Working offline

I would liketo creater a process for working offline on a module optimizing the script effort.

Which is the best solution?

If i use excel (or csv) i loose the formatting and the ole objects. If i use word export i should implement a quite complicate script for the import.

I was thinking to make a backup in a hidden attribute of all the attribute with an oleObject and after the import launching a script that recover the olebject an the rtf format, but in this way i can't modify object with RTF format or with OleObject.

Can someone give me a hint?


bungle_77 - Wed Oct 01 09:25:53 EDT 2014

Re: Working offline
Mathias Mamsch - Wed Oct 01 18:05:57 EDT 2014

Developing an offline editing solution will never be a piece of cake... You got a couple of options here:

  • Create an XML, CSV, etc. export for your raw RTF attribute data (and object structure, and links?)
  • Create an editing frontend in a technology of your choice (Access, Excel, WPF (.NET), etc.) that uses a RichText Cntrl to edit the attribute RTF. This will allow you to also edit OLEs.
  • Make the corresponding import script back to DOORS ...

However you should think carefully about using a readily available solution instead of making your own. I made one once and it was error prone and you have to spend a lot of time thinking about RichText Control Versions and RTF compatibility and display errors, and scrolling problems, etc...

There are a couple of offline editing solutions out there for DOORS and do not forget that DOORS allows you to export / import ReqIf files, which means that you can use ANY rif / reqif editing solution (there are free ones for eclipse for example) to edit the generated RIF / ReqIf files offline. I can recommend ReqEdit from the ReqTeam.

Hope this helps, regards, Mathias

Re: Working offline
PRM - Wed Oct 01 18:48:32 EDT 2014

Going down the DXL path to support what you want is not impossible, but very difficult as there are many export, import and editing scenario's that would have to be supported in the DXL script - it would have to be thoroughly tested.

Have you considered using the Partition & Rejoin features of DOORS and also the License Borrow feature to support working off-line? Whilst this may seem complicated, I think it can provide what you want but at least it's under the control of built-in features of DOORS rather than a custom DXL script that will require a lot time to develop, test and maintain.     

I assume that if you want to be able to work with OLE Objects off-line and then be able to import these changes, then there are possibly other structural aspects of a DOORS module that you will also want to be able to modify off-line and import - for example, create, delete and move module objects, retain and apply RTF level editing such as using Bold, Italics etc.

This level of editing in an off-line format would require the DOORS Module on the database to be locked down whilst someone is editing off-line, otherwise there is a big risk that the imported changes will overwrite changes made by other users or even fail due to structural changes that were made to the module between exporting and importing.

The DOORS Partition & Rejoin feature will let you:

  • Isolate and lock-down one or more modules on the database,
  • Export a copy of the locked down modules to a locally installed instance of a DOORS Database and Client on your laptop,
  • Make off-line changes to the modules, then import these back into the original database and unlock the modules.

The local instance of the DOORS client can work off-line by using the License Borrow feature. The License Borrow feature allows you to check-out a floating license to a laptop for a specified period of time - the License Borrow feature is only available if you have had a local instance of a DOORS client and database installed on your laptop.

You would need to read up about the Partion & Rejoin features and the License Borrow feature and then perform some experiments to learn and test how to use these features and to satisfy yourself that it satisfies your expectations.

I think you will spend less time taking this path rather than trying to develop, test and maintain a DXL script to do this for you - others may disagree and I hope will offer alternatives for you to consider. 

Paul Miller
Melbourne Australia

Re: Working offline
bungle_77 - Tue Oct 07 10:20:15 EDT 2014

PRM - Wed Oct 01 18:48:32 EDT 2014

Going down the DXL path to support what you want is not impossible, but very difficult as there are many export, import and editing scenario's that would have to be supported in the DXL script - it would have to be thoroughly tested.

Have you considered using the Partition & Rejoin features of DOORS and also the License Borrow feature to support working off-line? Whilst this may seem complicated, I think it can provide what you want but at least it's under the control of built-in features of DOORS rather than a custom DXL script that will require a lot time to develop, test and maintain.     

I assume that if you want to be able to work with OLE Objects off-line and then be able to import these changes, then there are possibly other structural aspects of a DOORS module that you will also want to be able to modify off-line and import - for example, create, delete and move module objects, retain and apply RTF level editing such as using Bold, Italics etc.

This level of editing in an off-line format would require the DOORS Module on the database to be locked down whilst someone is editing off-line, otherwise there is a big risk that the imported changes will overwrite changes made by other users or even fail due to structural changes that were made to the module between exporting and importing.

The DOORS Partition & Rejoin feature will let you:

  • Isolate and lock-down one or more modules on the database,
  • Export a copy of the locked down modules to a locally installed instance of a DOORS Database and Client on your laptop,
  • Make off-line changes to the modules, then import these back into the original database and unlock the modules.

The local instance of the DOORS client can work off-line by using the License Borrow feature. The License Borrow feature allows you to check-out a floating license to a laptop for a specified period of time - the License Borrow feature is only available if you have had a local instance of a DOORS client and database installed on your laptop.

You would need to read up about the Partion & Rejoin features and the License Borrow feature and then perform some experiments to learn and test how to use these features and to satisfy yourself that it satisfies your expectations.

I think you will spend less time taking this path rather than trying to develop, test and maintain a DXL script to do this for you - others may disagree and I hope will offer alternatives for you to consider. 

Paul Miller
Melbourne Australia

Thanks Paul, your solution really meets my needs.