Using Progress Bars

1

On a diagram, create an element that can display compartments (such as a Requirement or Feature) and add a simple Tagged Value to it.

2

From the Tagged Values window open the tag's notes and add 'Type=ProgressBar;' (including the semi-colon) and then click on the OK button.

(You can add further options to the Tagged Value, as described in the Additional Progress Bar Options table.)

3

Click on the element and either press Ctrl+Shift+Y or right-click and select the 'Features and Properties > Feature and Compartment Visibility' option. The 'Feature and Compartment Visibility' dialog displays.

4

Select the 'Tags' checkbox in the 'Show Element Compartments' panel, then click on the OK button.

The progress bar will now be shown on the element on the diagram, with the Tagged Value name above the bar.

5

In the Tagged Values window, indicate progress by typing a number between 1 and 100 into the 'Value' field for the tag. On the diagram, the appropriate length of the progress bar is filled in green.

1

Select the 'Configure > Reference Data > UML Types' ribbon option to display the 'UML Types' dialog and click on the 'Tagged Value Types' tab.

2

In the 'Tag Name' and 'Description' fields, type a name and description for the Tagged Value. In the 'Detail' field type the option parameters and their values for the Tagged Value. Click on the Save button and on the Close button.

(The option parameters are described in the Additional Progress Bar Options table.)

3

Select the 'Start > Tagged Values' ribbon option to open the Tagged Values window (if it is not already open).

On a diagram select an element, then in the Tagged Values window click on the (New Tagged Value) button.

In the 'Tag' field of the Tagged Value dialog, click on the drop-down arrow and select the Tagged Value you created in step 2, then click on the OK button.

4

On the diagram, right-click on the element and select the 'Features & Properties | Feature and Compartment Visibility' option to display the 'Feature and Compartment Visibility' dialog.

5

Select the 'Tags' checkbox and click on the OK button.

6

In the Tagged Values window, change the number in the 'Value' field a few times, clicking off the field each time. Notice the effect this has on the progress bar.

MinVal

Use the MinVal option to set the lowest allowed value to be represented on the progress bar.

• Syntax: MinVal=<number>;

A progress bar with the setting MinVal=10; will start at 10. Values lower than 10 will not be shown on it.

If a maximum value (MaxVal) has been defined, the progress bar will show any values between MinVal and MaxVal (inclusive); otherwise, the maximum value will default to MinVal + 100. So, if MinVal=10, the progress bar can show values between 10 and 110 (inclusive).

MaxVal

Use the MaxVal option to set the highest allowed value to be represented on the progress bar.

• Syntax: MaxVal=<number>;

A progress bar with the setting MaxVal=300; will show values up to and including 300. Values higher than 300 will not be shown.

If a minimum value (MinVal) has been set, the progress bar will show any values between MinVal and MaxVal (inclusive); otherwise the minimum value will default to 0. So, if MaxVal=300 the progress bar can show values between 0 and 300 (inclusive).

Text

Use the Text option to define additional text to display on the right hand side of the progress bar. The text might be a resource name or the current take up of the total allowed budget of a project.

• Syntax: Text=<text>; - displays the defined text string, such as 'David Brown's Tasks'
• Syntax: Text=#Value#; - displays the value of the progress bar Tagged Value, such as '462' (where the Tagged Value name itself might indicate the type of value or unit)
• Syntax: Text=<text> #Value# <text>; - displays the value of the progress bar Tagged Value with text before and/or after it, such as '$<value> of $100,000'

This illustration shows a number of examples of using the Text option.

Compartment

By default, progress bars in an element display together in a separate compartment from other types of Tagged Value (provided that the diagram and/or element are set to display tag compartments).

When there are several progress bars on an element, each relating to a different factor of the project, it can become harder to distinguish between them. In these cases it is possible to set the progress bars to display in specific compartments in order to increase clarity. This also provides an additional level of labeling. So you might have an element relating to costs, and two or more compartments that indicate costs of different departments, where the department name is reflected in the compartment name. Or compartments that each contain two or more progress bars indicating, say, the costs and percentage completion of tasks in each department.

• Syntax: Compartment=<name>;

To add multiple progress bars to the same compartment simply give the progress bars the same compartment name.

This example shows the element from the Text parameter example, but with the use of compartments to aid in readability.