# Enterprise Communication Interface (ECI)

## Application Example

For the demonstration of the requirements a typical application of an Agile e6-CAX-link is now explained with the example of loading and storing of a CAD drawing:

### Task

An already in Agile e6 stored drawing has to be loaded into a CAD system, to be modified and later stored again with a new revision index.

Procedure:

| The user (e.g. detail designer) has already started CAD and Agile e6 on his workstation and initiated the communication between them.
| On the CAD workstation the user selects (e.g. with an extended CAD menu) the function Select drawing from Agile e6.
| The ECI function Select records in type list is called via the CAD adapter program and an appropriate widget is opened automatically on Agile e6 side (Example: List of all CAD specific documents). Within this related list the user may now search and select the desired drawing. Parallel he can apply other Agile e6 functions using further Agile e6 widgets. But the CAD process remains locked to the corresponding Agile e6 widget until a drawing is found or the load function is cancelled.
| As soon as the user has found the desired drawing, he selects the menu function Selection to CAD to return to CAD. The drawing master data stored in Agile e6 are transferred together with the name of the CAD file to the waiting CAD system.This finishes this first interface call. The adapter programs now load the CAD drawing into the CAD system, load the appropriate drawing frame and generate the drawing master data.
| The necessary CAD text attributes (i.e. position, height, slant, font, color etc.) are defined interactively with the appropriate CAD pattern frame and opt. modified using the CAD system functions, but are not managed on Agile e6 side ( Agile e6 stores only a unique drawing frame identifier). This means that modifications of the frame must be recognized by the specific CAD system adapter and maintained when storing data related to this document in Agile e6.
| The user may now perform the necessary modifications of the drawing with the CAD system.
| Dependent of the desired functionality the user may store the drawing temporarily in a personal work area, e.g. because of a longer interruption.
| After all modifications are executed, the drawing should be stored again in Agile e6. On the CAD workstation the user therefore selects the function Store modified drawing in Agile e6. The ECI function Modify record in type list is called via the CAD adapter program and an appropriate widget is opened automatically on Agile e6 side (example: form for changing document attributes). Optionally existing drawing master attributes may be transferred to Agile e6 and be offered as defaults.
| Within this related widget the user may now input the necessary entries. The Agile e6 widget and the corresponding CAD process remain locked, until the drawing is stored or the function is cancelled.
| As soon as all data is transferred to Agile e6, the storing can be executed. Therefore, the document master attributes are updated and then the CAD file is transferred from the CAD user area to the Agile e6 file management for check-in. If Agile e6 is appropriately customized, the document may automatically be send to approval area within the release procedure. Finally, the modified drawing master attributes may be transferred back and the CAD drawing may be updated, e.g. to allow the plotting of the drawing.
| The following figure gives an overview of this work process and the necessary functions: