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Chapter 20 - Managing Attribute Collection and Display

What Services Collect

Lookup and Index Display

Attribute Lookups

Attribute Indexes

Example Finding Resources Using Attribute Indexes

Some Index Guidelines

Build an index whose values have a one-to-many relationship with StreetTalk resources, such as addresses, membership in specific groups, and primary responsibilities.
Avoid indexing attributes that have a one-to-one correspondence with StreetTalk resources, such as phone numbers or social security numbers.
If users on your network access attribute information through STDA client applications, consider indexing attributes with more than 10 characters in the value to take advantage of the keysearch, or typedown, feature that progressively searches a list based on keys entered.
Like attribute collection, STDA client display of attributes is specified on a service-by-service basis. Menus, formatting rules, and procedures for configuring display are identical for master and satellite services.

Collection Parameters

Attributes are collected and stored. STDA client programs do not have to display all values that an STDA service collects.
Attributes are collected and stored for lookup by STDA client programs.
Attribute indexes are collected and stored for display by STDA client programs.

Edit attributes, consistent with formatting and syntax rules.
Write attribute lists to files.
Replace attribute lists with files.

Parameter Syntax

class: <vendor number:attribute number>

FILES - File volume services

LISTS - List names

NICKS - Nicknames

OTHER - Services other than print queues or file volumes

PRINT - Print services

USERS - User names

ALL - All StreetTalk names in the network

Note: Memory limits prevent you from entering more than 1 KB of information (1024 characters) in an STDA attribute collection list.

Procedures for Configuring Attribute Displays

From StreetTalk Explorer:

Add Attributes to the attribute collection list
Modify attributes already added to the attribute collection list
Remove attributes from the attribute collection list
Read an attribute collection list from a file
Write an attribute collection list to a file

Figure 20-1. Attribute Collection Folder

Adding Attributes

1. Display the Attribute Collection page.

2. Select a class of attribute collections from the Class drop-down list.

3. Select an attribute collection in the Collection list box to display the attributes for the collection in the Attributes list box.

4. Click an entry, one at a time from the Attributes list box and click Add.

5. Select the Display or Index checkboxes or both. The attribute <v:a> identifier is displayed in the <v:a> Number text box. Or, type the <v:a> number into the <v:a> Number box.

6. Click Apply.

7. Repeat these steps to designate other attributes to be collected.

8. Click OK when you are done.

Modifying Attributes

1. Display the Attribute Collection page.

2. Select a class of attribute collections from the Class drop-down list.

3. Selct an attribute entry in the collected attribute list box under the Class drop-down list.

4. Click Modify.

5. Select the Display checkbox ON or OFF to specify whether you want to allow a lookup by STDA client programs.

6. Select the Index checkbox ON or OFF to specify whether you want to index the attribute so it can be retrieved faster.

7. Click Apply or OK.

Removing Attributes

1. Display the Attribute Collection page.

2. Select a class of attribute collections from the Class drop-down list.

3. Select an attribute entry in the collected attribute list box under the Class drop-down list.

4. Click Remove.

5. Click Apply or OK.

Reading Attributes from a File

1. Display the Attribute Collection folder.

2. Configure the attributes for Collection and for display or indexing from the Read Attributes window.

You can also select to not write over existing attributes.

3. Specify the directory and file to read from and click Open.

StreetTalk Explorer reads the file and the attributes display in the window.

Writing Attributes to a File

1. Display the Attribute Collection page.

2. Select the class of attributes from the Class drop-down list.

3. Click Write to File.

4. Select which attributes you want to write and click OK.

5. Specify a directory and a file name and click Save in the Save As dialog box.

From MSERVICE

Specify in the Define Attribute Collection screen which attributes are available for display by that service. An STDA client program does not have to display all values collected by the service.
Specify in the Define Attribute Lookup screen which attributes are collected and stored for lookup by STDA client programs. Attributes collected from this screen are a subset of attributes specified in the Define STDA Attribute Collection screen.
Specify in the Define Attribute Indices screen which attributes are indexed by STDA client programs. Attributes collected from this screen are a subset of attributes specified in the Define STDA Attribute Collection screen.

To Access the Configure STDA Service Menu

1. Enter MSERVICE at the system prompt. The Manage Services menu appears.

2. From the list of services available, select the STDA master or satellite service you want to configure. You can also use the SEARCH function to search for a service on another server.

3. Select CONTROL the service. The Control A Service menu appears.

4. Select CONFIGURE service. The Configure STDA Service screen appears.

To Access Individual Editing Screens

Select DEFINE Attribute Collection to access the Define Attribute Collection screen.
Select Configure STDA Display -> Configure STDA Display to access the DEFINE attribute lookup screen.
Select Configure STDA display -> Configure STDA Display to access the DEFINE Attribute Indices screen.

To Edit a Collection List

1. After you access the appropriate editing screen, enter your collection parameters or edit existing parameters according to the rules established in the preceding section.

When specifying attributes, enter class objects and attribute designators one to a line in the appropriate attribute collection screen with the following format:

class: <vendor number:attribute number>

Be sure that you enter all colons, greater than (>), and less than (<) characters in their proper order.

2. When you finish your edits, press F10 to save your edits.

If your edits contain syntax errors, error messages appear and the cursor appears next to the entry. If you do not enter a ">" before a <v:a> identifier, this error message appears:

Syntax error - attribute should be specified as <#:#>

The cursor is repositioned at the offending line.

3. After you make all the appropriate corrections to the collection parameters, press F10 to save the file.

To Write an Attribute Collection to a File

1. From the Configure STDA Service menu select either:

- DEFINE attribute collection to edit the service's collection

- CONFIGURE STDA display to access the Define Attribute Lookup or Indices menus

2. After you finish editing attributes in the appropriate editing screen, press F2. The Write STDA Attribute Rules to a File screen appears.

3. Enter a file name at the prompt and press ENTER. The program assumes that the file is located in the current directory unless you specify a full pathname. If you do not specify a correct pathname, an error message appears.

To Read or Replace an Attribute Collection from a File

1. From the Configure STDA Service menu, select either:

- DEFINE attribute collection to edit the service's parameter collection list

- CONFIGURE STDA display to access the Define Attribute Lookup or Indices menus

2. Press F4. The Replace STDA Attribute Rules with a File screen appears.

3. Specify the name of the file containing the attribute rules you want applied and press ENTER. The program assumes that the file is located in the current directory unless you specify a full pathname. If you do not specify a correct pathname, an error message appears.

Setting STDA User Patterns

Guidelines for Setting User Patterns

Only administrators should be allowed to connect to master services that collect portions of StreetTalk service data. In this way, users do not receive partial views of the network if they pick up one of these masters as their STDA service.
Users should not be allowed to connect to STDA services that are coming back on line but have not been fully rebuilt. Again, this prevents users from receiving partial views of the network if they pick up the service as their STDA service.
If your network has backup STDA services that duplicate master or satellite services, set the user pattern to your name. In the event a service fails or goes off line, you can simply change the name pattern entered for the backup satellite to the pattern previously entered for the failed service. This restores STDA information to the appropriate users.
In situations where sensitive data such as human resources information is maintained, you may want to specify a name pattern that allows access only to persons in the group who need to access the information. Note that restricting users in this way does not guarantee the security of the data maintained in the service.

Formatting Rules for User Patterns

The pattern's syntax and formatting must follow rules established for StreetTalk names. Use any three-part StreetTalk name or a partial name containing wildcard asterisks (*) or at-signs (@) to set a pattern. For instance, all of the following names are valid patterns:

*
Susan*
Susan *@*
*S*@mkt@wctus

Entering patterns that do not correspond to valid StreetTalk user patterns prevents any user, including the administrator, from accessing the service.
Enter only one template pattern for a given service.
An empty string (or blank line) matches all users in the group. If you want all users to access the service, leave the entry blank.
You cannot enter the name of a list.

To Edit a User Pattern

1. From the right pane, select an STDA service and display the Users folder.

2. Click in the User pattern text box and the enter the user pattern for those users who can access the service.

3. Click OK. If you set a pattern and find you cannot access the service after you save the change, return to the Users or the Summary folder and check your entry.

1. From the Configure STDA Service menu, select CONFIGURE STDA display. The Configure STDA Display menu appears.

Figure 20-2. Configure STDA Display Menu

2. Select SET user pattern. The Define STDA User Pattern screen appears.

3. Enter the desired pattern and press F10 to save the pattern. If you set a pattern and find you cannot access the service after you save the change, return to the Define Set User Pattern screen and check your entry.

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