The Topobase Insiders

Oracle Data Import

Autodesk Topobase 2010 provides a tool to migrate data among Oracle schemas. The source schema could be any Oracle schema; the target schema is a Topobase schema.

The user interface of the tool displays the tables of the source and target schemas; therefore it is easy for the user to link them.  The lookup tables or domains can also be easily linked. The tool provides automatic options to link the tables and fields.  As a result, the tool creates SQL statements for the migration, creates SQL Loader files or makes the inserts through the API. 

In this first post, I’d like to show you how to enable a Topobase document for import and I will explain you the interface of the tool.  In the next posts, I will show you how to link domains and feature classes.

First, you need to enable the Oracle data import extension in the document.  In Topobase Administrator, select the document, and in the Document Settings toggle on Oracle data import extension.

Click Save.  The document is updated and the system tables for the import (TB_MIG_*) are created in the document.

Now you have an additional option in the Import menu. Select Import > Oracle Data. The Source Document window is displayed, the target document is your current document (i.e. ATORAMIG).  Enter the name of the source document for the import (in this example SIMROSEWATER).

Click Ok.  In the Import Oracle Data window, click New and enter a name for the mapping definition.

In the individual tabs you can link the domains and feature classes.  On the left-side you see the source tables displayed and on the right-side you see the target feature classes.  You have the option to link, unlink, do automatic links or copy the tables, attributes or domains in the target document.

 

In the next posts I will show you examples on how to link domains and feature classes.

Starting the third year

In 10 days the Topobase Insiders blog celebrates it's second anniversary. The first post has been published on the June 6th in 2007 and it was about increasing the productivity. You can find it here. If you are interested in other former posts try out the archive or the search on the right hand side.

We also took the opportunity and refurbished the design of the blog. We hope you'll like it! Feedback is of course welcome.

Andreas, Derrick and Jeff would like to thank you and all the other visitors and readers of this blog!

Extending the 1-Click Maintenance

Some days ago I published the 1-Click Maintenance plug-in here. I promised that I will also provide the source code. Here we go: Download source code (171.2K)

 

If you are not a programmer you can stop reading. For all the others, you're welcome to take a look at the C# project and maybe even extend it...? Extending the plug-in is not that hard. And I know you already have some new database checks in your mind which you want to see in action.

So here is what you have to do in order to implement and run your own checks. Open the project in Visual Studio 2008 and locate the class SampleCheck:

class SampleCheck : DatabaseCheck, IFixable

The sample check gives you an idea what is necessary for a new database check. Just copy and paste this class or extend it. First you have to define the title and the description of the new database check. Then you have to implement the Analyze method, that's where the real logic is located:

public override void Analyze(IStatusDisplay statusDisplay)

Within the Analyze you probably find some issues, just add them to the Results list. If you need to show a message to the user don't show a message box, instead use the Messages property. One reason for that is that we don't want to interrupt the process and it also has to run in batch mode.

If your check can also fix the found issues you can implement the IFixable interface for your class. This should add a new method called Fix:

public void Fix(IStatusDisplay statusDisplay)

Within the Fix method make sure you iterate through the Results and fix one after the other. Keep in mind that the user might disable some results, so check the Active property of the result (result.Active). Also in this method you can log messages and errors in the Messages property.

After you have finished implementing your database check class you have to add it to the Controller. Locate the Controller.InitializeChecks() method and add a new instance of your class there.

That's it. If you need more detailed information take a look at the other database checks.

In order to compile and run the plug-in you have to set the correct reference path for the Topobase related assemblies (go to Project - Properties - Reference Paths) and the correct build path (Project - Properties - Build - Ouput path). 

Finally select the Topobase 2010 Administrator executable to start and debug the plug-in (Project - Properties - Debug - Start external program).

You are welcome to send me any feedback (or new database checks :-)

Thanks!

AUTODESK DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DOWNLOAD OR IMPLEMENT ANY SAMPLE CODE. SAMPLE CODE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE TO YOU. AUTODESK PROVIDES SAMPLE CODE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL AUTODESK OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF DATA, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, THAT MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTING OR USING ANY SAMPLE CODE, EVEN IF AUTODESK OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

1-Click Maintenance

We created a new Topobase plug-in for you! It's called 1-Click Maintenance and can be downloaded below.
 
The tool performs some very basic maintenance checks and if possible tries to fix the found issues.
As you will see, most of these checks can already be executed within the Topobase Client or Administrator, but not all of them in one single place. And that’s exactly the goal of this plug-in. I hope it can also help you maintaining your Topobase documents on a regular basis!

The tool is implemented as a plug-in for the Topobase Administrator and it works with the official Topobase 2010 version. The tool runs against any Topobase document, no matter which modules or extensions are applied. It also works against job-enabled and job-disabled documents.

But before you run the plug-in, please make sure no user is connected to this document. And make sure you have an up-to-date backup of your documents before you start fixing the issues.
 
You find all the detailed information about the tool and how to run it in the readme:

Download Readme (884.3K)

Download Plug-in (136.5K)

Maybe you know other pitfalls within a Topobase document which are not yet addressed by this tool? If yes, you will be able to implement new checks! I will share the full source code of this tool soon. Stay tuned! 

Disclaimer (we give no support for this tool):
AUTODESK PROVIDES THIS PROGRAM "AS IS" AND WITH ALL FAULTS.
AUTODESK SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE.  AUTODESK, INC. DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE.

How to develop a new Topobase Administrator page

Since a few releases it's possible to not only extend the Topobase Client and Web applications with own plug-ins. Developers can now also extend the Topobase Administrator with new functionality. The easiest way to do that is to create a new DocumentAdminPage or an ApplicationAdminPage. The only difference between them is wether they relate to one document or not. All the AdminPages are listed in the tree on the left side of the Topobase Administrator. Of course , the DocumentAdminPages are not loaded and displayed until the user opens a workspace with at least one document.

I'll show you a step by step guide how to develop such a DocumentAdminPage.

After you have setup a new solution and project you can add a new class inherited from DocumentAdminPage:

 public partial class MyAdminPage : DocumentAdminPage

The DocumentAdminPage is in the namespace Topobase.Forms.Desktop:

 using Topobase.Forms.Desktop;

Within the constructor you have to set the name of your DocumentAdminPage:

 this.Text = "myAdminPage";

Please note that within the constructor you don't have access to the Document or the Connection instance.

If you would like to access an open Topobase connection you have to catch the event ActivatedFirstTime. Therefore open your DocumentAdminPage in the designer, in the properties window of the MyAdminPage switch to the Events and double click the ActivatedFirstTime event. Visual Studio now generates a new method where you can implement your initialization logic.

 private void MyAdminPage_ActivatedFirstTime(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 }

Like for every other plug-in you also need a TBP file to let Topobase know that there is a new plug-in available. Within the new TBP file add the following node:

  <DocumentAdminPage ClassName="MyAdminPage" />

That's it. You should now be able to compile the DLL and copy it together with the TBP to the Topobase Administrator bin directory and test it. If that doesn't work try to download the following sample project. I have developed it in C# against the released version of Topobase 2010 (7.00.41).

Download MyAdminPage.zip (7.2K)

I plan to provide more How-To posts in the next couple of weeks to show you step by step how to develop a nice AdminPage.