DEX XML creation

Help:- DEX XML creation

Each DEX is stored in its own directory within a Context. The name of directory is the DEX identifier. <<dex-id>>. (See PLCSlib structure)

plcslib\data\contexts\<<context-id>>\dexs\<<dex-id>>

Each DEX directory contains files specific to that DEX.

NOTE The templates and reference data used by the DEX is stored within the Context as they may be used by other DEXs within this context.

The DEX directory and associated file structure are created by using an ANT build process. This process makes use of the same ANT tool that is used to build PLCSlib itself.

NOTE This has been developed and tested on the Microsoft Windows operating system. Although it has not been tested on other systems it should work since the utilities used are all platform independent.

In order to use the tool for creating a new DEX, first open up a command window (e.g. "cmd" on windows), navigate to the plcslib\utils\xml_templates directory in your PLCSlib installation and then run the command :

ant mk-dex

The tool will prompt you for the Identifier of the Context that the DEX is to be created in, as well as the Identifier and Name of the DEX itself.

DEX Identifier: An identifier for the DEX that is unique within a give Context.
DEX Name: A meaningful name for the DEX that is unique within a give Context.

The ANT script will generate following folders under: plcslib\data\contexts\<<context-id>>\dexs\<<dex-id>>

dvlp: to hold development files that are used as part of the development of the DEX
images: to hold images such as diagrams for this DEX
test_data: to hold test / exemplar data for this DEX

and following files:

dex.xml: the main XML file that defines the DEX. This should be edited
release_notes.xml: a record of all the releases of the DEX

Adding the DEX to Context

Once the DEX has been created, it will need to be added to the list of DEXs available in that Context. If the DEX has been created in the Context <<context-id>>, then the existence of the DEX will have to be entered into the file:

plcslib\data\contexts\<<context-id>>\context_index.xml

Particular care needs to be taken that the Identifier inserted into the record in this file matches that given to the ANT script in the previous step