Using TS2 for network documentation

[36lima]

Hi,

I've just started building a new network and decided to use the
opportunity to use TS2 to document the connectivity and various useful
reference data (IPs, console access, etc). I use TS off and on (along
with multiple other tools) for knowledge management but this is my
first attempt at using it specifically to document a network.

Right now, here are my first impressions (in case others are
interested in doing something similar or have ideas or suggestions
from their own experience):

I am using the Association lines to indicate connected interfaces
between network nodes. This will only work for boxes that have one
connection between them (obviously not always the case in most
networks considering redundancy or link aggregation). One issue I've
found is that the association line is difficult to highlight unless
I'm using a perspective that puts the line against the field (i.e. if
it's in front of a Topic, it's very difficult to position the pointer
so that the association line is highlighted). I'm editing the
association details to show both the remote and local interface on the
connection between nodes.

I've created an orphan topic for my Action Register tracking my todos
(pending and completed). I'll probably create a second orphan for
generic network docs (diagram, consolidated console access list,
etc).

In each topic representing a network node I'm putting an occurrence
with the configuration for that node. If I can find a suitable telnet
app I'll add a link to the app with the appropriate command line
arguments to open a console or vty session to that particular node
represented by the topic.

One interesting thing I've found is that, although the view is a bit
different from a typical network management view, it's fairly easy to
see an overall connectivity for any one box when it is positioned as
the current topic.

I'm not sure if this is going to be useful or not for documenting
networks long-term, but it's an interesting exercise and I've just
started. I'll follow-up in a week or so once I've had some more time
to play around with the concept some more.

Has anyone else done anything similar with TopicScape?

Hope I didn't bore anyone.

Kelly

[Argey]

This is an interesting and, as far as we know, unique use - IIRC you
mentioned this possible way to use Topicscape a long time ago. Thanks
for sharing your experience with it.

> the association line is difficult to highlight unless I'm using a perspective that puts the line against the field

Useful observation. Rather than answer here, in line, I've done a
separate post:
http://groups.google.com/group/topicscape/browse_thread/thread/4e97d4182e0fd3e9
in the form of a hint item, so that other users can pick it up from
the subject line.

Will you try those hints and let us know here whether it solves the
issue for you? If it doesn't, we'll look at introducing a longer
delay for selecting topics, and perhaps a wider sensitive area on each
side of association lines.

I'm interested in why you're using Topicscape Orphans as a repository
for live information. I guess you want to keep it away from the
topics that represent nodes on the network, but you can do that with
Loose Associations - leaving it as an isolated topic apart from its
tunnel. If you make sure the only reference to "Actions Register" is
the one topic (or the name of a single occurrence in that topic), you
could get there quickly by searching for it. If it's the only hit,
instead of showing you the Hit List, it will go straight there.

You could even call it "AR" make sure no other topic or occurrence
includes the word "AR" and get there even more quickly.

Of course, Topicscape Orphans was expected to be a place to hold old
material that you think you've finished with but want to hang onto
'just in case', so topics in TSO have various restrictions on them.

Something else you can try is to make a desktop shortcut to that opens
the network Topicscape at the Actions Register topic. Do this by
dragging the green dot from that topic to the Pending Tray, right
click it, and choose "Make external topic link on Desktop".

Argey

[36lima]

I wondered if you would remember about my year or two old email about
using Topicscape to manage/monitor/document a network. . . I've had a
lot on my plate for a long time but recent activities seemed to line
up so that I could actually follow through on that particular idea.

I'll take a look at the post with the association line info and will
definitely let you know if that resolves the difficulty I was having.

I used Orphans for the data without any deep thought process around
the why. My main thought's were that I needed a Topic that wasn't
associated with any one particular piece of the remainder of the
'Scape and that was easy to find as I visit that particular topic
frequently.

I'll try out using tunnels for this function (I've used them in other
'Scapes but not consistently). Other than that, Orphans just sort of
jumped out in my thought process and seemed to do what I needed (out
of sight unless I'm actually interacting with that particular topic).
I have been using the search function and hit list to access the
Action Register and Common Docs topics but changing the topic names to
something shorter is a very good piece of advice and I'll definitely
use that along with the ability to create a shortcut on the desktop to
a particular topic.

Thanks for the good info Roy!

Kelly

On Jan 28, 3:24 am, Argey <r...@topicscape.com> wrote:
> This is an interesting and, as far as we know, unique use - IIRC you
> mentioned this possible way to use Topicscape a long time ago.  Thanks
> for sharing your experience with it.
>
> > the association line is difficult to highlight unless I'm using a perspective  that puts the line against the field
>
> Useful observation.  Rather than answer here, in line, I've done a

> separate post:http://groups.google.com/group/topicscape/browse_thread/thread/4e97d4...

[36lima]

Roy,

I tried the hint for the association lines. I already had my line
width set to 2px and have increased it to 3px. I have tried accessing
via the cone of the child topic after selecting the child topic but no
dice. I still have to change my perspective until the association line
is against the field instead of the background Topic cone.

I replied here instead of under the hint post in those changes work
for someone else. Are you able to easily select association lines in
your install?

Thanks,
Scott

[Argey]

Scott,

> Are you able to easily select association lines in your install?

Fairly easily on all our development and test PCs, yes, so we weren't
aware of it as a problem until you posted. When we introduced hover-
to-select-topics, it did mean that more care was required to select
the line, so we introduced a delay of half a second to give time if
you were trying to select a line instead (or move the cursor to the
details panel).

Below there's something you can try.

There's a text file here:
C:\Program Files\Topicscape Pro 2\bin\TopicscapeUser.ini
It will contain something like this:
----------------------------------------------------------
##These are your Topicscape User setting - PLEASE DO NOT MODIFY
#Wed Jan 06 16:40:02 CST 2010

[Users]
Scott=C\:\\Users\\Scott

[Render]
FPS=60

[System]
ranAfterInstall=1
----------------------------------------------------------

There will be differences depending on your Windows login name and
OS.

To the end of that, use Notepad or other text editor to add this:

[Option]
HOVER_DELAY=500

Without those entries, the delay will default to 500ms, so try
different values - say 700, 850, 1000 and see if that improves the
ability to select.

Please let us know the result, and we'll try on a range of PCs here,
and then either change the default value or provide a user-friendly
customization in the next installer.

Argey

[36lima]

I changed the value to 1000 thinking I would start with a large value
and whittle it down, however, it doesn't seem to have an effect. I
tried smaller (200ms) values and others in between with no changes in
behavior.

One thing I noticed is that even if I have the perspective so that an
association line is partially backgrounded by the open field, if I
move the pointer along the line it easily maintains pointer focus as
long as it does not cross a topic cone. The line loses the pointer
focus as soon as it crosses a background topic. I'm not sure if that
gives you anything more to go on though.

Is there any kind of event logging that can be enabled that might
help? If you need any specific logs or other information specific to
my install just let me know. I've got TS2 installed on my home laptop
and will try this same 'Scape out tonight on that system to see if I
have the same issue there.

Thanks,
Scott

[Argey]

> The line loses the pointer focus as soon as it crosses a background topic. I'm not sure if that gives you anything more to go on though.

It does, because that does not happen on my PC, so we need to find out
the difference.

The developers will look at this on Monday, but one thing you might
try is to update the graphics driver. It would help us to eliminate
one possibility.

Also, would you send us a log through the Help menu > Send error
report... please?

Thanks,
Argey

[Argey]

We have found two possible explanations for this:
1. If you are using the Halo Menu, we find there is a bug with the
handling of the delay - it is ignored. We will fix this definitively
once you have this operation working correctly on your PC and we know
the setting you used.

2. If you copied and pasted the lines

[Option]
HOVER_DELAY=500

to your TopicscapeUser.ini file, we find that it results in unexpected
spaces at the end of the line.
This upsets the interpretation of the setting. We hadn't planned for
this file to be changed by the user and as a result it doesn't work
properly with a space there.

So,
a) if you have it on, will you turn off the Halo menu (Tools menu >
Options > User Preferences tab > Enhanced Menus section) and
b) please ensure there is no space after the [Option] or the
HOVER_DELAY=1000 line

Then will you try again, please?

Thanks
Argey

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[36lima]

I already have the Halo Menu disabled currently so, good to go there.
I'll check the .ini file to ensure there are no extra spaces at the
end of the line.

FYI, I did check my TS2 install on my second laptop and it's not an
issue on that machine.

I'm going to check the items you mentioned and also take a look at the
graphics driver. Unfortunately, my work laptop is fairly closely
administered through corporate IT software for updates and software
versions. I may not be able to update the graphics driver if needed
but I will see what I can do and reply here with the results.

Kelly

[36lima]

Sorry for the delay in getting back on this as I am in a training
class this week and next.

My graphics driver was a bit out of date (about a year - it's the
Lenovo intel driver) so, I updated that (and checked the .ini file -
no extraneous spaces) and the issue is resolved.

Thanks for all the ideas and I'll know to update my driver first thing
next time (it's a relatively new laptop so it didn't occur to me that
the installed driver would be the issue).

I'm continuing to use the software for my network documentation and
the tips you gave about using unique topic names for my action
register and common docs are working great.

One new feature that I was not aware of (or at least had not seen
before) is how the software shows two topics both linked to a single
tunnel origin as a selectable list within a tunnel background - kind
of funny but cool.

Thanks again,
Kelly

[Argey]

Glad that's all fine after the driver update.

And indirectly you helped us find a bug in Topicscape - the incorrect
delay when the Halo Menu is in use - so thanks for that. That is
fixed in a new installer that will be uploaded within a day or so. It
will also introduce a new capability to help capture web shortcuts and
archives but more of that when we announce it.

Entering the tunnel when you click on it was my idea I'm afraid - and
you're right, kinda funny, but trying to make the point that it's a
way to go somewhere else completely. It has been there since version
1.0

Argey

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