PI22205: Very slow performance working with data centric diagrams

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When working with very large data centric representational
  consistent based diagrams in IBM Rational System Architect (SA),
  it takes a very long time to open such a diagram.
  
  These diagrams could have over 50 symbols and hundreds of
  relationship lines which require redrawing each time a change is
  made.
  
  When running one or more analytics against the diagram, the
  consistency check report runs again prior to running the
  analytic which makes the diagrams seem un-useable resulting in
  SA to appear un-responsive.
  
  
  NOTE
  
  This issue is a corner case with particular custom defined
  diagram types and custom macro code.
  
  
  WORKAROUNDs
  
  You can disable the consistency check report in the session
  options as follows.
  - open SA and from Tools menu select Session Options.
  - select RepConRefreshOnDgmOpen and set it to N
  That will skip the representational consistency step and the
  open will be much faster. The side effect of this is that if any
  definitions changes affecting the diagram took place before this
  diagram open, they will not be reflected on the diagram. The
  refresh can always be invoked later, once the diagram is opened
  by clicking the refresh button. We are looking into improving
  this process.
  
  You can improve the analytic macro performance as follows.
  Open the diagram on which you want to run the analytic
  - select one line and right click on it to invoke the context
  menu
  - from the context menu select 'Select all Application
  Interface...'
  - right click again and from the menu select 'Hide Selected
  Application Interface...' and confirm
  - once the lines are hidden, run the analytic
  Not only that the process completes, but it is relatively fast
  and one gets to see the symbols changing color, which they
  wouldn't otherwise see because of the lines.
  
  You can also hide the lines and save the diagram and after that
  all subsequent opens will be fast as well.
  
  Your analytic macro may also need to be tweaked. You can choose
  less items to report on using less colors on the diagram.
  The best material we have on learning how to write (or edit) a
  VBA macro for System Architect is the 11-part and 7-part tip
  series -- under VBA tutorials on this page:
  http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/products/systemarchit
  ect/enterprisearchitecturetips.html
  
  Additionally, the Green IT plug-in has a VBA macro that runs
  analytics to display icons next to servers, processes, etc based
  on their power consumption, carbon footprint, and so forth. The
  plug-in is here:
  
  https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/files/app#/file/fec
  9d9ef-77bc-4913-9143-6d2f90f6dfd3
  In the VBA maco, the basMain module has the subroutines.
  
  Additionally instead of report based analytic you can use macro
  based analytics. Examples of these are included in the System
  Architect installation.
  
  IF you need help writing or improving macros then please contact
  IBM Global Business Services.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
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  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
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  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
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  - the representational consistency processing is slow
  - unnecessary representational consistency processing during
  heat map manager runs
  - unnecessary representational consistency processing during
  line drawing
  

Problem conclusion

• Client didn't have the correct property set configuration;
  node symbols were left in DEFINED BY state, so the symbols
  didn't have the attributes needed to look up the definition
  so wasteful database queries were being made.
  A macro has been prepared to correct situation - Macro.mac:
  User-friendly version. Runs when loaded. Needs diagram open.
  Can run manually. Presents Started, Finished messages. Saves
  diagram.
  The attached corrected usrprops contains the file that
  should be uploaded to the encyclopedia once the user has
  used the macro to update each diagram they are interested in
  keeping. If the usrprops is updated before the macro is run
  against it then all the definition nodes will be removed
  when the diagram is opened.
  
  There were 2 definitions with non-unique GUIDs as reported
  but not corrected by Verify?Repair. The attached xml will
  correct them but the xml should be checked to ensure no data
  will be lost as changes might have been made since the
  encyclopedia was supplied to us.
  
  Various efficiency improvements have been made, mostly
  affecting the refresh action for the diagram but should also
  improve the time to open it.
  
  Improvements were also made to the Heat Map Manager.
  
  Note the circumventions listed.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TLOGIC SYS ARCH

• Fixed component ID

  5724V68SA

Applicable component levels

• RB40 PSN

     UP