ProductWriter News

7th January 2010 

 

Release 20.00 Coming Soon!

 

The annual release of ProductWriter and the Run Time Environment will be available at the end of January.  It brings a number of exciting enhancements to ProductWriter and the Run Time Environment.  Some of the main additions and improvements are described below:

 

 

 

ProductWriter
 

 

 

 

 

XML Test Case Files

 

The testing tools (Test Scheme editor, Interactive Debugger, Batch Testing and Spreadsheet Import/Export) have been enhanced to support ProductWriter XML test case files. This time saving feature now gives users working with XML dictionaries a way of creating and changing ProductWriter test cases without the need to export and import before use.

 

Repository

 

The repository now supports the storage of user documents for schemes and products. This may be used to store all the documents relating to a scheme or product such as specifications, change requests and test results etc in one convenient location.

 

A handy search facility has also been added to allow the repository product or scheme branch to be searched by keyword or phrase.

 

Rules Editor

 

The increasing and decreasing of date properties, using year, months or days, within ProductWriter has been enhanced. Users can now increase or decrease a date based on a value held in a numeric property.

 

Another useful addition to the Rules Editor includes support for the standard Windows Copy to Clipboard function. Statements can now be copied to the Windows clipboard, making it easier to document rules in specifications or change requests.

 

Other additions include a visual indicator to show when a rule or condition is collapsed and the ability to view the contents of a statement within a read only scheme.

 

Dictionary Generator

 

There have been a number of important changes to the Dictionary Generator for this release. In particular the support for code lists outside of schema. The Dictionary Generator will now create short lists for external lists which contain less than 5000 values. This change enables ProductWriter to support the latest versions of the Polaris industry standard schemas.  These schemas do not contain embedded code list values. Instead, all code values are held in external files that are referenced by the schemas.

 

To improve security for XML dictionary forms printing, the ProductWriter parameter file now supports a Security Printing element. This section is used by the dictionary generator to define the properties to be used in the forms security background.

 

A Double Pass transaction is now generated during Schema dictionary creation. This is to assist users who wish to process MTA transactions on Schema Dictionaries.

 

Also included in this release is the ability to specify, during dictionary generation, the version number of a virtual dictionary stored in the repository.

 

64K List Support

 

ProductWriter (and the RTE) has been enhanced to support lists with more than 64,000 values. A sample dictionary containing a list with over 64,000 values, is available from the Service Desk should an integrator wish to test their integration.

 

Tables Editor

 

The Tables Editor has been enhanced to include a “Find” facility which will allow users to search for a value in a Text table.

 

Groups Editor

 

In the Groups Editor, the “View By” functionality is now supported for read only schemes.

 

Import/Export

 

In this release, the ProductWriter Group/Table Import and Export functionality has been enhanced to support the use and validation of header information in the csv file. The Group and Table export utilities now include an option to export with the additional header information added to start of the csv file. This has been designed to allow easier transfer of data from external sources such as EMB Rate Assessor.

 

User Guide

 

Further information for Release 20.00 changes will be found in the ProductWriter User Guide. The User Guide is distributed as part of the ProductWriter release. Pages / Sections that are new or have had significant changes made to them are identified by a red star on the page icon.

 

 

 

Run Time Environment (RTE)
 

XRTE

 

For added security, the XRTE has been enhanced to prevent generated form PDF files being edited with Adobe Acrobat or similar tools.

 

 

 

 

 

Upgrading to Release 20.00

 

Advice on how to upgrade to Release 20.00 RTE within an integration is provided with the release.  Release 20.00 of the RTE is backwards compatible with schemes developed at Release 19.xx and all earlier ProductWriter releases.

 

 

 

General Information     
 

 

Effect on Existing Products and Dictionaries

 

Existing products are not affected by this release and will operate as they do now.  The look and feel of ProductWriter is largely unchanged, however a number of usability enhancements have been made throughout. Where new functionality has been added, care has been taken to ensure that the user interface remains consistent.

 

Dictionaries from June 2010 onwards will be distributed in Release 20.00 format. This will be PMC82.0, HOU67.2, CML56.1 and IPM44.0.  It will be necessary for both ProductWriter users and Integrators to upgrade to Release 20.00 by this date in order to use these dictionaries.  Dictionaries distributed prior to this date will be compatible with both Release 19.xx and Release 20.00.

 

 

ProductWriter Release 20.00 Training

 

We are currently assessing demand for a special training course for using new functionality in Release 20.00. This one day workshop will cover all enhancements made to Release 20.00. Please contact the service desk should you be interested in such a course.

 

Upcoming Events

 

Polaris will be holding a ProductWriter user day following the ProductWriter Release. Dates and further information will be sent out soon.

 

 

Contact us

 

For any questions please contact the service desk on 0845 456 1956 or email Polaris_uk@logica.com.