Menu system

After running this program a user can manage via the menu the following actions:

1.

Work with protocols archive

Create a new protocol for DIAS. This also offers the option to import a protocol which has already been developed in an other installation of DIAS, thus avoiding some unnecessary effort to specify certain details again (Section 5.4)

View or edit a protocol

Remove a protocol from a system

2.

Work with the network archive

Create a new network description file

View or edit a network description file

Delete a network description file

3.

Work with the experiment archive

Create a new network experiment description file

View or edit an existing experiment description file

Delete an experiment description file

4.

Load and execute an experiment. (cf. also subsection 3.2.3, later in this document). The simulator of DIAS is invoked to simulate the required protocol with all parameters specified in the respective experiment.

This option includes also the animation of the experiment. The animation can run on-line with the simulator (the animator program consumes via a pipe command the output produced by the simulation execution) or it can run off-line, by having the animator program take as input one of the debug (trace) files that have been produced by the simulation of the respective protocol. In either case, the animation is triggered by the experiment dialogue box.

5.

Run the on-line help system of DIAS

Each action has the corresponding item in the menu. As an example, we describe actions for one of these objects, namely for the protocol archive menu.

At the current version, upon choosing the creation of a new protocol, the system offers the option to create a protocol right from the beginning, or to import one that has already been created in DIAS. In either case, the system opens an xterm, through which it interacts with the (old) DIAS sequential procedure for the creation or importing of a protocol (Section 5.4). When we use the item for editing of protocols, first the select dialog appears. There, we can choose via mouse one protocol and by pressing the select button we can invocate vi editor for its editing. In this dialog, the cancel button can be used to return to the main menu without performing any action. Removal from the archive is the last action supported for protocols. The dialog for this action can be easily invoked via the menu.

The same functionality is supported for manipulating the network archive and the experiment archive. There is only one exception for the experiment archive and it will be discussed later. For convenience it is good to use the on-line-help system that desribes all procedures in DIAS.