0740-0742

Previous Table of Contents Next

Page 740

• Client/Server Generators. The Server Generator, Forms Generator, and Reports Generator comprise the final step in implementing a BPR information system. The Server Generator produces SQL commands that create the server tables. The Forms Generator creates a fully functional application, complete with insert, update, delete, and query functionality. The Report Generator generates reporting applications. All these elements combine to create a fully functional client/server application.

Information Engineering

"He who controls the data controls the world." Although not entirely true, that is the concept behind information engineering. This approach to IS development regards data as one of the most valuable resources of an enterprise. By analyzing information and the ways in which it impacts the divisions within the enterprise, you can devise plans to implement ISs. The steps and processes you use within Designer/2000 to implement an information engineering (IE) approach to an information system follow:

• System Modeller: The suite of tools within the System Modeller (the Entity Relationship Diagrammer, Function Hierarchy Diagrammer, and Data Flow Diagrammer) can prepare stand-alone business models. The ERD is at the center of deployment in an IE information system. The ERD shows the important data elements and the ways in which they are associated with one another.
• Systems Designer: The tools within the Systems Designer (the Data Diagrammer, Module Logic Navigator, Module Data Diagrammer, Preference Navigator, and Module Structure Diagrammer) then are used to refine, cultivate, and enrich the findings from the System Modeller. The Application Design Wizard helps in the creation of modules from your defined business functions. At a later step, you can use the Module Structure Diagrammer to refine the relationships between the models.
• Generators: The Server Generator, Forms Generator, and Reports Generator are the final step. The Server Generator produces SQL commands that create the server tables. The Forms Generator creates a fully functional application, complete with insert, update, delete, and query functionality. The Report Generator generates reporting applications.

Rapid Application Development

You use rapid application development (RAD) to provide a quick, useful, and effective IS. By using specialized tools, you quickly can prototype and generate entire applications. In this approach, the end user is very aware of what is needed for a successful IS. RAD verifies what the user is requesting and determines what will be delivered and the impact (or lack of impact) on other divisions or departments. It is not impossible to deliver a working application. Using

Page 741

Designer/2000, you quickly can prototype an IS and deliver a working application in a relatively short amount of time. The steps and processes you use within Designer/2000 to implement a RAD approach to an IS follow:

• System Designer: The tools within the System Designer (the Data Diagrammer, Module Logic Navigator, Module Data Diagrammer, Preference Navigator, and Module Structure Diagrammer) are used to define, cultivate, and verify information gathered from the end user. You use the Data Diagrammer to design the layout of your databases and how the information should behave within an application. You then can use the Module Structure Diagrammer to form the links between your modules. You use the Preferences Navigator to initiate programming standards; this ensures that the application to be generated has a consistent user interface and processing methodology.
• Generators: The Server Generator, Forms Generator, and Reports Generator are the final step ”only two steps are involved in using the RAD approach for developing ISs. The Server Generator produces SQL commands that create the server tables. The Forms Generator creates fully functional applications, complete with insert, update, delete, and query functionality. The Report Generator generates reporting applications.

TIP

The RAD approach to implementing an IS is best used when the end user is well aware of what is needed and when the scope of the project is not likely to fluctuate a great deal. Another case in which you should use the RAD approach is when the IS will not greatly affect ”directly or indirectly ”the operation of other divisions or departments. When using the RAD approach, you should limit the number of modules created.

Legacy-Led Development

When you use the legacy-led approach, you are replacing, adding to, or upgrading an existing system. As the enterprise grows, expands, and possibly broadens its business horizon, ISs already in place may outlive their usefulness . If a previous analysis of the process is available, you are one step ahead of the process; the previous analysis should enable you to predict how the new additions will impact the system or what processes the replacement must perform. If the system was developed using the predecessor to Designer/2000, Oracle CASE, its design will be readily available to Designer/2000.

When using the legacy-led development approach, existing processes are reverse engineered into Designer/2000. These definitions are stored in the Designer/2000 Repository, where they

Page 742

are available as the central source of redesign. The processes used within Designer/2000 to implement a legacy-led development approach to an IS follow:

• System Designer: The tools within the System Designer (the Data Diagrammer, Module Logic Navigator, Module Data Diagrammer, Preferences Navigator, and Module Structure Diagrammer) are used after the existing definitions are reverse engineered into the Repository. You then can modify fields, columns , and even column characteristics by using the Data Diagrammer. You then can use the Module Data Diagrammer to refine the definitions.
• Generators: The Server Generator, Forms Generator, and Reports Generator are the final step. As with all final steps, these Designer/2000 tools produce the applicable server code, forms, and reports for the IS.

Because of Designer/2000's capability to support multiple approaches to developing ISs, common Repository, entity reusability, and consistency of application development, every professional system developer should use this tool.

Installing Designer/2000

Before you reap the benefits of the powerful design tools of Designer/2000, you must install the product. Designer/2000 is a client/server tool; therefore, portions of the tools must be installed on both the client (often, an IBM PC or compatible) and the server (possibly a Windows NT server, a DEC Alpha, or another platform supporting Oracle).

One of the most popular platforms on which to run the client side of Designer/2000 is Microsoft Windows. In this chapter, you'll learn how to install Designer/2000 for Microsoft Windows. As of this writing, Designer/2000 is at Release 1.3.2. Table 30.1 indicates where each component of Designer/2000 resides.

Table 30.1. Designer/2000 component locations.

Client	Server
Repository Administrator	Remote Database
Forms Generator	Designer/2000 Repository
Process Modeller	Application Program Interface
Reports Generator
Server Generator
System Designer
System Modeller

Previous Table of Contents Next