We are sometimes asked if it is possible to export the contents of individual baselines. Most commonly for baselines that have been closed in the past. The short answer is yes, and here’s how:
Select the Review tab, then ‘Set Mode’ and choose the baseline to be exported
Select the Project tab, then ‘Export’ and specify the type(s) of information to export and set the owner to ‘Project’
Specify an output filename and any other options needed, and select ‘Export’
Note: You should NOT try to import information into old baselines. This is because:
You could easily create inconsistencies in baseline histories that could also prevent the Configuration Management System (CMS) from working correctly
It breaks the principles of good CM and your formal CM process
A formal document is a document with special significance to you. When you publish a formal document, it appears in the ‘formal documents’ list in the UI. You can open the formal document in Word, compare it to other formal documents and other versions of the same formal document, and see the items that were published inside it. You can select items and see in which formal documents they have been published, so if the items change, you know which formal documents to re-issue.
When you publish a document from Document Publisher, you choose to publish it, or to publish it as a ‘formal document’. You use the same template in both cases. When you publish your template as a formal document, you can:
Specify a name to identify the formal document
Specify an issue (eg Draft A), issue date (eg 20160102) and a reference (eg ABC/DEF001-01) unique across all formal documents.
You can use these values inside the template, for example so they appear on the cover page. When Document Publisher publishes a formal document, uses the template in the same way as when it is published as a normal document, but also:
Updates the ‘document register’ that records all versions of all formal and source documents
Saves the formal document in the database
Records the instances (versions etc) of all items published in that version of the formal document
A new formal document is version 1. Later, you can publish a new version of that same document, which will be version 2, and so on.
“Urm, Yes…., I think so, I’ll just check with packaging”
“If you could just include your conformance report with the consignment, that would be great”
“Report, yes, I’ll add one…”
Conformance Checker
“Great, that just gives my team the confidence that everything from the mechanical safety standards to the power unit’s supply duration are all up to scratch. We’re happy to pay the extra for a fast courier if that means they will be here tomorrow”
“Mmm, power unit! urm, I’ll get on to it… Bye”
Dissecting the problem
Oh dear, wasn’t it clear that the power unit was part of the sourcing deal? Did you just forget? What was the required duration? Where can I source 300 on a Thursday afternoon?
Managing a supply chain is just like managing the individual requirements of an in-house project. Just because you don’t manufacture each item doesn’t mean you don’t have to manage its specification, purchase and conformance. Changes to your customer’s original specification need to be managed all along the chain. That’s only possible if the links are clearly defined.
By importing your customer’s original documentation as a set of requirements, creating items from your supplier’s specifications and linking them together you can ensure complete coverage of your project’s vital obligations.
Trace and control your customer’s needs with your supplier’s products, commodities, crops or services and ensure you’re not the weakest link in the supply chain.
3SL would like to wish all our customers, partners and suppliers a happy and fruitful 2017.
We hope you are all back to work and busy using Cradle-7.1.2 for your design, requirements management. If you’ve not got the latest version for the start of the year head over to www.threesl.com, login to your account and download it from the Software part of the Resources area in our website here.
If you install Cradle-7.1.2 clients don’t forget to update the server too and visa versa!
Role for RM and SE Tools
We obviously love the fact that Cradle is used on such a diverse set of projects within a huge range of companies. Some customers have fully embraced integrated thinking and manage every aspect of their project with appropriate tools. However, we also know there are pockets of Cradle being used in isolation in engineering departments and disparate projects dotted around our customers’ sites, where unfortunately the wider organisation, their suppliers and customers are just not as tuned into well balanced control and design.
If you find yourself in that situation you may like to use the details in our set of white papers dealing with the uses of information systems in engineering. A paper dealing with the role of RM and SE tool scan be seen here.
Agile Controls
3SL in Australia is distributed by our new partners at Agile Controls.
We are thrilled to announce they have recently signed up their first major customer, we wish them continued success in 2017 and look forward to supporting Cradle’s ‘down under’.
Sometimes you don’t have time to digest all the information in a newsletter. 3SL often tweet simple usage tips that can make a difference when learning all the capabilities of Cradle.
For example:
Confused about which symbol is which? Hover to see a tool tip or select Draw button from Tools ribbon.
When you need a static intranet version of your project, a version you can place on a CD or pen-drive and ship then consider Cradle’s Web Publisher. This allows you to publish your project to a linked set of html pages that can be packaged up and sent to anyone with a browser. You could of course publish parts as a paper report, or as a more complete document with Document Publisher. However, the simplicity of being click a symbol on a diagram and be taken to the specification behind it provides a simple way to share your data with other parties. Of course if you are able to enlighten your customer or supplier, then 3SL will happily demonstrate the full benefits of Cradle and then you can share exports or a common project database.
In Cradle you can define Rule Sets for your Item Types which can be used in a number of ways. You are able to auto set a category based on your rules. Your formula, for example, could produce a RAG (Red Amber Green) risk report from two categories such as Probability and Impact categories.
Use Rulesets to set coloured Categories
However, you’re not just limited to red, amber and green. If you can define a rule and pick a colour, there’s a rainbow of possibilities.
During installation, some customers see messages that the Visual Studio 2015 C++ Runtime cannot be installed, or cannot be found, or they cannot install their Security Code, or none of the Cradle servers or tools will start. All of these issues mean that the Windows C runtime is not installed and runnable. All parts of Cradle use this library. The library will only install and run if all the necessary Windows updates are installed. However, the library does not ‘tell Windows’ which updates it needs.
Solution
To fix these issues, you must install Windows updates. Since updates may allow other updates to install, you repeatedly install all Windows updates until no more will install. See the figure. Your installation may not display exactly as shown. You may have multiple versions of the library installed.
You can view your Windows updates. If you want a list of updates, start PowerShell as Administrator and paste this code:
During installation, some customers see messages that the .NET framework cannot be installed, or the currently-installed version cannot be found. Cradle needs the 4.6.1 or later release. We supply this version with Cradle-7.1 and later releases. All parts of the Cradle Toolsuite for Microsoft Office (including Document Loader, Document Publisher, SpellChecker, Project Link, Visio Link and so on) use .NET.
To fix these issues, you must install Windows updates. Since updates may allow other updates to install, you repeatedly install all Windows updates until no more will install. See the figure. Then install all remaining parts of Cradle. Your installation may not display exactly as shown. You may have multiple versions of the .NET framework installed.
Tired of having to change the colour of each symbol everytime you create one?
Well, it is possible to set the default colours for Cradle drawing symbols in the user preferences dialog. This can be over-ridden on a symbol by symbol basis using the colour palette or a colour set.
Below is a screenshot of where you can set symbol colours from preferences. Inside the symbol dialog along the menu ribbon. You can also select ‘Set colours’ which would change the colour of that symbol without having to go into preferences, making your life easier.
Set Symbol Colours
This enables you to completely customize your diagrams with as much or as little colour as possible. Using colour to co-ordindate your projects.
Article updated 05/12/2018 – Added an inroduction and conclusion
