Prev | Next |
Manage Custom Documents
As you add Dynamic content or Diagram Images to a Custom Document, the name of each added item or diagram is added to the 'Content' panel on the left of the document. You can use these context menu options in the panel to perform a number of operations on the listed items:
- Change the Template
- Highlight Section
- Update Dynamic Section
- Find in Browser
- Delete Section
These options are described in the remaining sections of this topic.
The main body of the Custom Document editor also has a context menu, providing the 'Update Dynamic Report elements' option that will update all Dynamic content across the document, ensuring that you have the very latest information from the model. This context menu also provides a number of common editing commands such as Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, Print and Zoom. Note that the 'Undo' option, when selected after a Dynamic content item has been added, will remove the entire section created for that item.
Change the Template
This option allows you to change the document generation template for the selected item. It is most useful when re-factoring the document in response to, say, a review by Stakeholders. For example, you originally used a template for Requirements that listed each Requirement in a paragraph style. A Stakeholder, after reviewing the document, asks to see the Requirements listed in tabular form. You would then use this option to switch to an alternative template.
Highlight Section
This option highlights the formatted material from the selected item in the Custom Document. This is very useful for two reasons, in that it identifies where the item is included in the document, and it shows exactly what material has been added from the item.
Update Dynamic Section
The main characteristic of Dynamic content is that it drawn from items in the model that are subject to frequent change. As you read the document, an item might be updated by another team member. To ensure that you are seeing the latest instance of an item, select this option to refresh the item details from the model.
There is also an option available from the context menu for the main body of the Custom Document, to update all Dynamic sections of the document at the same time, as described earlier.
Find in Browser
This option locates the selected object in the Browser window. As you develop your Custom Document and add more and more sections it might not be obvious from looking at the list what each item or diagram is and where it came from in the repository. Select this option to locate the Package, diagram, element or Feature (attribute, operation or reception) in the Browser window.
Delete Section
This option removes the Dynamic content for the selected section. An item might have been added to the document that, for some reason, is no longer required. You can select the option to remove that item from the document without altering the other sections, regardless of whether they are Static or Dynamic. At a later time, if necessary, you can drag the item back in at the same point or a different point.
Note that Packages and elements inserted into a document might have child objects, and if you delete the parent object from the document you will lose the child objects as well. Therefore, when you select to delete an object with child objects, a warning message displays to make you aware and allow you to cancel the deletion if necessary.
Rearrange Content
Because a Custom Document contains template boiler-plate text and Static text as well as Dynamic text, there is no direct option for switching the Dynamic sections around - you cannot take the fixed text into account that way.
The simplest option is to just click and drag the cursor over text you want to move, use the 'Copy' or 'Cut' context menu options, and then paste the text into the required location. If this moves a section of Dynamic content, the relocation is reflected in the left-hand panel after the document is saved.
You can also use the panel 'Highlight Section' option to make sure that:
- The copied or cut section contains exactly the text and Dynamic content you want to move, and
- The point to which you want to move the text does not sit within the start or end of another Dynamic section
Simply right click on the item represented by the Dynamic content in the panel, and select the 'Highlight Section' option. This highlights all the text within that item's Dynamic content. You can then select any appropriate text that includes the highlighted section.
In the panel, you then right-click on the item represented by the Dynamic content before or after which you want to insert the captured text, and again select the 'Highlight Section' option. You can then see exactly where that section starts and ends, and paste in the captured text where it does not conflict with the highlighted section.
Locate Custom Documents
Another way to make Custom Documents available is to refer the users to the 'Publish' search for locating Custom Documents. This also helps you find Custom Documents that you might want to edit or delete.
Call up the Model search facility and select the 'Publish' search category, then select the 'Locate Custom Documents' search. This searches for and lists all Custom Documents in the model.