Export to DOORS

The Export to DOORS command generates data exchange file for transferring system design information to IBM® Rational® DOORS. The Export to DOORS command leverages the same table definitions used by the CSV and Word import / export mechanism enabling a "define once, reuse many times" mentality.

The Export to DOORS command is half of the DOORS Connector embedded in CORE to enable bi-directional exchange of data with DOORS through standard file formats. Directly from the Import and Export commands on the File menu, you can transfer data back and forth with DOORS directly out of the box. You can quickly customize the default mappings and process to match the needs of your project and the approach of your team. This wizard-driven approach makes data exchange a snap.

The DOORS Connector supports three fundamental concepts of operations when leveraging both CORE and DOORS in a joint environment:

• CORE for Requirements Generation - in this concept of operations, the user is focused on the operational and problem analysis. The user has not started with configuration controlled requirements. Instead, the generation of system requirements is the objective. CORE is the initial tool, operational analysis proceeds, and the final system-level requirements are to be baselined in CORE. The fundamental need in this case is a one-way export of requirements from CORE to DOORS.
• DOORS as the Initial Requirements Source - in this concept of operations, the initial requirements (system-level or otherwise) have been captured in DOORS. The team wishes to use this as the starting point for systems analysis in CORE. Though DOORS does not have a major ongoing role in this scenario, it is possible that requirements changes in DOORS will occur. The fundamental need in this case is a one-way export of requirements from DOORS into CORE with subsequent export of changes or change orders.
• DOORS as Authoritative Requirements Repository - in this concept of operations, the initial requirements have been captured in CORE. The systems engineering component of the team wishes to use CORE for systems analysis, but DOORS will serve as the authoritative requirements repository – at the system and subsystem level. As lower-level requirements are generated in CORE, they are reflected in the DOORS repository. In this case, CORE's involvement with the project begins with a one-way export of requirements from DOORS into CORE. After that, the primary need is the publication of lower-level requirements from CORE to DOORS. In both directions, there exists the possibility of change orders. It is also possible that once requirements are exported into DOORS, the corresponding CORE objects may be baselined and locked down to avoid further property changes.

The mechanics of the DOORS Connector is very straightforward. Tuning the connector to your specific team process and DOORS schema can fundamentally change the effectiveness not only of your data exchange but of your entire process. The steps below highlight the basics. More information is available in the DOORS Connector Guide accessible from the Help>>Documentation menu.   Every case is different. If you are leveraging the connector to support DOORS and CORE in a joint environment, we highly recommend speaking with Vitech engineers to tailor the process to best suit your specific needs.

Step 1. Select the Data

The first step in the export process is to select the desired data to export. In the case of the DOORS export, you must select a package of information to transfer. All elements in the package and all subpackages will be included in the export.

Step 2. Determine the Export Type

When exporting from CORE to DOORS, there are two primary scenarios:

• If CORE is the authoritative data source, data can be structured based upon CORE's paragraph numbers.

• If DOORS is the authoritative data source, data should be structure based upon the DOORS object number.

Step 3. Define the Table

Using the same table definition dialog as other tabular imports and exports, define the columns in your table. Based upon your selection in Step 2, CORE selects the correct default table for the export. This can be customized to align with your process, DOORS schema, and defined data mappings.

At this point, the wizard completes and you will be prompted to specify an output file. You can then import this file into DOORS and proceed with your defined team process.