Unlocking the Power of IBM DOORS: A Step-by-Step Guide to Searching and Linking IDs with DXL Script

Are you tired of manually searching for IDs in your DOORS requirements and linking them to other modules? Do you want to automate this process and save time for more critical tasks? Look no further! In this article, we’ll take you on a journey to create an IBM DOORS DXL script that searches for an ID inside a requirement text and links it to another module with the same ID.

What is DXL Scripting?

Before we dive into the script, let’s quickly cover what DXL scripting is. DXL (DOORS eXtension Language) is a powerful scripting language used in IBM Rational DOORS to automate tasks, customize workflows, and integrate with other tools. With DXL, you can write scripts to perform complex tasks, such as searching, linking, and reporting, making your DOORS experience more efficient and effective.

Why Do We Need This Script?

In many industries, such as aerospace, defense, and automotive, requirements management is a critical process. IDs play a vital role in tracking and tracing requirements across different modules and documents. However, manually searching for IDs and linking them to other modules can be a tedious and error-prone task. This script solves this problem by automatically searching for IDs in requirement text and linking them to other modules with the same ID.

The Script: Search and Link IDs with DXL

Here’s the script that will change the game for your DOORS workflow:

// Define the search string
string searchString = "\\[([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\]";

// Define the module to search in
Module m = current Module;

// Define the module to link to
Module linkModule = module("MyLinkedModule");

// Loop through all objects in the module
for obj in m do {
  // Check if the object is a requirement
  if (typeof(obj) == "Requirement") {
    // Get the requirement text
    string reqText = obj.Text;

    // Search for IDs in the requirement text
    Regexp re = regexp(searchString);
    Match match = re.match(reqText);

    // Loop through all matches
    while (match != null) {
      // Get the ID
      string id = match.group(1);

      // Find the object with the same ID in the linked module
      Object linkObj = linkModule.find(id, false);

      // If the object exists, link it to the requirement
      if (linkObj != null) {
        obj->links-><<(Link(linkObj));
      }

      // Move to the next match
      match = re.match(reqText, match.offset + 1);
    }
  }
}

How the Script Works

Let’s break down the script step by step:

1. string searchString = "\\[([A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\]";: This line defines the search string using regular expressions. The script searches for IDs enclosed in square brackets, which can contain letters, numbers, and underscores.

2. Module m = current Module;: This line sets the current module as the module to search in.

3. Module linkModule = module("MyLinkedModule");: This line sets the module to link to. Replace “MyLinkedModule” with the actual name of your linked module.

4. for obj in m do { ... }: This line loops through all objects in the search module.

5. if (typeof(obj) == "Requirement") { ... }: This line checks if the object is a requirement. If it’s not, the script skips to the next iteration.

6. string reqText = obj.Text;: This line gets the requirement text.

7. Regexp re = regexp(searchString);: This line creates a regular expression object using the search string.

8. Match match = re.match(reqText);: This line searches for the first match in the requirement text.

9. while (match != null) { ... }: This line loops through all matches.

10. string id = match.group(1);: This line gets the ID from the match.

11. Object linkObj = linkModule.find(id, false);: This line finds the object with the same ID in the linked module.

12. if (linkObj != null) { obj->links-><<(Link(linkObj)); }: This line links the requirement to the object with the same ID in the linked module.

13. match = re.match(reqText, match.offset + 1);: This line moves to the next match.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips and variations to enhance your script:

• Module Scope: You can modify the script to search in multiple modules by adding more Module objects to the script.

• ID Format: You can adjust the regular expression to match different ID formats, such as “REQ-” or “ID-” followed by a number.

• Link Type: You can customize the link type by using different link attributes, such as Link(linkObj, "Related To").

• Error Handling: You can add error handling to the script to handle cases where the linked object is not found or the ID is not valid.

Conclusion

With this DXL script, you’ve unlocked the power of automated ID searching and linking in IBM DOORS. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ve saved time and reduced the risk of manual errors. Remember to customize the script to fit your specific needs and experiment with variations to make it even more powerful.

Keyword	Description
DXL Script	A powerful scripting language used in IBM Rational DOORS to automate tasks, customize workflows, and integrate with other tools.
ID Searching	Searching for IDs in requirement text using regular expressions.
Linking	Linking requirements to other modules with the same ID.

By mastering DXL scripting, you’ll take your DOORS skills to the next level and become a requirements management rockstar! So, go ahead, get creative, and automate your way to success!

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