Using same Variable at different levels in a flowchart?

[lapol01]

Hello,

Let's consider a flowchart. In the second or third node I set a Variable called SHIP_TYPE with the value ADDRESS (Variable defined in Tools/Properties).

Later in the flowchart, I have a decision node where the decision should be made based on the value of the SHIP_TYPE variable.

 

How would you recommend to implement this?

Thanks,

Olivier.

[Benjamin.Johnson-Ward]

You can't, not like that anyway. 

The reason for this is you could never predict if an edge later on in the diagram is even possible, so you wouldn't be able to calculate coverage. 

Can you explain to me the goal of what you're doing, there are a lot of ways to skin the cat you're trying to skin!

[lapol01]

Thanks Ben,

I understand. Let me try to better explain which requirement I had in mind:

Let's consider a B2C Web Site. A customer can select an item and set it in the basket. From the basket, the customer can (pre)select the shipping mode (Drone, UPS ...). Then the customer can continue to visit the web site and at the end finalizes the buying process. At the end of this process, the customer must confirm (or change) the shipping mode.

At the ARD level, between the basket and the rest of the flowchart until the shipping mode confirmation, there are lots of business rules / process & decision nodes.

How would you address this (getting at the end of the buying process what was selected for the shipping_mode in the basket)?

 

Thanks for your advice,

Olivier.

[Benjamin.Johnson-Ward]

Got it, the easiest way would be to use an advanced constraint of the form:

 

If: precondition & (we reach the relevant decision)
then: we make the relevant condition a particular way

 

Note, the second part of the if the condition is vital, because otherwise if the precondition happens we will be forced to reach the decision in all circumstances!

 

See the documentation here: Constraints - CA Agile Requirements Designer - 2.4 - CA Technologies Documentation 

 

Make sure you're using *advanced constraints*

[lapol01]

Hi Ben,

Understood, thanks.

 

I take advantage: could you point me to use cases (docs or videos) around how and why using "Variables"?

Thanks,

Olivier.

[gilta03]

Hi Oliver, 

 

There is more information in our online documentation:

CA Agile Requirements Designer Home - CA Agile Requirements Designer - 2.4 - CA Technologies Documentation 

Variables- Create Visual Flows - CA Agile Requirements Designer - 2.4 - CA Technologies Documentation  (Under Edit Visual Flow Properties)

 

Advanced Constraints: Constraints - CA Agile Requirements Designer - 2.4 - CA Technologies Documentation  

 

Best regards,

Taylor

[lapol01]

Thanks for the pointers.

I guess I understood how to define Variables in ARD. My concern was more about use cases: in which business cases it may be relevant / useful to use Variables?

 

Thanks,

Olivier.