CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
HTML Conversion of SDS Records 070405 Failing on Gary's Com  ter

0403 -
0403 -    ..
0404 - Summary/Objective
0405 -
040501 - Follow up ref SDS 3 0000.
040502 -
040503 - Received an email from Gary this morning saying....
040504 -
040505 -       Rod,
040506 -
040507 -       I tried to publish a record to HTML.
040509 -        ..
040510 -       It flashes a "bad command or file name" message and doesn't
040511 -       create either the file or the needed directories.
040513 -        ..
040514 -       Restarting SDS didn't correct the problem.
040516 -        ..
040517 -       I am going out to breakfast, but if you could see if you have a
040518 -       similar problem, I would appreciate it.
040520 -        ..
040521 -       The record (Diary record created today) is attached
040523 -        ..
040524 -       Thanks,
040526 -  ..
040527 - This was transmitted a zip file, rather than the actual records.  Took
040528 - a little time to get the zip file into his current SDS records for
040529 - today, as follows....
040530 -
040531 -            d: sd 08 gljdy 00 0438
040532 -
040533 - ...which is a record with the description....
040535 -             ..
040536 -            Bryan de Silva
040538 -  ..
040539 - Opened the record, which I cannot link in this thing, because of a
040540 - little hole in the system, but after opening the file in Gary's SDS
040541 - records, clicked above Quit=ESC and this converted without the error
040542 - message Gary reported.  Did get an error saying the user name is
040543 - incorrect, but that is normal until Gary's name is set for publishing
040544 - on my computer.  The record produced was pushed to Internet for
040545 - demonstration purposes, and Gary can delete it or replace if
040546 - necessary...
040547 -
040548 -           http://www.welchco.com/sd/08/GLJDY/02/03/05/24/070903.HTM
040549 -
040551 -  ..
0406 -
0407 -
0408 - 1630
0409 -
040901 - Gary called.
040902 -
040903 - After some investigation we found that the problem is that somehow
040904 - the file....
040906 -                    ..
040907 -                   c: sd 01 070405.bat
040908 -
040909 -
040910 - ...was swapped out on his computer at home.  Since his computer at
040911 - home is using w98, the batch file needs an alternate set of commands
040912 - to be applied in place of commands that run under w2k.
040914 -  ..
040915 - Our basic strategy is that since 070405.bat never changes, then daily
040916 - updates and transfers from Rod to Gary and from Gary to Gary between
040917 - work and home, should not change 070405.bat.
040919 -  ..
040920 - The next day, Gary submitted analysis showing that daily updates he is
040921 - doing between home and work cause the problem.
040923 -        ..
040924 -       [On 030525 Gary reports analysis on this problem. ref SDS 5 KK86
040926 -  ..
040927 - A temporary solution is for Gary to disconnect the code that transfers
040928 - updates on the directory...
040930 -  ..
040931 - c: sd 01
040932 -
040933 - ...since this directory is not affected by daily work, and is only
040934 - impacted rarely when changes are made to particular features.  The
040935 - one exception is that...
040937 -  ..
040938 - c: sd 01 e.exe
040939 -
040940 - ...is changed fairly regularly, but at this time I am the only person
040941 - making these changes, and so updates can be maintained by changing
040942 - the trasfer batch file from....
040943 -
040944 -     z -P -a -r -t%1 cs c:\sd\01\*.* > nul
040945 -
040946 - ...in the case of tgj.bat, ref OF 1 V635, to the following...
040947 -
040948 -     z -P -a -r -t%1 cs c:\sd\01\e.exe > nul
040949 -
040950 - ...so that only e.exe is transferred each day.  This will allow
040951 - routine updates between home and work without disrupting differences
040952 - between environment variables for w98 and w2k.
040953 -
040954 -       [On 030526 received changed SDS code files from Gary; sent
040955 -       notice to revise transfer to avoid Gary sending SDS code files.
040956 -       ref SDS 6 0001
040958 -  ..
040959 - Gary related another and stronger solution would be to set up
040960 - environment variables that address differences between operating
040961 - systems.  The next day, he submitted a letter saying.....
040963 -           ..
040964 -  1.  I did a search for 'systemroot' in the c:\sd\01\*.bat files
040965 -      and found 4 occurrences in 4 files:
040967 -       ..
040968 -      Backup.bat -- my xcopy is in Windows\Command
040969 -
040970 -      %systemroot%\system32\xcopy d:\sd\08\GLJDY\00 0072820 /h
040972 -       ..
040973 -      DOS.bat
040974 -      070405.bat and
040975 -      070405_glj.bat, which we know about.
040977 -       ..
040978 -  2.  Batch files can be fixed using environment variables, but the
040979 -      DOSE calls in macros have paths that are hard coded and can't
040980 -      be handled this way.
040982 -       ..
040983 -  3.  Add to this the work that has to be done to configure SDS for
040984 -      C: drive only, and the configuration problem just grows.
040985 -
040986 -
040987 -
040988 -
0410 -

SUBJECTS
C Version of SDS Created by Macro 0815
Standard configuration
User specified drive letter for Opening Files in Reference Field, Mac
Compatibility, Windows
CPU configuration, path
Custom Drive Configuration
Environment Variables Configure for Different Versions of Windows and
Configure Environment Variables Dir Structure

121001 -          ..
121002 -         Using Environment Variables Configuration
121003 -
121004 -     4.  Under Win98, environment variables can be set in autoexec.bat
121005 -         using the SET command.
121007 -          ..
121008 -         Under Win 2k, the environment variables are edited in the
121009 -         system panel (either control panel --> system, or (I think)
121010 -         right click on the desktop and select properties) under the
121011 -         environment tab. There are 2 sections, one for system variable
121012 -         and one for user variables. Since I have administrator rights,
121013 -         I set my environment variables in the system section.
121015 -          ..
121016 -     5.  We need at least [following added to SDS code... ]
121017 -
121018 -            SDS_CMD -- C:\WINNT\system32\CMD.EXE or C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
121019 -
121020 -            SDS_XCOPY -- C:\WINNT\system32\xcopy.exe or C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\XCOPY.EXE
121021 -
121023 -          ..
121024 -     6.  These can be expanded for use in exactly the same way as
121025 -         systemroot, by enclosing them in percent signs.
121026 -
121027 -            Can Gary submit the specific code needed in the batch files
121028 -            listed above, ref SDS 0 6Z6U, to solve the problem?
121029 -
121030 -              [On 031020 expanded use of environment variables using
121031 -              the Windows "set" command in a batch file sds.bat.
121032 -              ref SDS 7 OS71
121034 -          ..
121035 -     7.  I don't have a good idea for hard coded paths in DOSE calls,
121036 -         except to ensure that the correct segments are in the PATH
121037 -         environment variable and not use full paths in the calls
121038 -         unless they are SDS paths, which we can control.
121039 -
121040 -            While it is not the best or comprehensive solution, path
121041 -            statements for SDS are easily converted to the c: drive
121042 -            when using a c version of SDS that takes about 10 seconds
121043 -            to build.
121045 -          ..
121046 -     8.  Even when using variables in batch files, we need to be
121047 -         careful, because they are often edited on the fly by macros
121048 -         before they are invoked, as in Backup.bat.  If those macros
121049 -         depend on fixed columns, we have a problem
121050 -
121051 -            This issue actually needs a careful study to identify all
121052 -            of the issues, then forumulate a comprehensive solution.
121053 -
121055 -  ..
121056 - We, also, noticed that the file...
121057 -
121058 -
121059 -                  c: sd 03 04501
121060 -
121061 -
121062 - ...which controls the name of the user for publishing SDS records, is
121063 - overwriting configuration on Gary's records.  This can be fixed by
121064 - modifying....
121066 -                   ..
121067 -                  c: 01 02 tgj.bat...... ref OF 1 509K
121068 -
121070 -  ..
121071 - Turns out we are moving 04501 already, so there should not be a
121072 - problem.
121073 -
121074 -     Maybe Gary can comment, if this continues to be a problem.
121075 -
121076 -
121077 -
121078 -
121079 -
121080 -
121081 -
1211 -

SUBJECTS
Experiment Improve SDS Example Apply Imagination with Minim   Skills

1403 -
140401 -  ..
140402 - Experiment Synergy Between Contiual Use and Development Builds SDS
140403 -
140404 - Follow up ref SDS 2 QM5X.
140405 -
140406 - We discussed how experience like today illustrates advantage of having
140407 - a programmer who can implement evolving requirements to improve and
140408 - maintain the current version of SDS, per above, ref SDS 0 CM7M, for
140409 - experimenting through actual use, as Gary and I are doing, to discover
140410 - what to design for building the system.
140412 -  ..
140413 - Using SDS to build and maintain organic structure, and to build and
140414 - maintain shared meaning among staff, as Gary is doing, is a full-time
140415 - job, per analysis in another record today, ref SDS 4 KO9V  Therefore,
140416 - another set of engineers is needed to build the new program based on
140417 - the template that evolves from using the current version.
140419 -  ..
140420 - Synergy between design, development and use was cited on 010924 by
140421 - Morris as a key force that makes SDS unique. ref SDS 1 NK4J  More
140422 - recently, Gary discussed the role of users who work hard improving
140423 - skills, and also having tolerance in using a range of tools without a
140424 - lot of expertise in order to experiment for building new tools that
140425 - work better. ref SDS 2 QM69
140427 -  ..
140428 - In effect, Gary is the commander on the ground doing battle everyday
140429 - to implement a new way of working for command and control that helps
140430 - the troops accomplish objectives, requirements and commitments faster,
140431 - better and cheaper by transforming from information to knowledge.
140432 - This feedback is vital to evolving the system.
140434 -  ..
140435 - SDS working at  combat is a microcosm of the  combat task to build a better
140436 - future combat system (combat), largely by improving command and control.
140438 -  ..
140439 - Gary commented during the call today that SDS provides a way to
140440 - improve the work of everyone, without having to convince anyone to do
140441 - anything differently.  He has tried for years to get others to use
140442 - good work practices by doing a better job of using tools available
140443 - from Microsoft and others.  Gary seems to be experiencing improvement
140444 - at Aerospace company similar to what occurred at DNRC, PG&E and USACE, shown in
140445 - USACE's report dated 970328,
140446 -
140447 -
140448 -
140449 -
140450 -
140451 -
140452 -
140453 -
140454 -
140455 -
1405 -