Converting workspaces and using SALT & subversion to maintain them.

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Converting workspaces and

using SALT & subversion to

maintain them.V1.01

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Introduction

This is an example of converting an existing application to SALT and using a version control system afterwards to maintain it.

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What is SALT?

SALT is a tool to deal with code outside the workspace in text (Unicode) format.

Script formUp until V11 namespaces came in a

single form.They contained functions, variables

and other namespaces.

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Script formStarting with V11 namespaces also

came in a script form.The contained functions, etc. are

listed in text format:

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Script formThe script and the functions in it can

be edited via the editor, e.g.)ED ns2)ED ns2.tfn1

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How do we do it?

• We'll see the conversion process and• how to use subversion, a third party

product, to control its versioning

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The situation

• BAAD is a military weapons manufacturing company

• One of its best sellers is the SD2, a device used to search and destroy specific targets

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BAAD's SD2 product

• This unit is self contained: its behaviour is set once and does not require external input.

• There are several (possibly 1000s) models, each with a different code name. The logic (code) of each is unique.

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BAAD's SD2 product

• Unit is made of 2 main components:

- a driving component- a weapons component

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Testing the product

• Obviously, testing these devices in real life presents a problem

• In its infinite wisdom the company has decided to use a simulator written in (what else?) Dyalog APL

• A single workspace holds all the system

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The simulator

Battling units

Units'Consoles

Battlefield

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The simulator

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The simulator's structure• The workspace is divided into

namespaces• One namespace contains all the

units' logic, here its name is 'R' (for Robots)

• Each unit's logic is also contained in a namespace whose name is the name of the unit (like CARLA or AI2)

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The simulator's structure

Here, namespace RR is where all the Units' logic reside

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Updating the workspace • This involves modifying individual

units' code in their respective namespaces

• and resaving the entire workspace when finished with the changes

• This prevents other users from updating the workspace at the same time

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Acceptable updating timeline

Time

Tester A

Tester B

load

load

save

save

change

change

Sequential updates

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Unacceptable updating timeline

Time

Tester A

Tester B

load

load

save

save

change

change

Tester A's changes are overwritten by Tester Beven if the modified namespace is different

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Tracking changes

Another problem with this model is that changes are irreversible.

Even tracking changes is difficult.

Finding differences in code is hard to document.

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Dyalog V11.0This version allows namespaces to

exist in script format.

Instead of havinga series of namespaces each with functions and variables

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Dyalog V11.0You can have

everything in script form, including the definition of variables

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Scripts files

Keeping namespaces in scripted form allows us to save them in (Unicode) text files outside the workspace.

workspace

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Updating can now be done in parallel for different namespaces

Tester A

Tester B

load

save

change

Tester A's changes are NOT overwritten by Tester B

Timelo

adsave

change

namespace A

namespace B

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Tracking changes

It is easier to track changes now that files are in human readable format.

By saving multiple copies we can see the difference between each modification.

workspace

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Tracking changes

Comparing files can be done easily in APL by SALT or by any 3rd party program.

Line aLine bLine c

Line aLine XLine c

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Doing it

The first step is to convert the workspace to the new form

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Start Dyalog, SALT should be there:

Converting the workspace

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If it isn’t we have to make sure SALT is enabled:


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)LOAD our workspace:


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Bring in the conversion tools:


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ConvertCode is a namespace containing code to perform conversion of regular (non sourced) namespaces.

The function to use in it is <Convert>.


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For example, to convert namespace 'UTIL':


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To convert several namespaces first )CS where the namespaces are:


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Then use an expression like:


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Explorer now shows us the namespaces with the new icons:


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The workspace has the same functionality as before.

It can be )SAVEd in this new format


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Filing away

The next step is to store those namespaces in Unicode files.

Altho is it relatively simple to read/write text to file, their management is a bit more complex.

Again, SALT comes in handy.

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Saving the scripts as text files

1. decide where to put them

2. use the SALT Save function

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Saving the scripts as text filesThe Save function takes a string

argument of: 'namespace location':

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Saving the scripts as text filesTo save all the namespaces at once

do:

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Saving the scripts as text filesIf you want to save everything at

once you can do instead

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Saving the scripts as text filesEither way you should now have a

folder with many scripts in it:

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Making changes

SALT 'remembers' where each script was saved.

Changing one of them now means SALT will change the file as soon as the script is modified through the editor.

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Making changesHere's what one of the units' logic looks like:

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Making changesAnd here we make a change:

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Making changesSALT detected the change and offers to change the script file:

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Making changes

You should )SAVE the workspace here.

Like this SALT will remember where the edited namespaces are stored and detect if changes have been made outside APL (e.g. with Notepad)

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Version Control

This is the 2nd part of the work to do.

SALT comes with its own versioning of files and comparison functions but it is primitive compared to state of the art version control systems like subversion.

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Version Control

For a company like BAAD it is preferable to use existing software like subversion.

To use subversion we first need somewhere to put the scripts files.

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Version ControlWe picked folder \weapons as

repository

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Version Control

We now import the scripts into the repository:

(we put our code in 'Troops')

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Version Control

One of the testers now checks out a copy:

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Version Control

Any other tester can do the same thing and update it independently.

repository

checkout

tester x

checkouttester 7

tester n

tester 3

checkoutcheckout

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Version Control

He can see what's in his folder

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Version Control

And use any portion (pattern) of it

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Version Control

He can now repeat this procedure each time he )LOADs the workspace or )SAVE his own copy (e.g. 'tester1robots') which can be )loaded instead.

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Version ControlHe, and any other tester that has

done the same thing, can now test the system and update it independently.

repository

tester x

tester 7

tester n

tester 3

Modifying the code

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Viewing changes

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Viewing changes

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Version Control

When changes are ready to be checked in you do (here DANIMAL has been changed)

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Version ControlHe, and any other tester that has

done the same thing, can now test the system and update it independently.

repository

tester x

tester 7

tester n

tester 3

commit

commit

commit

commit

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Version Control

The VC should be able to handle conflicts, report on differences and generate complete new systems from the current repository.

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Conclusion

For local or smaller systems you may choose to use SALT's limited versioning and comparing abilities but a solid Version Control system is a must for large systems.

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Conclusion

Any version control will probably do but subversion is well supported and well documented.

And it's free.

Converting workspaces and using SALT & subversion to maintain them.

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