Understand Procedure Synthesis

Procedure synthesis lets you select, customize, and apply a stereotype. Procedure synthesis generates a Procedure Action Diagram that represents the logic of one procedure step.
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Procedure Synthesis Overview
Applying a stereotype generates a Procedure Action Diagram. The procedure step can implement one or more elementary processes that are defined during Analysis. During a procedure synthesis, the software builds an action diagram that USEs the Process Action Diagrams of the processes being implemented.
Gen
also generates a set of views that combine the views of the implemented processes.
The client area of the Procedure Synthesis window lets you select and specify the stereotype objects that procedure synthesis uses. The first line in the client area shows the stereotype to be used. The second line shows the name of the procedure step. The remainder of the window contains the objects that are related to the stereotype.
The following example shows the Dialog Flow Diagram (background), where selecting procedure synthesis resulted in the Procedure Synthesis diagram (middle), and finally the action diagram (front) that resulted from the synthesized procedure:
Procedure Synthesis Overview
Procedure Synthesis Overview
In the Procedure Synthesis Diagram, you can specify an object in the client area in two ways:
  • Select the object, select Edit from the action bar, and then select Select from the pull-down.
  • Double-click the object.
Downstream Effects
The Construction Toolset generates program logic based on the Procedure Action Diagram. The Procedure Action Diagram uses the logic in the Process Action Diagram for each implemented process.
The Dialog Design (DLG) Tool synthesizes a set of data views for the Procedure Action Diagram based on the combined views of the implemented elementary processes. For online systems, the Construction Toolset generates software that consists of screens that are populated with the fields that are initially defined with views. Code generation bases the generated program logic on the manipulation of views in Procedure Action Diagrams.
Main Actions
The actions in Procedure Synthesis include the following:
Action
Description
Model
Performs actions on the model, generates reports, accesses encyclopedia tasks, and manages settings that apply across all diagrams.
Diagram
Launches other diagrams, saves models, and closes the active window.
Edit
Selects, customizes, and applies a stereotype, selects stereotype options, selects an object, and removes an object.
Tool
Accesses other Gen diagrams.
Options
Selects the font that
Gen
uses to display text in the client area.
Window
Arranges the display of all open secondary windows, staggers and indents all open windows, and divides the screen into halves or fourths to display each open window.
Stereotype
Procedure synthesis has several options for the stereotype to be used for generating the procedure action diagram.
Entity Maintenance
Entity Maintenance specifies a stereotype for a procedure step that performs entity actions. You specify which action blocks perform the entity actions.
You must select an action block to display tables.
You must also specify a screen identifier that is used as the criteria to search tables. You can select the screen identifier only after you select the action block that displays tables. The screen identifier is the import view of the process to be implemented to READ tables.
Selection List
Selection List specifies a stereotype for a procedure step that displays a selection list of the occurrences of a single entity type. During procedure synthesis,
Gen
creates a Procedure Action Diagram that contains the logic to display all occurrences of the selected entity type. Each display line consists of one or more attributes. The generated selection list is sorted according to the attribute and sort order you select.
Implements Action Blocks
Implements Action Blocks specifies a stereotype for a procedure step that does not fit the entity maintenance or selection list stereotypes but can benefit from view synthesis. This type of stereotype can call any action block from Analysis or Design.
Implements Action Blocks provides the process implementation capability that is found in earlier releases of the product. For each action block you select, you also select the command value that directs processing.
Menu
Menu specifies a menu flow to another procedure step. The flow can be to a destination procedure step in the current business system or in another business system.
You specify the following when you select a menu flow:
  • The destination business system
  • The destination procedure step
  • The command or synonym that executes the flow
Subject List
Subject List specifies a flow between a synthesized selection list procedure step (a procedure step that resulted from procedure synthesis and that displays a selection list) and the current procedure step when both manipulate the same entity type. When you select a subject list flow, specify:
  • Subject entity view
  • Selection list procedure step from which the flow originates
  • Command that directs the flow
Neighbor List
Neighbor List specifies a flow from the current procedure step to a procedure step that displays a selection list. The two procedure steps can act on different entity types. This type of flow lets the user of the generated system select an occurrence of an entity type that is a neighbor of the subject entity type.
When you add a neighbor selection list flow, specify the following:
  • The command that directs processing to the selection list procedure step
  • The selection list procedure step to which the flow is directed
  • The entity view to which data is mapped on return from the selection list procedure step
Options
To specify how the generated system interprets keyboard commands that the user enters, select Options. The stereotype style that you select affects how the commands are interpreted. You can select the following options:
  • Action bar for command entry
  • Update in one stage or two
  • Delete in one stage or two
  • Create in one stage or two
  • Use the Enter command to Update
  • Use the Enter command to Display
  • Cancel command and refresh the screen from the database
  • Clear screen fields
The Action bar for command entry option is available for procedure steps that are generated using entity maintenance and selection list stereotypes. All other options are available only for procedure steps that are generated using entity maintenance stereotypes.
To specify stereotype options, select the name of an entity maintenance or selection list procedure step, and select Options.