6.6 Beyond Modelling

All the standard application features are defined in a model; the generator uses that to build the application.

However, you may want to change the generator operation, or even enhance it. This section describes the pieces involved in creating the application and how you can change them.

6.6.1  The Pieces

The components in the generation chain are as follows:

1. The model in the '.osm' file which has this sort of icon in Eclipse: . This is the logical definition of your application.
2. Eclipse's preferences, from menu "Window / Preferences / CloudTran". There are also "Generate-time Settings" below this. The main page is for one-off definition of the environment; the lower page is for setting diagnostics, which may change from run to run. Screen shots are here
3. The model and the preferences are fed into the build.xml file in the project directory. This file is a peer of the '.osm' file mentioned above and it is generated (as a one-off) when the project is created.

   You can insert configuration values into the build.xml by setting them as properties in the 'build' target - the second one - with a property name of 'passN', where 'N' is between 10 and 59. The value of the property is in the form "-Dppp=value", where 'ppp' is the name of the property. (This indirect approach is needed because the build fires up a completely new copy of Java to run the Ant build.) So for example,

   <property name="pass59" value="-DversionControl=false" />

   will turn off versionControl.

   How do you find out the names and meaning of the properties? Some use cases are documented in this manual. Others will be documented as required (there are quite a few, so we don't want to flood you with useless information). Post a question on the Forum describing what you want to do.

   Properties that you define in this way will be set whenever this particular build is run.

4. Once the generator engine starts, it reads properties values from various "system.properties" files. You can insert changes into this chain by changing the custom "system.properties" file, which is in the 'Custom template directory, as specified in the CloudTran "Windows Preferences" page. Unless you have changed it, this directory is at C:\eclipse3.5Modelling\plugins\com.cloudtran.builder_X.Y.ZZ/jeewiz/resources/custom/control, where MA/MI/IN are the version numbers of the plugin.

   Values you put in in the build.xml above will take precedence over the values you enter here.

   However, the values you enter here are global to your installation - every build that uses this customer "system.properties" file will pick up these properties.

6.6.2  Diagnosing Build Errors

To diagnose build problems, the error message should produce enough information for you to fix it yourself.

If you need to submit a bug report, send a description plus the error information from Eclipse and a listing of the model (the .osm file) to the Forum

6.6.3  Diagnosing Runtime Errors

To diagnose errors, your first choice should be to run the Eclipse deployments and debug the application there.

An alternative, which may be merely more convenient, or necessary if there are timing or multi-threading angles, is to switch on Detailed Debug option. This will give voluminous tracing. In fact, this is the default - you will have to set this option to 'Info' or 'Debug' to reduce the logging.