Edit objects

Tosca TDM ObjectEditor is a program integrated into Tosca which serves to display and edit TDM objects in a TDM repository.

The Tosca TDM ObjectEditor is located in the directory %COMMANDER_HOME% and can be opened directly via the TDMObjectEditor.exe file.

The Tosca TDM ObjectEditor can also be started directly from Tosca Commander. Each Tosca object that is linked with a TDM repository provides the context menu option Show TDMObjectEditor, which opens the according TDM repository when it is selected.

TDM ObjectEditor window

Under Types you can select an available object type from the drop-down list. The left section of the Tosca TDM ObjectEditor window shows the TDM objects for the corresponding object type, and the right section of the window shows the associated partner objects.

The Refresh button serves to refresh the data in the TDM ObjectEditor.

Menu of the Tosca TDM ObjectEditor

The menu bar contents are structured dynamically and are available to users depending on the used context.

Menu entry	Description
Repository->Open	The test data repository opens. Alternatively, the button can be used. The following information needs to be specified in order to open a repository: Database type: the following DB types are available: Oracle, DB2, SQLite and MS SQL server. Schema: a schema name can be specified (optional). Connection String: connection parameters used for the test data repository. For detailed examples, please have a look at the table in chapter "Connect to a separate Tricentis Tosca Test Data Management repository". Use dynamic mode: the dynamic mode can be enabsled.
Repository->Save	Changes are saved to the test data repository. Alternatively, you can either use the button or the key combination Ctrl + S.
Repository->Optimize Repository	This option is available for SQLite repositories and it releases unused memory space in the local repository. This improves the performance.
Repository->Recent Repositories	Shows the most recently created or opened repositories which can also be opened from here. The view is limited to 10 entries.
Repository->Backup	Dump: a backup with the file extension .tdd is created. Restore: a backup with the file extension .tdd can be restored.
Repository->Reset	Data: all TDM objects in the repository are deleted. The attributes are maintained (schema). Data and Schema: the database schema and all the TDM objects in the repository are deleted.
Repository->Close	The open TDM repository is closed. Alternatively, the button can be used.
Repository->Refresh Schema	Any changes made to the schema are transferred to the Tosca TDM ObjectEditor.
Edit	This menu entry serves to add data from a Windows® clipboard to the test data repository (see "Adding test data via the Windows® clipboard"). You can also copy and paste data from the repository itself. The menu entry Delete allows selected objects to be deleted. Alternatively, the following key combinations can be used: Delete or Ctrl + -. We recommend updating Tosca TDM ObjectEditor prior to making changes, since there may be conflicts with other users' actions. Any changes must be saved by using the menu entry Repository->Save.
Objects	All selected TDM objects can be unlocked and made available to other users via the menu entry Unlock selected Objects.
Subset	The menu entry Subset->Import can be used to import objects, which have been previously exported from Tosca TDM ObjectEditor, into an open test data repository. If the menu entry Subset->Export is used for exporting, the selected objects are exported into a subset with the file extension .tde.

Context menu options

The following options are available from the context menu of attributes (table header).

Changes that are made here are not saved to the TDM repository and only apply to the current user.

Menu entry	Description
Sort Ascending	The rows of the table are sorted alphabetically, in ascending order and on the basis of the selected column.
Sort Descending	The rows of the table are sorted alphabetically, in descending order and on the basis of the selected column.
Clear Sorting	The order of the columns is reset to the original state.
Group By This Column	The values of the test data repository are grouped on the basis of the selected column. Several columns can be specified as grouping criteria.
ClearGrouping	This option is available in the context menu if values have been grouped. Grouped values are ungrouped.
Show/Hide Group By Box	The field that contains the group criteria is either shown or hidden.
Hide This Column	The selected column is hidden.
Column Chooser	This option allows columns to be moved to a column selection dialog. The columns are not shown any more but they can be added again with a double-click.
Best Fit	The column width of the current column is adapted according to its content.
Best Fit (all columns)	The column width of all columns is adapted according to the content of the column menu.
Filter Editor...	This opens the Filter Editor. Values can be filtered here with variables.
Show/Hide Find Panel	This option either shows or hides the search field. Attribute values can be searched here. All data rows, which contain the desired value, are filtered.
Show/Hide Auto Filter Row	This option either shows or hides a row, which can be used to search for values in individual columns.

Searching for objects in Tosca TDM ObjectEditor

Objects in Tosca TDM ObjectEditor can be searched by using Simple Search and Advanced Search.

Attribute values can be searched via the search field which can be opened via the context menu of the required object (see "Show/Hide Find Panel").

Adding or editing data in Tosca TDM ObjectEditor

Editing values

TDM object values can be edited and saved in the Tosca TDM ObjectEditor. In order to manipulate values, the required field must be selected using the left mouse button. Changes must be saved by using the menu entry Repository->Save.

The required object must be available to the current user so that changes can be made. Locked objects cannot be modified.

Adding values

In Tosca TDM ObjectEditor, TDM object values can either be added manually or via the Windows® clipboard. At the end of the table, a new row is added by pressing the Enter key - TDM object without values. Data can be defined for the new TDM object.

New rows can also be added with the key combination Ctrl + +.

Selected rows can be duplicated using the key combination Ctrl + ..

Adding test data via the Windows® clipboard

Test data of a Windows® clipboard can be added to the test data repository by using the menu entry Edit->Paste. The option Edit->Copy can be used to copy the previously selected data from Tosca TDM ObjectEditor to the clipboard. Alternatively, the key combinations Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V can be used.

Structuring data in Excel

In the first row, the ObjectType must be specified and in the row beneath, the object name must be defined. The first row additionally contains the attribute names and the subsequent rows contain the attribute values. Each data row shows one TDM object.

Sample test data structure in Excel

Locking objects

TDM repositories can be accessed by several users. TDM objects are locked for other users as soon as one user edits an object. Objects that are locked are grayed out and enabled in the Locked column.

Locked TDM objects are made available to others by saving them or selecting the menu entry Objects->Unlock selected Objects.