When a query is run in WorkBench, the tool will return a list of the items matching the criteria specified.
As a Cradle database can contain any number of items of information a query could find 0 to 1 million items.
Items in Cradle Database
The time taken to find so many items could be excessive. Therefore, queries find and return items from the database in blocks. The default size of a block is 1000 items but can be extended to 8000 items in UI Control user preferences:
Retrieve Item Options in User Prefs
This means that when you run a query it will return at most N items.
Navigating between Blocks of Data
When the block is shown in the WorkBench UI, it is preceded by Previous… and followed by Next….
If you select these, then the query is re-run to find the next block or the previous block of items.
Query showing Previous optionQuery showing Next option
In this example, clicking the Next… option will retrieve the next set of items in the query:
Query showing items
Selecting Previous… again will return you to the previous block of items.
Reporting Items
If you are creating a report or publishing a document using a query, it is likely that you would NOT wish to be restricted by blocks of items.
Reports allow you to specify:
Selected items – items highlighted in the query
All items in this set – the block of N items
All matching items in database – the totality of items matching the query criteria
This newsletter contains a mixture of news and technical information about us, and our requirements management and systems engineering tool “Cradle”. We would especially like to welcome everyone who has purchased Cradle in the past month and those who are currently evaluating Cradle for their projects and processes.
We hope that 3SL and Cradle can deliver real and measurable benefits that help you to improve the information flow within, the quality and timeliness of, and the traceability, compliance and governance for, all of your current and future projects.
If you have any questions about your use of Cradle, please do not hesitate to contact 3SL Support.
Cyber Essentials Assessment
Certified for Cyber Essentials
We, Structured Software Systems Limited (3SL), have been successful in our re-assessment under the Cyber Essentials scheme for another year.
As a Government-backed, industry-supported scheme, Cyber Essentials aims to help organisations protect themselves against common online threats.
By being certified compliant with Cyber Essentials, you can be assured that 3SL’s IT systems have, at the very least, a secure Information Security Management System (ISMS) and a robust set of operating principles and controls to safeguard our, and our customers’ information.
ISO9001
3SL Certificate Number 16926 ISO 9001
3SL are proud to announce their fourth year recertification for ISO9001. The team working with the audit said we passed with flying colours and there were no non-conformances. This is a testimony to all who have helped throughout the year improving and recording our processes.
The ISO says of the scheme
“ISO 9001 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement). It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. In fact, there are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001. This standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement. These principles are explained in more detail in ISO’s quality management principles. Using ISO 9001 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good-quality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits.”
INCOSE
3SL are pleased to be advertising in the latest INCOSE members newsletter. You can find our latest publication here.
INCOSE Logo
3SL Inc SAM Registration
Our US partner, 3SL Inc, have successfully renewed their System for Award Management (SAM) registration for another year. This allows them to provide our products and services to the US government.
Happy Mothers Day
Mothers Day 2023 was on Sunday 19th March in the UK and Sunday 14th May in the USA. In other countries like Italy, Spain and Portugal, Sunday 19th March 2023 was Fathers Day where as the rest of the world, will celebrate it on June 18th 2023.
“Happy Mothers Day”
Happy Mothers Day
St Patricks Day
17th March marked St Patricks Day. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and St Patricks Day is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland although the day is celebrated all over the world.
3SL hope you all had a wonderful St Patricks Day.
Spring Time is Here!
On 20th March it was the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the southern hemisphere. This date marks the Astronomical spring equinox where as the Meterological spring started on the 1st of March.
Spring Time is Here
British Summer Time
Daylight savings begins on 26th March so remember the clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am here in the UK and throughout the EU. Let’s hope for a beautiful summer.
In certain situations, it may be necessary to stop a baseline from being closed if a condition has not been met. For example, if items have been registered in the baseline but items that are linked have not been.
Having this option set will ensure that all relevant data will appear in your completed baseline.
Open and Closed Baselines
Setting the Baseline Item Integrity Check
To set this option, navigate to the Configuration Management options in Project Setup and tick the Baseline Item Integrity Check option:
Baseline Option in Project Setup
You also have the ability to set a rule for the direction of the link/dependence:
All items linked to baselined items are also baselined (default option)
Baselined items’ source items are also baselined
Baselined items’ destination items are also baselined
Exclusions
You can also exclude item types or link types from being bound by this setting:
Excluded item and link types
Failing the Check
If any of the checks fail, an error message will be shown with a report showing the items that caused the close baseline operation to fail:
WorkBench has the ability to select multiple items and modify some attributes and categories using the Properties dialog.
Properties for Multiple Selected Items
However, what if you wanted to add data into selected item’s FRAMES?
In this example, we will show how this can be achieved using CSV export / import.
Adding data to multiple selected item FRAMES
Create a CSV File
Export your item type to CSV. You only need to map the default attributes Identity, Type, Draft and Version that are already pre-set. The other attributes/frames/categories do not need to be exported.Export Items Dialog
Setting Required Attributes
Open the CSV file in Excel and add a column representing the new frame. In this example, we are adding a new frame named TEST and adding the text “My Text” in this frame for all (or selected) items. You could, of course, add different text content for each of these cells.Add Frame Column to Excel
Add a Frame in your WorkBench Project
If you don’t already have the frame, you can add a new frame to the item type in Project Setup now. This is the frame where we will add content en bloc.
Frame Setup
Importing The CSV File
Select Import with the file type CSV and the required item type ensuring that the Overwrite option is set to Merge and press Import. Note also that there are options here to update the modification date / last modifier and also whether to add an entry to the items’ edit history.
Import OptionsImport Dialog
Map the fields ensuring that the added frame is mapped
CSV Fields
You will see that the new frame has been added with content for all items and the previous content remains intact
However, should you require additional assistance, reporting a bug or suggesting an enhancement, additions to our documentation etc, you can contact 3SL directly via Support Services:
3SL Support Services
Contacting 3SL
When seeking support, we suggest assigning a Cradle liaison/Project Administrator as the users’ first point of call as they should already have undergone some form of Cradle training. If this person cannot provide an answer, then our support team will be available to assist.
3SL Support Services
Technical Support Department is available 9am – 5pm GMT Monday to Friday but often also available outside of these hours via email support@threesl.com . Our landline is +44 (0)1229 838867.
Support Call Logging
When communicating with 3SL via email, we will initially assign you a call number and a support engineer to address any problems that you might have. Please provide as much information about this call as possible so we can quickly resolve the call without any misunderstanding. The details that we like to receive are:
Name and full contact details
Area of Cradle with the problem
Your perceived priority for the problem
Operating system information
Cradle version
Means of reproducing the problem
Screenshots, error logs and data (sanitised or raw) are especially welcome to allow us to quickly and easily reproduce any problems.
Any bug reports or enhancements will be tracked in our database and you will be informed when an update is available.
Web Meetings
Should there be any confusion or further information required about a call, you or 3SL may suggest a demonstration via a Web Meeting.
3SL generally uses GoTo Meeting as our meeting platform but we can also use your corporate default platform such as Microsoft Teams.
Cradle Training
3SL offers training courses in the administration and practical usage of Cradle as:
Online “public” training interspersed throughout the year
On-site or online “private” training
These training courses cover subject areas such as:
