Interface with Configuration Maintenance

 You have the ability to maintain rules, matrices, and templates on a PC using the Configuration Maintenance modules.  Interfacing between the two different platforms is possible through the use of the Rules, Matrix, and Template Maintenance, and Reference File Category Download.  Because of the platform difference, there are processing considerations and data restrictions.

Processing Differences Between the Host and the PC

The Expert Configurator inference engine operates on both the host system and PC.  The full host database is not duplicated on the PC and therefore, several processing differences between the host and the PC platforms exist.  These processing differences are described in detail below.

Internal Variable

Internal variables work identically on the PC and the host systems, however, not all of the fields that exist on the host database exist on the PC database.  If a rule attempts to access a field on the PC that is only valid on the host, a critical error is displayed and the configurator will terminate without completing the sales order line.

Internal Variable Rules

Internal variable rules allow the Expert Configurator to access data for a part master or warehouse balance record that is different from the part entered on the sales order line.  All records from the part master and warehouse balance tables do not necessarily exist on the PC, only those with salesperson division and section IDs exist on the PC.  It is important to note that if the internal variable rule is used, the part number referenced must exist on the PC database.  If the inference engine attempts to access a nonexistent record on the PC, that user receives a critical error and the Expert Configurator will terminate without completing the sales order line.

Component Requirement Rules, Labor Requirement Rules, Manufacturing Detail Rules, and Generate Comment Rules

The PC only processes distribution and pricing rules, so these rule are not processed.

Start Debug and End Debug Rules

Debugging is handled differently between the host and the PC.  Neither the start debug nor the end debug rules are processed.  The MAC-PAC initialization file (MACPAC.INI) contains parameters to create a trace file.  The trace file is simply a text file containing output from various points during rule processing.

If the trace level is set to zero, no tracing occurs.  This setting increases performance significantly; be sure to set trace to zero in any production environment.  If the trace level is set to a value greater than zero, the trace file is created showing the details of the rules as they are processed.  A trace level of one shows only the rules.  A trace level of two adds the rule condition result to the output.  A trace level of three through five shows increasing amounts of data for each rule.

Note:    The condition field is evaluated so that any existing child rules are properly released.

Purchased Part Rules, and Finalize Cost Rules

No processing occurs for these rule types, however the condition field is evaluated so that any existing child rules are properly released.

Availability Date Rule

On the host platform, this rule goes through complex calculations that requires data that does not reside on the PC.  Instead, the cumulative leadtime, which is entered on the Part Master Maintenance File, is added to today's date.  This calculation assumes that Saturday and Sunday are nonworking days.  Also, this calculation is computationally expensive and should not be performed more than once for each part.

Error Messages

Error messages on the PC are generally longer and more descriptive than the corresponding error messages on the host.  Error messages consistent with the host use the same error code.

Technical Considerations

Use the following hints to help your client/server processing operate more smoothly.

Help Screen Names

Help screens for screen generation rules are supported on both the host and PC platforms.  Custom help text can be created for these screens.  On the host system, the help text is maintained through the help maintenance facility.  Screen names can consist of any alphanumeric characters.  On the PC, the help text is maintained through the windows help facility and stored in the Screen Generation Help File (ECCUSTOM.HLP).  All screen context IDs must be numeric.  If you are processing screen generation rules on both platforms, be sure to use all numeric characters for your screen names.

Testing the Expert Configurator

When you test the Expert Configurator on the PC it is important that your results match those from the host system.  To assure this, synchronize the databases on both platforms and configure the same part and enter all the same options on each.  Each platform should have the same configuration code (first 50 characters), price, and order/shipping dates.  It is important to perform this dual platform test to ensure that all supporting data exists on the PC.  Trace Debug can be used to ensure the same rules are processed.

Rules Maintenance

Configuration Maintenance processing follows a set of user-defined condition/action combinations called rules.  During the Sales Force Automation conversation, for example, these rules tell the system exactly which questions to ask on the screen when certain product options are requested. For example, you can specify that when Model B of the product is selected, the system must ask whether the size should be small or large; if large is selected, the system must ask whether the color should be blue, red, or yellow; and so on.  Many rules can be combined, depending on the number of options available for a particular product.

Rules may be defined to apply to a specific item, a group of items, a subgroup of a group of items, or all items.  Through this feature, several generic items may use a single rule.  Rules common to several items need be defined only once.

Matrix Maintenance

The Expert Configurator has the capability to use matrices for determining a value.  Matrices allow you to specify up to five dimensions of valid data combinations to retrieve a specific value.  In a matrix, you can define unlimited numbers of values for given options or variables.  Matrices can be set up for sales order entry, pricing, or manufacturing rule types.

Template Maintenance

A configuration code helps identify a part in inventory by giving more information about its features and options.  A template divides the 1049-character configuration code into meaningful elements.  Define a template and it's related information using Template Maintenance.  You may not enter a template for a part that has a configuration code option of '0' (configuration code not used).

Reference File Category Download

The Reference File Category Download is part of Configuration Maintenance on the PC.  It downloads reference file information from the server to the PC database.  Reference File category I60 contains a list of the specific reference file categories that may be downloaded.  Below is a list of the categories contained on Reference File category I60.

·     Y01 - The variable codes category defines valid variable codes used in the Configuration Maintenance module.  Configuration Maintenance handles all types of variables.  For more information about variable codes, see Variable Codes in the Key Concepts Section in the Expert Configurator User Manual.

·     Y02 - The operand codes category defines valid operands used in the Configuration Maintenance module.  Operands perform the actions in rule syntax expressions.  For more information about operands, see Operands in the Key Concepts Section of the Expert Configurator User Manual.

·     Y03 - The action codes category defines valid action codes for rule types used in the Configuration Maintenance module.  Each of the rules used in the Configuration Maintenance module is assigned a user-defined action code.

·     Y33 - The expert configurator option print codes category contains user-defined codes that may be entered on the Screen Rule Detail screen to define reports on which sales order options will be printed.

·     428 - The workstation assignment category contains various defaulting fields for each user.  This is not a required category.  If a user does not have a record in this category, he or she will be required to enter the plant, company, warehouse, and location whenever these fields are required.

You can add additional categories to I60 so they will be downloaded.  For more information about this category, refer to the Common Features Reference File Categories User Manual.

Data Restrictions

When the Expert Configurator is used on the PC platform, please note the following data restrictions.

Rule Numbers

Every rule in the system must have a unique rule number.  Rule numbers consist of a prefix and a suffix.  Using a prefix and a suffix for rule identification provides flexibility for rules maintenance and retrieval.  Rules are interpreted sequentially within logical levels, therefore you may logically group rules based on prefixes and suffixes.

All seven digits of the rule number must be letters (A through Z), numbers (0 through 9), spaces or any combination.  No symbols (@, $, -, /, etc.) or foreign (Æ, Ç, Ñ, etc.) characters are permissible.

Matrix Header Variable Mode

Variable modes specify the access mode for a specific key.  A variable can assume any given set of values.  A matrix variable contains the specific value retrieved from the matrix based on the keys defined for that matrix  Valid values for the variable mode are:

=    Variable value must match key data exactly.

<    Variable value matches the next lowest key if an exact match is not made.

>    Variable value matches the next highest key if an exact match is not made.

Variable modes of '<' or '>' are only eligible when the corresponding data is numeric.  If an attempt is made to retrieve alpha fields with a greater than or less than, the PC user may receive unpredictable results due to collating sequence.

Ampersands (&)

If the ampersand (&) symbol is used in a field, the PC user may find that the field displays incorrectly.  Neither processing nor data integrity are affected, however the ampersand may be replaced with an underscore in some windows.  For example:  'Black & White' may be displayed as 'Black_White.'