"Structural and production documentation archive" - HyperDoc demonstration database

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Database (8,80MB)

Introduction

HyperDoc is a program that can be used to create an archive of documentation according to user requirements. The "Structural and production documentation archive" demonstration database shows capability of HyperDoc in creating an archive of structural and production documentation of mechanical devices assembled from proprietary produced and externally delivered parts. Additional possibilities of fast and easy ways of searching and gathering information from database are also shown.

1. Advantages of electronic archive

An electronic archive has a lot of advantages over traditional methods of plans and paper documents preservation:

documents are safe: due to backups copies an unrecoverable loss any of them is not possible;
a searching process of a single document or group of documents that match the specified criteria is fast;
an access to a document is easy: a lot of users can access the same document(s) concurrently;
an easy way of copying a whole document or any part of it;
preserving cost of single document is low.

2. HyperDoc concept

An electronic archive of HyperDoc is based on three components:

a hierarchical structure of documents management;
logical documents;
document content.

A hierarchical structure of document management is used for grouping documents in the way that make searching of them extremely easy. It is due to attributes that are assigned to any hierarchy element and make simple the identification process of it. A logical document is a description of particular document of a specified type that consists of attributes. As in previous case they make searching the logical document easy. The logical document is accompanied with a document content. HyperDoc enable preserving documentation in a form of scanned documents (plans, drawings, texts, faxes), vector drawings and the other electronic documents.

The base advantage of HyperDoc is adaptability of archive's structure to user requirements. The hierarchical structure of document management, types of logical documents and its attributes are configured according to these requirements. The system is opened so specialized functions that perform specific clients tasks can be implemented. The user interface of HyperDoc is also fully configured. It means that set of available commands is adapted to a user profile. HyperDoc can also use data from outside databases that are supplied by the user.

The wide scope of HyperDoc functions enables using the mechanical designs from the archive to create a specialized, graphical data base applications. This type of application uses the concept of graphical visualization of data base objects, e.g. parts that are described in data base are represented on assembly drawings. Applications that use graphical visualization make data searching and presenting easier.

3. "Devices" hierarchy - current technical documentation archive

"Devices" hierarchy contains archive of technical documentation of current projects. It is composed of two levels: assemblies and parts. Each of them can be accompanied with documents of the following types: drawing (assembly, constructional, electric layout, hydraulic scheme), picture, manufacturer's documentation, calculations, price lists.

Basic archive involved operations:

3.1. Documents registration

HyperDoc enables attaching a document file or getting a document content directly from a scanner.

Examples:

1. Logical document creation:

A logical document - as HyperDoc introduces it - is a description of particular document that enables searching for this document according to specified attributes concerned with the document itself. To create logical document, choose "New Document" command from "Document" menu. Then choose type of document and fill form by attributes that are appropriate for the document being attached.

2. Attaching a drawing on a form:

The document itself can be attached in few ways. "Attach file" command is the first and the easiest one. It can be found on popup menu that is displayed after right mouse click on the previously crated logical document. The command is available if you have been clicked on the document with no file attached. "Attach Scanned Drawing..." command is the second way. Use it to scan a document and insert the result in the HyperDoc database.

HyperDoc has a special module that enables attaching a great number of documents. It is extremely useful in the situations when an already existing, traditional archive is being moved to the electronic media.

3.2. Documents searching:

The main HyperDoc job is aiding the process of efficient documents searching. HyperDoc makes accessible a lot of intuitive ways of documents searching that are based on "click to find" technique.

Examples:

Find out all constructional drawings concerned with the device

Select the assembly that constructional drawings are to be searched for. On the menu "Object" choose "Mark subtree" command. It selects all objects laying in the hierarchy below the selected assembly (its parts). In the documents list window the list of all documents that are attached to selected objects is displayed. Choose "Drawings" tab of the documents list window to display all drawings connected to the device. Then click column header "Drawing type" and sort drawings by type; all constructional drawings will be listed together.

Find out all stock parts

If you want to find out objects of certain type or that match some criteria you can use find object function. Let us suppose that we want to find out all stock parts manufactured by Mannesmann Rexroth. First choose the "Find objects..." command from "Edit" menu. Then in dialog window that appears on screen, select Class: Stock part, Field: Manufacturer, and write in the field Find what: Mannesmann Rexroth. Choosing "Find first" searches and selects in hierarchy first object with desired criteria.

To visualize searching results the window of Object Infoscope can be used. It displays the hierarchy that consists only of objects matching specified criteria. After you have been asked question about stock parts manufactured by Mannesmann Rexroth create new set of objects using the "New object set" button. Then choose "Object Infoscope..." command on "View" menu, to see the hierarchy that looks similar to "Devices" hierarchy but is limited to stock parts manufactured by Mannesmann Rexroth and all their parents. You can navigate through the objects that are displayed in Infoscope window in the similar manner as in the hierarchy window.

Find out all pictures made by Mr. Godala

Choose "All" tab in documents' list window. From "Edit" menu, choose "Find Documents..." command. On the dialog that is displayed choose Document Type:Picture, Field:Author and in Find what box write down "Godala". Now it is time to decide if we want searching for Mr. Godala pictures of certain objects, e.g. assemblies or parts, or all the pictures in database that are made by him. In the first case select objects of interest, in "Scope" section of "Find Documents" window choose "Find in the Current Domain" option, and then use "Find First/Find Next" commands to display found objects. In the second case in "Scope" section of "Find Documents" window choose "Find in All Domains" option. If you choose "Pictures" tab in documents' list window, parameters of found documents are displayed concurrently.

It is possible to create a set that consists of all found documents. You can use the set later to review the documents. To create the set, choose on "Find Documents" dialog window "New Docs Set" command. To review documents from the active set reset the document display mode to "Document Set". You can do it by "Document Set" command that is available on "View" menu. It is possible to save the set on a disk.

3.3. Printing

HyperDoc offers advanced possibilities of scanned and vector drawing printing. Printing utilizes concept of a printing template. It is a special drawing that defines a layout of printing page. The printing template defines placement of printed document on the printing page; it can contain a standard border and some data that are taken dynamically from the database.

Example:

On "Tools" upper menu choose "Option", and then "Printing Template" command. Check if a printing template is already chosen. If no, choose picture-A4.tvd printing template file that is in the Templates directory of demo database. Choose a document for printing, e.g. Device: Hydraulic assembly, Stock Part: Proportional cut-off valve; then select "Print Preview" command. In Document View window the picture of cut-off valve, placed inside of template borders, is displayed. Data taken from the database, e.g. a drawing name, a floor name and the other, e.g. current date and scale of a current drawing view are also displayed. Click the right mouse button on the picture to choose another extents and placement of printing document ("Define Printing Window" command) or to change a drawing orientation from portrait to landscape or vice versa. After setting desired printing parameters the document may be printed on any printer that is defined in Window system.

3.4. Documents security

Any user that use the archive can be assigned document access rights and some other rights that defines a set of operations which he can perform on archive. Some rights can be also assigned to a document. They defined what kind of rights a user has to be assigned to have an access to this document.

A HyperDoc administrator can assigned any set data base access rights to a user. On "Tools" menu choose "User Permissions" commands. On a dialog window that is displayed you can choose any user (from those registered in HyperDoc database) and assigned to him any set of access rights (from those accessible in this window).

4. Advanced HyperDoc possibilities

4.1. Publishing documents via Internet

It is possible to publish documents' archive to Internet via special HyperDoc module. Due to this module, field or affiliated workers can gain remote access to that archive; public accessibility of database resources is also possible. You may get acquainted with Internet version of HyperDoc at tessel.com.

4.2. Integration with existing database applications

HyperDoc may be integrated with other existing database applications, extending its possibilities with graphical presentation. Successful integration of HyperDoc with commercial applications for facilities management from Norway and Germany may serve as an example.

Other demos

Database (8,80MB)

Last modified: 2010-06-23

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