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Navigating within StreamBase Studio

Current Location: Home > Navigation and Printing Tips > Navigating within StreamBase Studio

The following topics are available to help you navigate within StreamBase Studio:

• Perspectives, Editors, and Views
• Menus
• Toolbars
• Buttons
• Window Layout
• Shortcut Bar
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Custom Perspectives

Perspectives, Editors, and Views

In StreamBase Studio, a perspective is a collection of windows that are arranged to facilitate the completion of a specific task. A perspective may have one primary window, such as an editor, where most tasks are performed, and one or more windows (called views) that support the work in the primary window. StreamBase Studio has three main perspectives:

• Use the Authoring perspective to design and create StreamBase applications.
• Use the Test/Debug perspective to test your application's functionality by running it with simulated input data.
• The Demo perspective provides views and tools for the first-time user, demonstrating important StreamBase capabilities. You can open the Demo perspective directly from the Welcome page when you first open StreamBase Studio, or at any time by clicking Window > Open Perspective, then selecting Demo.

Note: You can also define you own perspectives, as described in the Custom Perspectives section of this topic.

The main StreamBase Studio editors are described in the following topics:

• Application Diagram Editor
• StreamSQL Editor
• Using the Feed Simulation Editor

StreamBase Studio also provides a simple text editor that can be used to edit text-base files within the IDE, as an alternative to importing files into your project. The Text Editor can be opened in either of the following ways:

• When you open most kinds of text files in your Project view. For example, double-click a .txt file in the Project View.

  Exceptions are the main StreamBase resource files for EventFlow and StreamSQL applications, Server configuration files, and feed simulation files. StreamBase Studio opens each of these files by default in its own specialized editor. For example, an .sbapp file is opened in the Application Diagram Editor.

• When you create a csv file by clicking File > New > Data File. A text editor can be opened this way in any perspective.

More information about each StreamBase Studio view is available in the following topics:

• Projects View
• Palette View
• Properties View
• Typecheck Errors View
• Focus Selector View
• Outline View
• Manual Input View
• Feed Simulations View
• Recordings View
• Application Input View
• Application Output View
• Debugger View
• Monitor View
• Server Diagnostics View
• Terminal View

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Menus

The following sections describe the options available in StreamBase Studio's menus.

Note that menu and menu option availability may change based on the perspective or editor you are currently using.

Some menu commands also have keyboard equivalents. When a keyboard shortcut is available, you will see it displayed in the menu after the command name.

File Menu

This menu allows you to create, save, close, print, import, and export StreamBase resources and exit StreamBase Studio itself.

• New — Creates a new StreamBase resource: project, application diagram, StreamSQL application, feed simulation, csv data file, or server configuration.
• Close — Closes the active editor.
• Close All — Closes all open editors.
• Save — Allows you to save the contents of the active editor.
• Save As — Allows you to save the contents of the active editor under another file name.
• Save All — Saves the contents of all open editors.
• Revert — Undoes all changes in the current file since the last explicit Save.
• Print — Prints the contents of the active Application Diagram Editor.
• Switch Workspace — Closes the current StreamBase Studio and reopens it using a different workspace.
• Open File — Opens an .sbapp or .ssql application file in your file system.
• Load Samples — Opens the Load Samples Projects dialog, which allows you to import sample StreamBase projects.
• Import — Opens the Import Resources dialog, which allows you to import resources into StreamBase Studio.
• Export — Opens the Export Resources dialog, which allows you to export resources from StreamBase Studio.
• Exit — Closes StreamBase Studio.

Edit Menu

This menu helps you manipulate components in several editors and views.

• Undo — This option reverses your most recent editing action.
• Redo — This option re-applies the editing action that has most recently been reversed by the Undo action.
• Cut — This option removes the selection and places it on the clipboard.
• Copy — This option places a copy of the selection on the clipboard.
• Paste — This option places the text or object on the clipboard at the current cursor location in the currently active view or editor.
• Delete — This option removes the current selection.
• Select All — This option selects all components in the currently active Application Diagram Editor.
• The following helpers are available when you are editing in the StreamSQL Application Editor:
  • Content Assist— Displays a list of keywords and functions that you can choose to insert in a line of StreamSQL code. It may also display syntax and brief help for the item. To choose an item, you can either select the item in the list, or begin typing its name; typeahead will complete the item when it can do so unambiguously. If you have begun typing a word, Content Assist may complete the word without displaying a list, as with Word Completion.
  • Parameter Hints— Displays brief help if you hover your cursor over a function name in a StreamSQL statement.
  • Word Completion— Completes a StreamSQL term when you have partially entered its name, if the remaining text is unambiguous. If the result is not satisfactory, try typing more text or using Content Assist.

Insert Menu

This menu allows you to select StreamBase components to add to the active Application Diagram Editor. (This menu is only available when the Application Diagram Editor has focus.) Alternatively, you can use drag and drop components from the Palette View.

Diagram Menu

This menu provides you with various options for layout out your application diagrams in the active Application Diagram Editor. (In other words, this menu will not be available unless the Application Diagram Editor has focus.)

• Center Selection — This option centers the selected components in the Application Diagram Editor.
• Layout Application — This option neatly arranges the application diagram's comments and connections.
• Reroute Connections — This option arranges the application diagram's connections around components.
• Collapse — This option collapses the selected components in the Application Diagram Editor into a collection.
• Expand — This option expands the selected collection in the Application Diagram Editor into its separate components.
• Zoom In — This option increases the displayed size of the application diagram.
• Zoom Out — This option decreases the displayed size of the application diagram.
• Zoom to Fit — This option zooms in on the entire application diagram (in or out) so that it fits in the Application Diagram Editor.
• View Source — This option allows you to view the XML source for the selected components in the Application Diagram Editor, or the entire application diagram (if no components are selected).
• Typecheck — This option allows you to typecheck the selected components in the Application Diagram Editor, or the entire application diagram (if no components are selected).

Run Menu

This menu allows you to run and stop the applications and feed simulations you previously created (for testing purposes).

• Stop Application — This option stops the currently running application and as a result, any running feed simulations.
• Stop Selection — This option stops the currently selected application or feed simulation, if it is running. Stopping an application stops any feed simulations associated with that application.
• Debug Application — This option runs the selected application in debug mode, enabling the Debugger View.
• Run Selection — This option runs the currently selected application or feed simulation. Only one application may be running at a time, but multiple feed simulations associated with the application may run simultaneously.

Window Menu

This menu allows you to display, hide, and otherwise manipulate the various views, perspectives, and actions in StreamBase Studio.

• Open Perspective — This option opens a new perspective in StreamBase Studio. All of the perspectives that are open within StreamBase Studio are shown on the shortcut bar. The perspectives you will likely want to open are listed first. This list is dependent on the current perspective. Choose Other to see all available perspectives:

  

• Save Perspective As... — This option lets you modify an existing perspective's layout and contents, and then (recommended) define the changes with a new perspective name, such as MyAuthoring. You can then select that custom perspective from a list in StreamBase Studio. For details, see the Custom Perspectives section that appears later in this topic.
• Reset Perspective — This option changes the layout of the current perspective to its original configuration.
• Close Perspective — This option closes the active perspective.
• Show View — This option displays a list of all views currently open. Choose one to jump to that view. If you want to open a view that is not listed (for example, one that you closed earlier, or a view that is normally open in another perspective), choose Other. The Show View window groups views under several categories. You can expand each category to see its views, or use the filter to specify a view by name. The filter matches on view names or their starting letters. It also accepts wildcards (* and ?).

  

• Navigation — This submenu contains shortcut keys for navigating between the views, perspectives, and editors in StreamBase Studio.
  • Next Editor — Activates the next open editor in the list of most recently used editors.
  • Previous Editor — Activates the previous open editor in the list of most recently used editors.
  • Switch to Editor — Shows a dialog that allows switching to opened editors. Shows a dialog that allows switching to opened editors.
  • Next View — Activates the next open view in the list of most recently used views.
  • Previous View — Activates the previous open editor in the list of most recently used editors.
  • Next Perspective — Activates the next open perspective in the list of most recently used perspectives.
  • Previous Perspective — Activates the previous open perspective in the list of most recently used perspectives.
• Preferences — This option allows you to indicate your preferences for using StreamBase Studio.

Help Menu

This menu provides help on using StreamBase and StreamBase Studio.

• Welcome — This option will open the welcome content.
• Help Contents — This option displays the help view. The help view contains help books, topics, and information related to the StreamBase features.
• Search — Allows you to enter one or more words as the documentation search criteria. If any matches are found, the results page will provide links to the topics. For example:

  

  When you click a topic's link in the search results (part of the Help View), the topic is opened in the same view window. For example:

  

  If the view window is too narrow (as shown in the example), you can resize it. Alternatively, you can toggle between the narrow-format view and the full-screen view, and vice versa, by double-clicking the Help tab:

  

  You can also minimize the search results window, or click the X in the Help tab to close it and return to the StreamBase Studio Authoring or Test/Debug perspective.

• Dynamic Help — Displays one or more topics that are associated with the currently used view in the IDE.
• Tips & Tricks — Opens the Navigation and Printing Tips topic in the StreamBase Studio Help, which includes the topic you are reading now.
• What's New — Opens the New and Noteworthy topic, which highlights the significant features and changes in StreamBase releases, and provides links to the topics covering new features.
• About StreamBase Studio — This option displays information about the product.

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Toolbars

The StreamBase Studio toolbar is displayed at the top of the StreamBase Studio window, directly underneath the menu bar. The contents of the toolbar change based on the active editor. Actions in the toolbar may apply to particular views or editors, so these actions may be enabled or disabled based on the state of the currently active view or editor.

Here is an example of the toolbar in the Authoring perspective:

The toolbar contains the following buttons:

• New — Opens a dialog where you can choose the type of StreamBase resource to create. You can create new projects, application diagrams, feed simulations, or data files.
• Save — Saves the file currently displayed in the editor area.
• Print — Opens a dialog that allows you to specify where you would like to print the contents of the file currently being displayed in the Application Diagram Editor.
• Edit — Cuts, copies, pastes, or deletes the selected item.
• Run/Stop — Runs or stops the selected application and/or feed simulation or recording.
• Application Diagram — Changes how the application diagram appears in the Application Diagram Editor. A closer look:

  

  The buttons shown above (from left-to-right) provide display optimization features to: rearrange the diagram components on the canvas for the best possible layout; reroute connections to the best (non-overlapping) route around the buttons; zoom the diagram's view in or out; zooms in or out to fit the diagram in the current canvas window size; and typecheck the entire application.

View Toolbars

View toolbars contain actions that apply only to the particular view in which they appear. The view toolbar also contains a context menu that contains other actions for that view. This menu is opened by clicking on the downwards pointing triangle. If there is enough space, view toolbars are in the view title bar. Otherwise they appear inside the view.

Here is an example of the view title bar for the Feed Simulations View:

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Buttons

The following table describes the buttons and icons you may see throughout StreamBase Studio.

Button	Name	Description
	New Project	Opens the New StreamBase Project dialog, where you can create a project, with (optionally) empty new EventStream and StreamSQL applications and a configuration file.
	New EventStream Application	Opens the New Application Diagram dialog, where you can create a new, empty EventStream application. The new application is opened in the Application Diagram Editor.
	New StreamSQL Application	Opens the New StreamSQL Application dialog, where you can create a new, empty StreamSQL application. The new application is opened in the StreamSQL Editor.
	New Feed Simulation	Opens the New Feed Simulation dialog, where you can create a new datafeed for a specific application. The new feed simulation is opened in the Feed Simulation Editor.
	New Server Configuration	Creates a new skeleton server configuration file for a project, and opens the file in the Configuration Editor.
	Information	Provides a brief description of a component and its use.
	Warning	Alerts you to a potential problem and, if appropriates, suggests how to avoid it.
	Error	Indicates a typecheck error in a component in an EventFlow application, or in a StreamSQL statement. Messages describing typecheck errors are displayed in the Typecheck Errors view, and in some Properties views (for EventFlow applications).
	Apply and typecheck	Applies the changes you made for this component's Properties View tabs, without having to save the application. Note that is it normally unnecessary to explicitly typecheck, because StreamBase Studio automatically typechecks your application as you work.
	Revert	Displayed in Properties view. This button undoes changes to the current operator since the last time it was saved (reverting to its previous settings).
	Help	Displayed in Properties View and Feed Simulation Editor, opens a help topic specific to the currently selected window or tab.
	Add	Adds a row to the end of an editable table (Properties view). If you click the arrow to the right of the button, you can specify whether the row should be added above or below the currently selected row. When you add a row, the newly created row is highlighted. To start entering information, click in the cell you want to edit. (Note that some cells are not user-editable.)
	Remove	Removes the currently selected row in an editable table (Properties view). If you click the arrow to the right of the button, you can tell StreamBase Studio to remove all rows in the table.
	Copy Schema	Displayed in the Edit Schema tab of Properties views that enable you to modify schemas. Prefills the table with a schema that already exists in another component. The component can be selected from any application within any project in your Projects view.
	Fill All Rows	Displayed in the Output Settings tab of Map operator Properties view, if you select the explicitly specified fields Output Type option. Prefills the table with all output fields from the previous component. You then specify the changes you want to make by applying the Add, Replace, or Remove action to each field. The arrow to the right of the button lets you load specific input fields instead of all fields.
	Smart Fill	Displayed in the Output Settings tab of Query Operator Properties view (for write operations only) if you select the explicitly specified fields Output Type option. Replaces any values in the expression column of the table with values that match the operator's input fields, adding a prefix to avoid conflicts. For example, an input field named Color may be referenced in the expression as input.Color.
	Pass All	Displayed in the Output Settings tab of Map operator Properties view, if you select the all input fields Output Type option. Clicking the button fills the table with all output fields from the input stream. Alternatively, you can click the triangle to the right of the button, you and pick specific input fields to load. You can then modify the default action on each field (which simply passes the input field through unchanged). For example, you can change the Replace expression, or Add or Remove fields.
	Move Up and Move Down	Displayed in the Edit Schema tab of Properties views that enable you to modify schemas. Move Up selects the previous row in the schema if one exists; Move Down selects the next row.
	Open Perspective	Displays a short list of perspectives (based on your recent activities) that you might choose to open. If you want to see all perspectives, choose the Other option to open the Open Perspective dialog.
	Assign All	Displayed in Input Port and Output Port tabs of Module Reference Properties view. Automatically assigns input streams from the referenced application to the Module Reference input or output ports. The streams are assigned to ports in sorted order. Also creates any missing ports needed for the assignment.
	Disable Dequeueing	When running an application in the Test/Debug perspective (for example, using a feed simulation), prevents output from appearing in the Application Output view. This can speed up the application's performance in StreamBase Studio.
	Show Details or Expressions Pane	In the Application Input and Application Output View, displays or hides (toggles) the details pane of the The Details pane shows all the fields of a row that you select in the view. In Properties views where expressions are required, provides a range of information to help you write expressions, such as the names of fields and functions.
	Scroll Lock	When running an application in StreamBase Studio, prevents the Application Input or Output view from automatically scrolling during execution. You can use the view's scrollbar to navigate rows of input or output.
	Collapse All	Collapses all nodes nested list of items.
	Follow Editor	Selects components in the Outline view when you select them in the Application Diagram Editor.
	Clear (filter)	In a filter control, deletes any text in the filter and stops filtering. For example, in the Outline view, causes all component to be included.

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Window Layout

You can rearrange the layout of StreamBase Studio as follows:

• Drag views to different positions within the StreamBase Studio window.
• Drag views to the shortcut bar to create a fast view.
• Drag editors such that they are simultaneously visible beside, above, or below another editor.
• Resize views and editors by dragging the sashes which separate them.

Drop Cursors

Drop cursors indicate where a view will dock when you release your mouse button. This indication is relative to the view or editor area underneath the cursor. The following table explains the drop cursors in StreamBase Studio.

Cursor	Name	Description
	Dock above	The view will appear above the view underneath the cursor.
	Dock below	The view will appear below the view underneath the cursor.
	Dock to the right	The view will appear to the right of the view underneath the cursor.
	Dock to the left	The view will appear to the left of the view underneath the cursor.
	Stack	The view will appear as a tab in the same pane as the view underneath the cursor.

Fast Views

From a view's title bar context menu, you can select Fast View to minimize the view as a button on the shortcut bar.

If a view is minimized in this way, you can click its button on the shortcut bar to bring it up in a fast view. To revert the fast view back to a docked view again, select the Fast View button on its title bar.

Double-Click

Double-clicking a view or editor's title bar maximizes the editor or view in the StreamBase Studio window.

Title Bar Context Menu and Fast View Toolbars

From the context menu of a view or editor's title bar, you can select how you want the view to appear within the StreamBase Studio window. The following table explains the view and editor title bar context menu options.

Option	Description
Restore	Restores the view to its originating (non-maximized/non-minimized) size and position within the StreamBase Studio window.
Fast View (views only)	Minimizes the view and places a button for it in the shortcut bar. This option, when used in a fast view, will restore the view to its originating (docked) position in the StreamBase Studio window. For more information, see Shortcut Bar.
Restore	Restores the view or editor to its originating (non-maximized/non-minimized) size and position within the StreamBase Studio window.
Move	Move the editor, view, or whole group.
Size	Change the size of the editor or view in the direction specified.
Maximize	Maximizes the editor or view in the StreamBase Studio window.
Minimize	Minimizes the editor or view in the StreamBase Studio window.
Close	Closes the editor or view.
Close Others (editors only)	Closes all editors except the current editor.
Close All (editors only)	Closes all editors.

Here is what a view's context menu looks like:

Here is what an editor's context menu looks like:

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Shortcut Bar

The shortcut bar is actually two different bars. One bar manages the open perspectives, while another manages any open fast views.

Perspective Bar

The perspective bar allows quick access to perspectives that are currently open, as well as providing an easy way to open a new perspective. If wide enough, it shows buttons for other available perspectives, as in this example:

If your perspective bar is too narrow, try dragging its inside edge to widen it (as indicated by the arrow in the preceding figure).

To open a different perspective, click one of the other perspective buttons (in the example, Test/Debug or Demo). Alternatively, click the Switch Perspective button to pick from a drop-down list of available perspectives.

To change the docking of the Perspective Bar, right-click the Open Perspective button. Then, in the Dock On list (shown in the next figure), choose either Top Right, Top Left, or Left.

Fast View Bar

The fastview bar is the place where fast views are docked. It may be docked in three locations. It may be docked on the left, bottom (default) and right.

Here is an example of what the fast view bar (with several view buttons) looks like:

View Buttons

These buttons provide a quick way to display the fast views in the current perspective. Fast views are essentially minimized views that have been dragged onto the shortcut bar. Fast views pop up when selected, and revert back to their minimized state when the user clicks outside of the view and may be oriented either horizontally or vertically according to their configuration. To convert a fast view back into a normal view, click on the Fast View action in the view's menu or drag it back to the StreamBase Studio window.

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Keyboard Shortcuts

You can perform some common operations in StreamBase Studio using your keyboard instead of the mouse.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Menu Commands

Some of the commands in the StreamBase menus have keyboard shortcuts. To learn the keyboard equivalent of a menu command, click the menu to display the command: when a shortcut is available, the keystrokes are shown next to the command name. For example, the Edit menu shows the Copy command with the shortcut, Ctrl+C.

Table Editing Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are available for basic operations in StreamBase Studio table editors. You use tables in many StreamBase views, for example, to define schemas, output settings, dynamic variables, or operator functions. The following figure is an example of a table that you edit to define Map operator properties:

Instead of using your mouse to click the table editing buttons on the tab, you can navigate and edit the table using only your keyboard. By learning a few keyboard shortcuts, you may be able to edit tables more quickly and easily than using the mouse.

To understand keyboard editing, you should be aware that your actions are always in one of two modes:

• Select mode

  In select mode, you can navigate, create, and remove rows, but you cannot enter data in any table cells.

• Edit mode

  In edit mode, you can enter data in the selected cell, but cannot to use select mode shortcuts to navigate.

Key	Function
F2	If a table row is selected, toggles to edit mode: opens the first editable cell in the row. You can now enter data in the cell. You can also tab to the next editable cell in the current row (or next row).
Enter or Esc	If a table cell is open for editing, toggles to select mode: selects the entire current row. You can now navigate and create or remove rows using the Insert, Delete, and arrow keys.
Insert	If the table header is selected, a new row is created at the bottom of the table. If a row is selected, a new row is created below the current row. Also, the first editable cell in the new row is opened for editing. Remember that the Insert key does not work when you are in edit mode. If a cell is open for editing, press Enter or Esc to switch to insert mode, then press Insert to create a new row.
Delete	If you are in insert mode, deletes the selected row after displaying a confirmation dialog. If you are in edit mode, immediately deletes the contents of the current cell.
Up arrow	In select mode (that is, if a row is selected), selects the preceding row if it exists. In edit mode, if a row exists above the current row: If the open cell is a text field, opens the cell directly above the current cell. If the open cell is a drop-down list control, traverses up the list of available values.
Down arrow	In select mode (that is, if a row is selected), selects the next row if it exists. In edit mode, if a row exists below the current row: If the open cell is a text field, opens the cell directly below the current cell. If the open cell is a drop-down list control, traverses down the list of available values.

Custom Perspectives

After using the default StreamBase Studio perspectives, you may want to create one or more custom perspectives based on your display preferences. For example, in the default Authoring perspective, you may prefer to not display the Focus Selector and Component views so that more space will be available for the Application Diagram Editor's canvas.

To customize a perspective, use the menu options "Window > Save Perspective As..." to define a new perspective that captures your preferences. We suggest that you enter a new name for a custom perspective, instead of overwriting the default perspectives provided by StreamBase Studio. For more information, please see the note that appears after the example.

Before we took the following screen shot, we first removed the Focus Selector and Component views (by clicking the "X" the closes each view). We also moved the Typecheck Errors View to the upper-right area of the display. We then selected "Window > Save Perspective As..." from the menu and assigned our custom perspective a new label, "MyAuthoring":

Once the new perspective is added, you can select it (or other perspectives) by clicking the Perspectives button:

...And then by selecting the desired perspective from the list:

You can also choose perspectives by selecting the edge of its tab and increasing its width (if space permits). For example:

Note: We suggest that you enter a new name for a custom perspective, instead of overwriting the default perspectives provided by StreamBase Studio. If you overwrite a default perspective, the "Window > Reset Perspective" menu command will use your new definition. To reset an overwritten Authoring or Test/Debug perspective to its originally installed layout and contents, please follow these steps:

1. Close StreamBase Studio
2. Navigate to the following directory:

   On Windows:

   C:\Documents and Settings\<your-username>\StreamBase Workspace
   \.metadata\.plugins\org.eclipse.core.runtime\.settings

   On UNIX:

   <your-homedir>/streambase-workspace/.metadata/.plugins
   /org.eclipse.core.runtime/.settings

3. Delete this file: org.eclipse.ui.workbench.prefs
4. Open StreamBase Studio
5. From the menu, click "Window > Reset Perspective"

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