Chapter - 1 : Documaker Studio - Overview
Oracle Documaker Studio provides an integrated way to create and maintain the resources used in your form sets such as sections and graphics. Tools that manage and test objects and resources are also included.
An overview of each Documaker Studio manager is described below. Managers are organized by in logical groups based on their functionality. For example, Workspace, Projects and Libraries are available from the Manage menu or Manage tab.
Oracle Documaker Studio has several themes which control the display interface. The default theme is Office 2007. In the Office 2007 theme, menus and toolbars are replaced with Ribbon and Tabs. The themes Office 2003, Office XP and Whidbey use menus and toolbars. To change the theme, select View > Options > Configuration Options, then Theme.
Manage
Workspace
Select Workspace to display the Workspace List window. The Workspace List window displays items which are currently open, such as those that have been checked out of the library. The list also includes files which have been opened from disk. These items are also shown in the Workspace tree.
Project
Project Manager provides a workflow to manage the various tasks associated with a project including resource creation, resource review and approval, unit and system testing and promotion.
Libraries
Libraries is used manage the database tables or files which contain library resources such as such as Sections, Forms, Graphics, etc. Libraries perform tasks such as check out, check in, extract or promote resources, library searches and other activities. Libraries may also be referred to as Library Manager.
Files which are stored in the library include:
- Application Definition File (*.BDF)
- Data Extract Dictionary (*.XDD)
- Dictionary-Rule (*.DDT)
- Entry Tables (*.TLK)
- Forms (*.FOR)
- Form Lists (*.GRP)
- Graphics (*.LOG)
- Paragraphs (*.PAR)
- Paragraph Lists (*.PSL)
- Sections (.FAP)
- Styles (*.STY)
- Templates (*.TPL)
- Triggers (*.DAL)
Application
Definitions
Application Definition Manager defines valid key combinations comprised of Key 1 and Key 2 into the Application Definition file. Within the Insurance industry, these keys are typically known as Company and Lines of Business, Recipients, categories, and transactions (for an entry environment) are also defined in this file.
Application Definition files have a file extension of BDF.
Form Lists
Forms List Manager is used to define the list of forms or groups associated with the company and line of business as defined in the application definition file. Triggers can be optionally assigned to a groups form(s) in Forms List Manager.
The form list file has a file extension of GRP.
Triggers
Trigger Manager is used to create scripts which automate certain tasks within the processing environment. For example, a form level trigger might specify the condition that causes a form to be included or “triggered” with a transaction.
These scripts are created using Document Automation Language and have a file extension of DAL.
Content
Forms
Forms Manager is used to build a list of sections which comprise the form. Forms can include one or more sections. Form Options and Form Section Options define specific settings such as Entry and Print, View Only, etc.
Forms have a file extension of FOR.
Sections
Section Manager is used to create and manage Sections. Sections contain objects such as charts, fields, text labels, etc. Field level and some section-level rule information are stored in sections.
Sections have a file extension of FAP.
Paragraph Lists
Paragraph List Manager is used to build a list of paragraphs which can be for paragraph selection. Paragraph List and Paragraph files can be used in place of Section (*.FAP) files and Entry Table (*.dbf / *.mdx or *.tlk) files.
Paragraph list files have a file extension of PSL.
Paragraphs
Paragraph Manager is used to create and manage paragraph files. Paragraph and Paragraph List files can be used in place of Section (*.FAP) files and Entry Table (*.dbf/*.mdx or *.tlk) files for paragraph selection at runtime.
Paragraph files have a file extension of *.PAR.
Graphics
Graphics Manager is used to resize, reverse, rotate, and manipulate bitmap graphics that are used on Sections.
Graphic files have a file extension of LOG.
System
Templates
Template Manager is used to build form template files. Templates can be uses as a starting point when creating form.
Template files have a file extension of TPL.
Styles
Style Manager is used to build style lists that can be used with sections and paragraphs. Style sheets let you specify default settings for objects such as text labels, text areas, boxes, etc. and associate those settings with named styles. This saves time when creating or modifying sections and paragraphs. It also provides a convenient way to enforce a particular look and feel. A style file can contain one or more styles. Those styles are available to select and apply to objects after you define the style file in the Application Definition File (*.BDF).
Style files have a file extension of STY.
Fonts
Font Manager is used to create and maintain the cross-reference table (*FXR) that serves as the bridge between the Documaker programs and physical fonts.
Users
User Manager is used to modify user settings, and add users. User modifications include activities such as changing a users’ password, granting access rights to specific managers, allowing users to modify INI files, etc.
Settings
Settings Manager is used to create and modify Studio options and INI (fsisys.ini and fsiuser.ini) files.
Dictionaries
Data Extract
Used to create and maintain mapping information for runtime data files. The default extract is named symbol.xdd.
Data Extract files have a file extension of XDD.
Dictionary-Rule
Used to create and maintain a "master" mapping information for runtime data files. The default is master.ddt.
Common Fields
Used to create and maintain common field information which speeds field creation on sections (*.FAP) and provides for consistency. In 12.1 and higher, the Common field Dictionary is stored in a database table (FLDB). Prior to 12.1, the Common Field Dictionary is stored in codebase files, typically FDB.DBF and FDB.MDX.
Lookups
Batch
Batch Lookup creates and defines the format of tables used in batch processing.
Batch files have a *.TBL file extension.
Entry
Entry Lookup creates and edits tables which can then be assigned to a particular field for entry.
During entry, the user selects the desired item from the table saving time, providing consistency and avoiding typographical errors.
Entry lookup files have a file extension of TLK. Legacy entry lookup files consist of 2 files – the *.dbf file and the *.mdx file.
Help
Help Lookup creates and edits tables which can then be assigned to a particular field for entry. Help tables can be used to provide detailed help about a field to aid the data entry operator in entering the appropriate data. This detailed help can be an extension of or a replacement for a fields prompt.
A help file consists of 2 files – the *.dbf and the *.mdx file.
Definition Tables
Defines the format and creates tables that are used in both the entry and batch processing environments.
Definition tables have a file extension of *.DFD.
Tools
Conversion
This manager is used to convert files. For example, Import Document Files can be used to convert RTF or DOC\DOCX files to Forms and Sections. Change Multiple Sections can be used to make font changes to sections.
Reports
This manager is used to generate reports for the workspace such as Font Usage Report, Form Field Report, etc
Tests
Test Manager is used to define and process test situations which simulate the Documaker Server production environment.
Deploy
Deploy Manager creates or updates a Documaker Server or Documaker Workstation environment which is used in production to create and process transactions.
Printstream Analyzer
This manager is used to open and analyze Advanced Function Printing (AFP) or Metacode print streams.
For detailed information on these managers, please see the Documaker Studio User Guide which is available on Oracle Technology Network.