Systems Architects and Engineers specialising in the effective use of Systems Architecture, Methods and Tools since 1982

What's NEW in Strategy SAVI - Version 2.08

New Facilities

In line with the Strategy SAVI® MAP version you can now use up to 10 structures in a single project, complete with all of the 55 possible relationships.

Linking with Visio

You can populate a Strategy SAVI® model from diagrams created in Visio Professional 5.0.

Visio Database Export Wizard

This is done by running the Visio Database Export Wizard to export data from shapes in a Visio diagram into the appropriate database tables of the Strategy SAVI® model. For example, you can create a Business Process flow diagram or Data Model diagram in Visio and automatically load relevant information such as the process definition or data relationship information into the appropriate Strategy SAVI® sphere table.

To run the Wizard, in Visio, from the Tools menu, choose Macro, then Database, then Database Wizard. For details about options, click the More Info button in the wizard or search on-line help for "database wizard".

In using the wizard, you can select the Visio ShapeSheet cells or custom properties from which you want data exported and indicate which columns or fields in the Strategy SAVI® sphere or relationship tables should receive that data. This process uses ODBC and the Strategy SAVI® database must be defined as an ODBC-data source. This is done within the Database Export Wizard. Make sure you have the correct ODBC drivers for your Strategy SAVI® database and that these are located in your "\windows\system" directory. The correct Paradox drivers are distributed with your copy of Strategy SAVI®. If you are using a different data base management system you will need the drivers for that system.

Mapping

You can export data for every shape in the drawing or for selected shapes. You can select the shapes with data you want to export by placing those shapes on a separate layer within Visio. The wizard prompts you for the appropriate layer. You must be careful to ensure correct mapping between the item in the drawing and the appropriate field in the appropriate Strategy SAVI® sphere or relationship table.

An item in a drawing that you wish to export must have a Strategy SAVI® sequence number and a name. The data you export from the Shapesheet cells and custom properties must correspond with the fields in the Strategy SAVI® sphere or relationship table including free form fields. When you export, the wizard determines the most appropriate data type for the information in each cell or field you're exporting. You can change the data type settings and you can specify how you want to interpret the data (for example, as a formula, value, number, or number with a particular set of units) provided that this agrees with the definitions you have give in customising your Strategy SAVI® schema.

Visio offers a number or operations that keep your diagrams and the Strategy SAVI® database in sychronisation. For example if you make changes to an item in Strategy SAVI®, those changes can be reflected back into the diagram next time it is loaded.

For a worked example of this procedure see:

http://www.systems-advisers.com/SAVI/strategy/examples/visiolink

Enhanced Facilities

Strategy SAVI now runs under Windows 2000 or Windows XP. Our apologies to any of our users who made the upgrade and had problems but this version should fix the problem.

Old Bugs Squashed

In some circumstances entry of sphere items in a new empty table could fail. It's FIXED.

Reconstructing a sphere table could sometimes lose its alternate index (sorted by item name). It's FIXED.

If you changed your mind half way through choosing to work on a relation (first sphere selected but not the second) and then moved to another area of the menu, you still got the pick-a-second-sphere reminder message. It's FIXED.

On unintended deletion of a sphere, you are prompted to go ahead or abort. Oops, the abort didn't work. (Had you got a backup?!) It's FIXED.