Providing documentation for pattern appliers

The pattern applier requires pattern documentation to select an applicable pattern, to apply the pattern, and to project the results of the pattern application. Different types of documentation is generated or contributed by the pattern author to match the needs of the pattern applier.

Except for the overview diagram, all documentation is included in two types of standard RAS asset manifest files that support either the pattern library or the pattern structures. Manifest files contain the static data for the pattern and are identified by their file extension of .rmd, for Rational® Manifest Documentation file extensions. Some manifest data is shared with pattern properties such as the Short Description property. Portions of the stored data are presented to the pattern applier when relevant to the pattern task.

To assist searching repositories for patterns, the pattern author can include multiple keywords in the pattern design. To assess search matches, the pattern applier reviews the pattern manifest files in the RAS Asset Explorer view to choose a pattern to import. In the Pattern Explorer view, an HTML page with a short description reminds the pattern applier of the type or purpose of each pattern and parameter. An Overview page discloses the relationships between the major pattern components. Pattern online help reveals static data such as the UML 2.0 types of the parameters and in which groups the library's patterns are organized. Depending on the pattern complexity, the pattern author may have included a simple or extensive description of the pattern in the online help. In the diagram editor, the pattern applier can use the parameter tooltips in the pattern instance when specifying arguments for the pattern or open the overview compartment to review the overview diagram.

Related concepts
IBM Rational design patterns
Pattern code and support files
Reusable Asset Specification (RAS) pattern assets
Pattern project contents
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