IBM Rational Method Composer

Rational Method Composer is a software product from IBM, and published in November 2005 on the market. Its purpose is to produce HTML documentation for software procedures. The Rational Method Composer is based on the Eclipse Process Framework and uses the same code base. The product is designed to help make the documentation of software procedures consistent, they are easier to understand and be able to better pursue. The Rational Method Composer is supplied with pre- processes modules that allow a faster development of process documentation.

Architecture

The Rational Method Composer stores all information in a directory structure from XML files. This directory structure is referred to as a "library " of the tool. Since the information is stored in files and not in databases, authors may not simultaneously edit the same libraries. If such a procedure is necessary, the library must be stored in a software configuration management system before.

Operation

After the opening / creating the library generates the author of so-called " methods Plug-ins" which include the procedure.

There are two types of content that

  • Methods as well as the content
  • Process Content

Method content is static, reusable building blocks of a procedure. Examples of these are roles, work products, tasks and guidance. Within the contents of methods to define relationships between these elements, such as assigning a role to a task or work product as an input or output of a task.

In the process part orders and hierarchies are defined for the tasks. Small groups of tasks called activities, greater are called process patterns or deployment process. When a process is finished, an associated summary page can be published. When publishing HTML pages are generated with a predefined appearance. Relationships between process elements are represented by navigable hyperlinks. The web pages can then be ' hosted ' on a web server. There is always a tree browser on the left side in order to facilitate navigation through the document, and a central display area to display the content. Other built-in navigation aids are the functions 'Find' ( Full text search in content for a term ) and ' breadcrumbs ' ( shows where the content currently shown is in the process structure ).

The procedure can be used as a basis for projects in MS properties Projects, Rational Team Concerts, or process documentation tools are used as a supplement to Websphere Business Modeller.

Area of ​​application

Rational Method Composer is typically used in software organizations where strict adherence to the processes is important (eg, safety-relevant software ), the procedure used is complex or a process by many people to be pursued (eg from partner companies ).

Operating Systems

  • Enterprise Linux WS 4 Update 8, Enterprise Linux 4 WS Update 5
  • Red Hat Linux Desktop 4 Update 8, Red Hat Linux Desktop 4 Update 5, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5.0 Update 1,
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP3, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1,
  • Windows 2000, Windows 2003 Enterprise SP1, Windows 2003 Enterprise SP2, Windows 2003 Standard SP1, Windows 2003 Standard SP2
  • Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows XP Professional SP3, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate

Integrated configuration management systems

In order to allow simultaneous editing of libraries, a software configuration management system is necessary, of which the following are supported automatically:

  • CVS 1:11:17;
  • TPC 3.2.2
  • Subversion Server 1.4.3;
  • Sub - Eclipse plug-in 1.2.4
  • ClearCase server version,
  • SCM Eclipse - supported version 7.0.0 or version 7.0.1 or 7.1.0 CCRC

Assessment

The process produced documentation is easy to understand and easy to navigate. It is especially very consistent, as about any broken links occur. The supplied process content base is also very helpful and covers many species of software development. The functions for creating your own content is also easy to use without extensive knowledge.

Procurement

Rational Method Composer is a commercial product. A free open-source version called ' Eclipse Process Framework ' ( without the possibility of integration with other IBM tools such as Rational Portfolio Manager and Rational Software Architect or the migration of Rational Process Workbench) is available from the Eclipse Foundation.

Software-Configuration-Management Microsoft Project Rational (disambiguation) Concurrent Versions System Apache Subversion
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