Category: FAQ

Cradle provides two mechanisms to make protected copies of information, baselines and snapshots. Here we explain what each mechanism does, so you can decide if either or both of them will be helpful in your project. We also explain how each mechanism affects the overall size of your databases, and how they may affect the performance that you experience as you use your databases.

What is a Baseline?

Baselines is the mechanism in Cradle’s Configuration Management System (CMS) to protect information from changes. It is a named repository for the state of a system at a specific point in time. A succession of baselines can be created over the life of a project, each containing more and more information as the project completes its sprints, iterations or phases.

Creating Baselines

Each baseline has a unique name and some optional details:

Items can be registered into an open baseline and are given a version number: 01, 02, 03 …. The version number assigned to each item is either 01 if there are no baselined instances of that item, or it is 1 higher than the highest version already in the database.

When the baseline is closed:

• Unchanged items from the previous baseline migrate into (become a part of) the new baseline
• A copy of all current links (cross references) is saved with the baseline
• A list of the latest items and their versions is saved for the baseline

Migration of Items

Keeping a list of the initial contents of each baseline is important. It does not duplicate the items, rather it creates a list of the items that were in the baseline when it was closed. In the future, any of these items can migrate out of the baseline they were registered into and become part of a new baseline if they have not been superseded by a new version of the item that has already been registered into that new baseline. Therefore, at that future time, items that were marked as being part of one baseline will become marked as being part of a different, newly closed, baseline. The lists created when baselines are closed ensure that it is always possible to know what was part of a baseline when it was originally closed.

For example

A baseline A is created with items I1 and I2, both of which will be version 01. So the database contains:

• Item I1, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A
• Item I2, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A

If item I1 is to be changed, then a new instance of the item will be created and the database will contain:

• Item I1, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A
• Item I1, version 01, draft A, baseline <empty>
• Item I2, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A

When the modified item I1 is registered into a new baseline B, the database will contain:

• Item I1, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A
• Item I1, version 02, draft <empty>, baseline B
• Item I2, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A

When the new baseline B is closed, the unchanged item I2 will migrate into baseline B and the database will contain:

• Item I1, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A
• Item I1, version 02, draft <empty>, baseline B
• Item I2, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline B

If a new item I3 is created and item I1 is changed again and a new baseline C is created, and the items are registered into it and the baseline is closed, then the unchanged item I2 will migrate into the new baseline and the database will contain:

• Item I1, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline A
• Item I1, version 02, draft <empty>, baseline B
• Item I1, version 03, draft <empty>, baseline C
• Item I2, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline C
• Item I3, version 01, draft <empty>, baseline C

The database will have lists of the original contents of the baselines. In this example, these lists will be:

• Baseline A:
  • Item I1, version 01
  • Item I2, version 01
• Baseline B:
  • Item I1, version 02
  • Item I2, version 01
• Baseline C:
  • Item I1, version 03
  • Item I2, version 01
  • Item I3, version 01

Having these lists preserved means that Cradle can restore a previous baseline if required.

Using Baselines

The latest baseline is automatically available. It provides read-only access to the latest version of all baselined items and the links between them.

You can use baseline mode to browse a previous baseline read-only:

In baseline mode, you see only the items and links that were in effect when your chosen baseline was closed. So you are looking at the database as it was in the past, potentially many months or years ago. Everything that you see (including queries, matrices, graphs, pivot tables and published documents) uses that old baseline.

Database Effects

Creating baselines increases the size of your database which affects its performance:

• Each baseline adds new versions of changed items, but reuses unchanged items from previous baselines
• Creates a copy of all active links

Over time, having many baselines will:

• Slightly increase the number of items in searches, reducing query performance
• Greatly increase the time to follow cross-references, reducing the performance of queries and views, and a wide variety of other database operations, including reordering, split and merge, finding and filtering linked items for traceability/coverage views, reports and documents

In a notable example, a database with ~60,000 active links had over 41,000,000 total links due to over 650 baselines. This slowed all link-related operations as Cradle had over 650 instances of each link from which to isolate the links to be used.

What is a Snapshot?

A snapshot is a copy of all the information in a database. Its contents can be viewed, read-only, at any time in the future. A succession of snapshots can be created over the life of a project. In effect, a snapshot is simply an online backup, a copy of a database.

Creating Snapshots

Each snapshot has a unique name and some optional details:

A snapshot is a copy of an entire database. When a snapshot is created, everything in a database, including all its baselines and definitions (excluding Personal and System scope) is copied into a separate area. Every snapshot is separate from all other snapshots and separate from the live database.

Creating a snapshot is similar to making a backup copy of the database, except that this backup is directly accessible from within Cradle.

Using Snapshots

You can select a snapshot to browse read-only:

When you select a snapshot, Cradle is no longer working in the live database, but instead it is working in your chosen snapshot (copy) of that database. Everything that you see (including queries, matrices, graphs, pivot tables and published documents) is in that copy of the database.

Since a snapshot is a copy of an entire database, a snapshot can contain baselines. Therefore, you can:

• Select a snapshot
• Enter baseline mode in that snapshot

Database Effects

Creating a database has no effect on the size of a database since it simply takes a copy of that entire database, whatever it is, and including all of its baselines and definitions.

Since it copies everything, more disk space will be used by creating a snapshot of a database than when a new baseline is created inside that database. However, the number of items and links inside the snapshot are the same as the numbers inside the original database.

Baselines vs Snapshots

* for acronyms, please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_review_(U.S._government) and other similar sources.

Many of us spend long periods of time working at our computer screens. Consequently, eye strain can become a serious problem. Also, we can sometimes be more productive if we can maximise the amount of information shown. Hence, changing the text size used in the Cradle UI can help in both of these cases, and in several other situations as well.

Maximised Data Display Area

Read articles covering how to maximise the screen area available to display information or drawings.

For comparison, if you use all of the tips described in that other blog post, the UI will have a maximised data display area and will appear like this:

Increase Text Size

You can increase the size of text used in the UI by setting the Text size user preference to Large:

You must re-start WorkBench after making this change.

Using the larger text, the above query and view will be shown like this:

Decrease Text Size

You can decrease the size of text used in the UI by setting the Text size user preference to Small:

You must re-start WorkBench after making this change.

Using the smaller text, the above query and view will be shown like this:

Uses

Cradle provides several options to maximise the screen area used to display information. You can change a user preference to change the size of text used throughout the UI.

You can use these in combination to:

• Simply see bigger text and reduce the risk of eye strain
• Reduce the risk of eye strain and also maximise the display area so you do not reduce the amount of information shown in the UI
• Use smaller text because you are using a low display resolution and Cradle is using text that is needlessly large for your display
• Reduce the size of text and also maximise the display area because you have a large screen and good eyesight and you must have the maximum possible data visible, particularly when you are using multiple panes to display multiple sets of information at the same time

Data Storage

There are a number of different storage types in Cradle.  These relate to where the data is held and how it is accessed. This article outlines the different storage in Cradle and explains when and where you may consider using it. Whilst there are some compelling reasons to hold certain data in certain ways, others can be a matter of choice.

For example if you want to add a URL to your item, there is no point trying to store the data inside Cradle this is, by its very nature, an As Reference storage type. On the other hand a binary word processor document could easily be stored inside the Cradle Database or as a reference to an external file on the rest of the company’s network. In this case it could depend whether the file needed to be accessed from outside Cradle or whether it was shared by multiple Cradle projects

Frames

Within an item data is either held in the main indexed database fields, such as ID, name, key or a category, or in associated frames. These frames are defined as part of the project’s schema to hold different types of data. There are a large number of predefined types and the ability to define your own.

Base Types

These are the fundamental type  of data we expect to see in the frame. They may be presented in different ways to the user. For example a plain text based frame can be shown in Forms and Views and read directly on the screen. The same is true for basic images. However, a word processor document is held as a binary frame and viewed within whichever application your company uses. A CAD sketch would not be directly visible in Cradle, but could still be stored in the item and viewed with an external program.

These are the fundamental and abstract data types offered in Cradle

• Text
• Binary
• Image
• URL
• Category Picklist
• Category Multiple Picklist
• RTF
• Date
• Time
• Integer
• Positive Integer
• Real

Storage Types

Each of the above types can be stored in Cradle in one or more ways. Some storage in Cradle, such as a date, make no real sense to store in more than one manner, the URL as mentioned or a date would not make sense to be stored in a file!

• In PDB
• As File
• By Command
• As Reference
• Referenced File from Item

Storage Matrix

This shows the combinations of base type and storage in Cradle that are possible. More information in Cradle help.

Benefits and Usage

In PDB (Project DataBase)

✔ Frame data stored in the database is inherently linked to the database item that owns it. It is controlled in the same way as all the other fields of data (name, category, group, description, etc.). This means it can be imported and exported as part of the item. Text frames can form part of a query. Images, text and RTF can be displayed in-line. They move through the CM (configuration management) system with the item. Different revisions of the frame form part of the item’s history, and can be rewound.
✗Not ideal for very large data, e.g. video. Not externally accessible.

As File

✔ Frame data stored in a file is loosely linked to the item that owns it. Date and access times are remembered by Cradle so changes to the file can be highlighted. Great for large files. Other users can access the information externally to Cradle if they have access to a common file directory. Can be accessed through Cradle and item is locked while file is being edited as if it were part of the item.
✗Not directly controlled within Cradle, nothing to prevent the external file being removed or deleted. Can’t be rewound.

By Command

✔ Frame data is held in an external environment under an identity, the item stores this identity, and uses Get and Set commands to move the data between the environment and a temporary file where it can be operated on.
✗Not directly controlled within Cradle, nothing to prevent the external file being removed or deleted. Can’t be rewound.

As Reference

✔ Frame data stored anywhere and only loosely linked to the database item. Ideal for large resources such as Intranet pages. Ideal for information that is expected to change outside Cradle and be accessed by others. Cradle does not wait when viewing or editing.
✗ This is not considered storage in Cradle so there is no CM or rewind available. No control over alterations.

Referenced File from Item

✔ Frame data is held in a frame of a different item whose identity (PDUID and frame name) is stored in the current item. When the frame is accessed via a View the user is editing the common shared data held by the referenced item. This provides a method of reuse, allowing multiple items to directly access a data component of a different item. The ‘host’ item and the frame data follow normal CM operations.
✗Not ideal storage in Cradle for very large data, e.g. video. Not externally accessible.

Setting Up a Frame Storage in Cradle

In this example of storage in Cradle, a frame will be set up to hold a word processor document, internally (in pdb), in a file (as file), and in another item (referenced file from item).

Frame Setup

First set up a set of frames for each storage type and set commands on how to view and edit the file.

Frame Assignments

Ensure the items you want have these frames assigned. In this example the Feature has all three types and the Reference item has just the stored in pdb.

Usage

When the file types are set up the data can be imported into the item using the frame button and import Content… this brings the document into the item and it can be stored in the database. It can then be viewed and edited from the same button. In this illustration the Design Notes and Legal Requirements and have been stored in in this way.

The Company Design Standards are held in one directory for every project to access. The illustration links to this as file from where it can be viewed or edited.

Finally the Reference item holds the Legal Requirements document so that it is under formal control. However, other linked items can access this file directly, without having to open the holding item. Their frame is an alias for the data held by the other item.