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 Total Metrics  >  Products  >  Scope  >  Support  >  Data Groups, Linking and Access Types

Data Groups, Linking and Access Types

What happens if the operator creates 2 EIs which update the same DETs in the same ILF ? Does the software report this ?

You can use the software to selectively report this case a number of ways.

  1. Use the 'flip' icon on the top menu and 'flip' the views so the data is on the LHS screen and the Processes on the RHS screen and fully expand both trees. Select 'link mode' from the top menu, highlight the DET your are investigating and the processes that use the DET ie. have been previously linked , will be highlighted.
  2. Use the 'flip' icon on the top menu and 'flip' the views so the Processes are on the LHS screen and the Data is on the RHS screen and fully expand both trees. Select 'filter mode' from the top menu. Highlight the DETs you wish to enquire on and select the /\ from the top menu and put a /\ next to each DET you want to check. The Processes that are linked to the DET will be 'flagged' and highlighted on the LHS.
  3. Use the 'flip' icon on the top menu and 'flip' the views so the Processes are on the LHS screen and the Data is on the RHS screen and fully expand both trees. Highlight the DET you want to enquire on (or if you want to enquire all of them then just position the cursor at the top of the Data Group tree). Then position the cursor at the top of the Process tree. Select the Report - Data Function List and the option "From Current Position". This report will report for each Data Group, RET and DET which processes use them and how the process uses it ie. Read only or Update.

If I want to create a link from a Process (EI) on the LH side, to an ILF on the RH side, and the EI updates *all* the DETs of the ILF, can I select only the node of the ILF, without its DETs, or have I to select all the DETs ? If the EI updates only 3 of 10 DETs, can I just select these 3 DETs?

If you link a process to an ILF or EIF (top level in the data group hierarchy) then SCOPE just records the link at the data group level. It makes no assumptions about lower level DETS. However if you link to a DET then SCOPE will then automatically link to the RET and Data Group that are the parents of the DET.

 If you want to provide more detail you can also link to the DETs that just cross the boundary for the Process and are not stored on a Permanent Data Group. Eg. Message DETs. We only use this capability for very detailed counts, where FPA is used to audit a supplier contract based on dollars per function point built. In these cases every function point counts and the supplier wants that level of detail for traceability.

Note: When we perform detailed counts (Level 1 Counts - see our white paper on "Levels of Counting") where we are required by the contract to link to every DET that crosses the boundary to its related process, we create two branches of Data Groups. The first one we call "Logical Files", the second "Transient Dets". This second Data Group is not really a Data Group as such but just records all the transient DETs that cross the boundary but are never stored on a logical file. eg. message DETs , Totals, Date ranges etc. This enables us to report on all the DETs used by a process. If you do not link the second Data Group branch to a process then it will not be classified as an ILF or EIF. When reporting the counts size you can exclude the "Transient Dets" Data Group by locating the Cursor on the "Logical Files" Data Group and reporting from the Current Branch downwards.

Use the Function Data Report to list all FTRs, RETs, DETs linked to any process.

However you will find that for most counts you can just list the Processes and Data Groups on each tree or for extra traceability you can link the processes to the data at the Data Group Level.

Do I have to link the Data Groups to my processes in order for them to be included in the count?

SCOPE will only ‘count’ Data Groups and Processes that have had their ‘type’ defined. Ie. ILF, EIF , EI, EO, or EQ. If you only insert the Data Groups in the data tree then they are ‘undefined" until you define their type in one of two ways.

  1. Link the data group to a process or a function on the function tree or just to the top of the function tree. As soon as you link the data group,
    2. SCOPE assumes it is updated and therefore counts it as an ILF. If the file is only ‘Referenced’ ie. Read Only, then select the data group and using the RHS mouse button right click to select "Access Type" , "Read Only". If this is the only link for the file then the Icon will change immediately to that of an EIF (Notepad Icon) . If another process linked to the data group updates the data group then its type will be retained as an ILF.
  2. Highlight the data group and at the bottom of the screen of the opposing window select the details tab. Select "user select" under DG Result Source radio buttons and choose whether the data group is an ILF or EIF under the Data Group Type radio buttons.

    3. For better 'cataloguing' of your Data Groups create Data Group Folders then group 'like' Data Groups as children under the Folder.

    More Information? Contact SCOPE Support
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