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As a Knowledge Engineer you will have two more windows in addition to the Explanation windowExplanation window and the Workbase: Knowledge Browser and Slots & Properties.

The Knowledge Browser is your main access to the knowledge (such as parameters, relations, constraints) in the system (stored in frames).
The Slots & Properties window provides access to specific properties for the knowledge (or frames = parameters, relations, constraints) you are able to select in the Knowledge Browser.

Instead of the Explanation windowExplanation window, which is only for presentation, you also have the Frame Viewer. This Frame Viewer enables you to modify the reference and data slot information for a frame and the dimension of parameter frames. To get the Frame Viewer instead of the Explanation windowExplanation window, select "Use classic frame viewer" in the "Appearance" tab of the Options windows (Tools>Options...).

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Every process (calculation, task, whatever) starts with the Process Manager. At the start of a project, this window is automatically initiated, you can also activate this window using theProcess Manager button (when the classic Workbase buttons are used, push or the S button on the right side of the recorder buttons. We advise to use the new Workbase buttons ). Depending on the specific knowledge base, the process manager enables you to:

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What follows is a process of providing input and making choices. Every time you provide input or make choices you confirm these by pressing the "Accept input & Continue" button (or the play button, depending on your personal settings, see Workbase buttons ).

Choices and input

You give input and choices in the Workbase, the right part of the interface. And while doing so, you are provided with additional information on selected parameters or values in the Explanation window on the left side. The Explanation window will always follow your selection in the Workbase (either a tree item, something in the list or something in the table of the Workbase ). Furthermore, note that Quaestor also provides feedback by means of colors and font styles.

Using the Workbase buttons in the Workbase, you can start or restart a process, accept choices and input and interrupt or stop a process.

By providing answers and choices to questions in the Workbase and using the Workbase buttons to continue, you will be guided through an analysis, design or engineering process. If the correct input is provided and choices are made, you will end up with a result. Quaestor will inform you if this was not possible.

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When a result is achieved. You can go through all input, intermediate and end results in the Workbase by selecting values and (in case of documents) double clicking values. Note that associated programs will start and load the associated files when you double click them. A Back to Quaestor window will appear on top of the started program in order to return to Quaestor.

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As a result (and mentioned in the above standard views), the knowledge engineer required additional windows, such as the Knowledge Browser, Slots & Properties and the Frame Viewer to have additional views on the knowledge base.

Browsing knowledge

By means of the Knowledge Browser the KE is able to browse through all parameters, relations and constraints (frames). The Frame Viewer and Slots & Properties will follow the selections in the Knowledge Browser and enable you to modify all kind of aspects on the selected frames. Furthermore, the Knowledge Browser will follow your browsing through the Workbase.

Because all the Childs are interconnected you can easily follow the relation between a result and its origin. For instance, when you select a value of a result in the Workbase, the Frame Viewer tells you which relation requested the value and which relation has determined the value. In addition the parameter is in focus in the left bottom side of the Knowledge browser, and when you select this, it will show all the relations the parameter is part of, and by double clicking which relations can determine the parameter.

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Editing you use a combination of the Knowledge Browser, Frame Viewer and Slots & Properties.

Note that most of the functionality for the Knowledge Browser is part of the right mouse menu functionality, see also in the following sections.

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Parameter names can be modified in the Knowledge Browser, simply select the parameter and press F2. The changed name will be propagated through the knowledge base as far a this is recognizable by Quaestor. In other words: Please note that parameters in templates and between quotes are NOT changed! The "Search & Replace..." tool automatically starts as soon you have changed a parameter name. This tool allows you to search and replace the old with the new parameter name also in data and reference texts of all frames in the knowledge base. In particular attention should be paid to modify input templates for satellite programs.

Any additional modifications to reference text or attributes and data in the data slot can be done by means of the Frame Viewer and Slots & Properties. Put the focus on a parameter in thethe Knowledge Browser and make your changes in the Frame Viewer and Slots & Properties.

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  1. When a relation is added, the new parameters are added to the knowledge base;
  2. Use the right mouse menu option "New Parameter/Function..." in the Knowledge Browser (or the main menu);

For Quaestor it is important to know what type of parameter it is adding. You can define this type in two ways:

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Modification of expressions (relations or constraints) is done by means of the Expression Editor. The window automatically opens when you select an expression and press F2. You can see expressions in the Knowledge Browser by:

  • Double clicking on the class in the tree view;
  • Go to a specific relation through the browsing process described above;
  • Make a specific view by means of the filters in the Knowledge Browser;

When the Expression Editor is opened, it shows the expression in the top part and any additional attributes and data in the bottom part. You can simply modify the expression in the normal way.

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New relations can be added using the right mouse menu of the Knowledge Browser. The same Expression Editor is opened and the last parameter or relation that was in focus is included as starting point.

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Beside a description of all your parameters, relations constraints etc. you are able to group relevant parameters and relations in classes in the class tree. You can create a new class and arrange existing classes in the class tree on the left side of the Knowledge Browser and drag and drop parameters and relations in these classes.
The purpose of classes is to organise your parameters. You do this by selecting any existing class and press the right mouse button.

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Every new knowledge component can be tested right away. Simply double click the parameter to be calculated in Knowledge Browser to indicate it is a top goal and press the Create Solution or play button to start your calculation process.

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The standard windows are activated when a knowledge base is loaded (depending on the standard view above). The standard windows are:

  • Workbase, to provide input during a dialog and navigate through all solutions;
  • Explanation, to present all reference information (and all other binary data connected to parameter, objects and relations that can be visualized in a web browser);
  • Knowledge Browser, to add, modify and navigate through all knowledge;
  • Frame Viewer, to view and change details on parameters, relations and constraints;
  • Slots & Properties, to view and change properties of parameters, relations and constraints;

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  • Trace Viewer, specialized window to debug modeling and evaluation of solutions;
  • Web Browser, to view web pages, pdf documents, text, etc. in a separate window;
  • Graph, simple viewer for multi-case values;
  • Knowledgebase Clipboard, to export knowledge from the Knowledge Browser to a separate file, etc.;
  • Workbase Clipboard, to export results from the Workbase to a separate file, etc.;
  • Expression Editor, to edit expressions (relations, functions, constraints);
  • Compose Text, to compose text based on text fragments in the Knowledge Browser or Workbase;

Finally you have special modal windows, for instance required to control Quaestor in combination with other programs. The special modal windows [3] are:

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  • Knowledge
    • New Relation...
    • New Parameter/Function...
    • Insert Knowledge base...
    • -
    • Class copy
    • Reset LastChanged to Now
  • Workbase
    • Start Dialogue/Text on Workbase buttons
    • Interrupt Dialogue/Text on Workbase buttons
    • End Dialogue/Text on Workbase buttons
    • Process Manager
    • -
    • Make Report...
  • Graph
    • Save As...
    • -
    • Copy
    • -
    • 3D Bar
    • 2D Bar
    • 3D Line
    • 2D Line
    • 3D Area
    • 2D Area
    • 3D Step
    • 2D Step
    • 2D Pie
    • 2D XY
  • View
    • Knowledge Browser
    • Workbase
    • Frame Viewer
    • Slots & Properties
    • Explanation
    • Trace Viewer
    • Web Browser
    • Graph
    • -
    • Knowledgebase Clipboard
    • Workbase Clipboard
    • Expression Editor
    • Report
    • Compose Text

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  • Select as Goal
  • -
  • New Relation
  • Constraint>
    • Add New...
    • Connect...
    • Disconnect...
  • New Parameter/Function
  • Delete Frame
  • Rename or Edit (depending on selection of a parameter or relation)
  • Include Binary in frame
  • -
  • Frame to Clipboard
  • Set to Clipboard
  • Parameter to Dataset
  • -
  • Slots & Properties
  • Illustration
  • Complete expressions
  • Compressed expressions
  • -
  • Add to Watch list
  • Protect Input
  • Summarize Relation
  • List all values in Project
  • Compose Text
  • Search & Replace
  • Expression Evaluator
  • -
  • Cancel

In the Workbase:

For the Workbase the available options in the right mouse menu will depend on:

  1. the type of knowledge base ( Classic or Taxonomy-based);
  2. whether you are in an active or inactive Solution;
  3. what you have selected in the Workbase;

In particular the Workbase right mouse sub-menus will contain different options in these situations.

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Main menu items

The main menu of the Workbase contains the following options:

  • Workbase main menu
    • Refresh
    • Unreject
    • Copy values
    • Paste values
    • -
    • Solution/Object/Taxonomy/Entity sub menu))
    • Database Input
    • Process Manager
    • Value to Table
    • Value to List
    • Unfold
    • -
    • Selection to Clipboard
    • All to Clipboard
    • -
    • Filter Values
    • Make Report
    • Make Function
    • Make Polynome
    • Show Cluster
    • -
    • Cancel

The Workbase sub menu covers the following prime use cases as listed below.

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