The home of the

FRAME architecture.

The Browsing Tool

The Browsing Tool enables the user to investigate the structure of the FRAME Architecure at every level of detail, and to obtain the description of each and every element within it.

The FRAME Architecture is a large product with many thousands of elements. In addition, the Data Flow Diagrams have had to be organised in an hierarchical manner so that they are understandable. In order to provide a unified front end to the architecture team a FRAME Browsing Tool has been creates that permits all the elements of the FRAME Architecture, and their interrelationships, to be viewed interactively using a standard HTML viewer. Thus, for example, it is possible to follow the passage of data from its collection by a particular functionality, through fusion and processing, to its eventual use in providing a service for the end users.

Installation

Download 5.2MB (zip file)

The file "FRAME Browsing Tool Vxyz.zip" (where xyz is the version number) should be extracted into its own directory "using folder names".

The Browsing Tool is started by opening "HomePage.html" with your browsing utility - you are recommended to use Internet Explorer because some other browsers do not provide full functionality for this Tool. If necessary you must "allow blocked content" because ActiveX is required.

Navigation Tips (for IE8)

In addition to all the normal browsing features:

• Note that there are two sets of  lists available from the top window:
  - GENERAL : Acronymn Definitions and General Definitions;
  - QUERY : Data Flows, Data Store, DFDs, Functions, Functional Area, Terminator, User Needs

• The Functional Viewpoint of the FRAME Architecture is hierachical, and there are two principal ways of navigating the structure:
  - Using the tree in the left hand window;
  - When a high-level function in a Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is selected, the DFD for the next level down is displayed.

• All the elements (rectangles, cylinders and lines) in a DFD are active:
  - If the cursor hovers over them for short time, the corresponding descrition appears for a few seconds;
  - If they are selected the corresponding full description page is displayed.

• To print a DFD, right click on the diagram and "print picture".