records below it.

 

SQL Conversion

SchemaFX has the ability to create a draft SQL database from the IDMS database. It will take the IDMS schema diagram generated and create a SQL database with all the tables and records. This draft will allow a user to view what a SQL database impression would look like. This database can be used by developers as a good starting point to moving some IDMS functionality to windows based applications.

Once you have finished running the conversion you can simply check your sql server for the SQL database and the insert, delete, update and select stored procedures for each database.

Schema drawing automatic scheduler

SchemaFX has a schema extracting and drawing automatic scheduler. The scheduler allow a user to setup the IDMS report file to be used when the schdule time comes. This scheduler does show the unprocessed and processed scheduled jobs. Those processed can be accessed to show the schema diagram within the software as well as in visio. This Feature is not to be used on the server since it is not designed to be used by multiple client machines.

The main design concepts of IDMS SchemaFX are:

• A single project, with multiple diagrams based on a particular schema version.
• SchemaFX diagram creation and editing is naturally driven by the data and the structures of the schema that is stored into an access file .
• A single diagram on a single Visio page or multiple diagrams that fits into many Visio diagrams can be generated.
• Schema updates / changes can automatically be reflected in existing SchemaFX diagrams. All a user needs is a new IDMS report.
• All diagrams are created, connected and laid out automatically. It's just too perfect
• SQL conversion tool is also available for those interested in migrating IDMS to a windows based applications.