Changing rule parameters

Although CAST presents a large range of quantity and quality metrics that provide very satisfactory results, you can modify some of the parameters in the individual Quality Rule or Metrics to meet your current development environment or architecture requirements. To do so you need to use the CAST Management Studio as follows:

• First ensure you are working in Expert Mode:

• Open the Assessment Model (by double clicking it) provided by default in the Assessment Models view (note that this Assessment Model is the default Model compatible with the current version of AIP Core - i.e. it does not contain any customization that may have been migrated from previous releases of AIP Core):

• Navigate through the Assessment Model editor to access the Quality Rules tab:

• The Quality Rules tab is divided into two distinct parts:
  
  • a list of Quality Rules
  • and a section to configure/edit each selected Quality Rule with various sub tabs

• Selecting a Quality Rule will open the rule in a dedicated tab:

Parameter values are default values assigned by CAST for a Quality Rule (but not all Quality Rules have values). A Parameter value enables the creation of Quality Rules that require a number of items to be counted - for example, the ABAP "Avoid Function pools with more than 20 functions" Quality Rule has a parameter value of 20.

In some cases, the default Parameter value defined by CAST for a specific Quality Rule may not be appropriate for your local rules and standards. If this is the case, it is possible to change the Parameter value for those Quality Rules that have values (some do not). Take for example the ABAP "Avoid Function pools with more than 20 functions" Quality Rule. This Quality Rule checks for ABAP Function Pools with more than 20 functions, however, your organization may have stricter standards, in which case you need to change the number of methods per class that cause a positive result to be recorded.

To do so:

• Open the "Avoid Function pools with more than 20 functions" Quality Rule
• Click the Parameters tab and then select the relevant parameter you want to modify:

• Click the Edit button (resembles a pencil) to access the Parameter value:

• Modify the value as necessary.
• Once modified, you then need to generate your Snapshots again so that the new Parameter value is taken into account.

Excluding items from Snapshot Generation

It is possible to exclude an Application or Module from a snapshot generation based on a Business Criterion, Technical Criterion or Quality Rule. In other words you can choose to specifically exclude an Application or Module from a specific Business Criterion, Technical Criterion or Quality Rule in the next snapshot.

• Ensure you are working in Advanced or Expert mode:

• Open the CAST Dashboard Service editor for the service that you want to work with - double click the service in the Service view:

• In the Dashboard Service editor, click the Assessment Models tab and move to the Exclusions section:

• Click the green Add icon to start the process - a hidden section will then reveal itself:

• You now need to set the two user configurable options: Portfolio and Metric:
  
  • Use the Portfolio section to define which Application/Module will be excluded - click Select to choose the item you want to exclude.
  • Use the Metric section to define which Business Criterion/Technical Criterion/Quality Rule the Application/Module will be excluded from - click Select to choose the item you want to exclude.
• Once modified, you then need to generate your Snapshots again so that the new Parameter value is taken into account.