Using Activity Editor, you can specify the flow of activities for a specific transformation rule graphically, without knowing programming or Java code. For each transformation rule in Map Designer, you can display one activity and its subactivities. You can view the associated attribute's transformation code graphically, modify it, and have the tool generate the corresponding Java code.
You launch Activity Editor directly from Map Designer (see "Starting Activity Editor"). At startup, Activity Editor communicates with System Manager to discover the set of activities allowed. After you have finished designing the activity for a particular transformation rule, you save the changes in Activity Editor, and they are communicated to Map Designer.
This section covers the following topics to introduce you to Activity Editor:
You launch Activity Editor through the transformation rule column of the Table or Diagram tabs of Map Designer. Perform the following steps to do this:
Result: Map Designer' response to these actions depends on the following:
Transformation code is in auto-upgrade mode if Map Designer has generated it, and you have not customized it in any way. When you customize auto-upgrade code, Activity Editor displays a confirmation prompt notifying you that saving this code takes it out of auto-update mode. For code not in auto-update mode, Map Designer displays the transformation rule in blue italic font in the transformation rule column.
If the transformation code is not in auto-update mode (that is, you have modified the autogenerated code), Map Designer opens Activity Editor in Java view when you double-click the attribute's transformation rule cell or click the mapping rule icon.
Transformation code that is in auto-update mode is generated from one of the standard transformations that Map Designer provides on the combo box of the transformation rule column. When you double-click the attribute's transformation rule cell or click the mapping rule icon, the type of transformation determines what Map Designer displays:
Activity Editor has two main views: Graphical view and Java view. Depending on the nature of the activity, at any given time, only one view is visible. Thus, if Map Designer invokes Activity Editor to display a graphical activity, Activity Editor will startup with the Graphical view. If you choose to translate this graphical activity into Java code, the Java view will display in place of the Graphical view.
Restriction: Once the activity has changed to Java code, it will not be converted back to the graphical nature.
Both views have common Window elements in their Design and Quick view
modes, as described in Table 26.
Table 26. Common Window elements
If Map Designer opens Activity Editor with an activity definition that has a graphical nature, Activity Editor will display the activity definition in Graphical view in one of two available display modes: Design mode or Quick view mode.
Figure 46 shows the Graphical view in Design mode.
Figure 46. Graphical view in Design mode
The Graphical view has four main windows: the Activity Workbook window, the Library window, the Content window, and the Properties window.
In addition, the Library window contains the following folders:
Figure 47 shows the Graphical view in Quick view mode.
Initially, when an activity definition that has a graphical nature opens, Activity Editor displays the top-level view of the definition in a tabbed window. Inside the tab window is the editing canvas. For information on working with activity definitions on the editing canvas, see "Working with activity definitions".
If Map Designer opens Activity Editor with an activity definition that contains only custom Java code, Activity Editor displays the activity definition in Java view. Similar to Graphical view, Activity Editor is available in Java view in two display modes: Design mode and Quick view mode.
By default, comments are green, string literals are pink, and keywords are blue.
Tip: You can customize the syntax highlighting schemes in the Preferences dialog.
Figure 48 shows the Java view in Design mode.
Figure 49. Java view in Quick view mode
Tip: To change from Quick view mode to Design mode, click the >> button on the status bar. If you do not see the >> button, resize the Quick view window horizontally until the button appears.
You can access Activity Editor's functionality using any of the following:
Activity Editor provides the following pull-down menus:
The following sections describe the options of each of these menus and their associated keyboard shortcuts.
Functions of the File menu: The File pull-down menu of Activity Editor provides the following options:
Functions of the Edit menu: The Edit pull-down menu of Activity Editor provides the following options:
Functions of the View menu: The View pull-down menu of Activity Editor provides the following options:
Functions of the Tools menu: The Tools pull-down menu of Activity Editor provides the following option:
Functions of the Help menu: The Help pull-down menu of Activity Editor provides the following options:
Activity also provides a context menu for performing many tasks on the editing canvas. You access the Context menu by right-clicking the editing canvas. The Context menu provides the following options:
Activity Editor provides three toolbars for common tasks you need to perform.
The functions of the toolbar buttons are the same as their corresponding menu items.
Tip: To identify the function of each toolbar button, roll over each button with your mouse cursor.
Standard toolbar: Figure 50 shows the Standard toolbar.
Figure 50. Activity Editor Standard toolbar
Table 27 provides the function of each Standard toolbar button (left
to right) and the corresponding menu command.
Graphics toolbar: Figure 51 shows the Graphics toolbar.
Figure 51. Activity Editor Graphics toolbar
Table 28 provides the function of each Graphics toolbar button (left
to right) and the corresponding menu command.
Table 28. Functions of Graphics toolbar buttons
Figure 52 shows the Java toolbar.
Figure 52. Activity Editor Java toolbar
Table 29 provides the function of each Java toolbar button (left to right) and the corresponding menu command.
Table 29. Functions of Java toolbar buttons
Function | Corresponding menu command |
---|---|
Edit Code
| Tools > Edit Code |
Undo
| Edit > Undo |
Redo
| Edit > Redo |
Find Text
| Edit > Find |
Goto Line
| Edit > Goto Line |
Expression Builder
| Tools > Expression Builder |
Status bar elements: Activity Editor also provides a Status bar, as
shown in Figure 53.
Figure 53. Activity Editor Status bar
Table 30 describes the functionality of each Status bar element, left to right.
Table 30. Functions of Status bar elements
Element | Function |
---|---|
Zoom: 100% | Edit box for specifying a zooming percentage |
Ready | Status message |
10.9 | Navigation pane showing the current position of the I-bar in the Java editor |
>> (Shown in Quick view mode)
<< (Shown in Design mode) | Toggle between Design mode and quick view mode |