Set Up User Options

Set up Defaults for SCOPE - Function Point Counting

SCOPE provides various operating defaults to be set under Main Menu/ [Options] . Before starting your first measurement we would strongly recommend that you review these options and set them up to suit your way of working.

There are 4 different types of Set Up Options.

• User Options - these options enable the user to change the way SCOPE operates (see below)
• Function Point Count Default Values - these options allow you to set the input of new process and file nodes to those most common to assist in faster data entry.
• Template Setup Options - allows you to set up Template Function Blocks that you most commonly enter to facilitate faster automated counting
• Numerical Attributes Template Options - allows you to set up your own Numerical Attribute Templates for re-use within the database.

User Options

In all the following Options SCOPE allows you to manually override the SCOPE default value by pressing the [ Manual] button adjacent to the option. If you change the path or the option in the box and later want to revert back to the SCOPE default value just press the [Manual] again and SCOPE will automatically reload the default value.

• Access Runtime Location: - this is the directory path where the Microsoft Access^® 'Runtime' version has been installed. By default SCOPE installs MS Access Runtime under the C:/Program Files directory. If you have selected to install it at another location, you can change the default path by clicking the Manual] button.

• Microsoft Excel Report Template - this is the directory path where SCOPE has installed the Microsoft Excel^® Chart Report Templates used for the default design of the Excel Benchmark Metrics Chart reports. By default SCOPE installs all three Excel Report Templates under the Total Metrics Directory under the "My Documents" directory of the User Logon ID eg. C:\Users\John.Smith\Documents\Total Metrics\ directory. If you modify the design of your Benchmark Metrics reports and you would like your own customised design to be used in all future Excel Benchmark Chart reports, then follow instructions in Saving a New Excel Chart Template

• Winmerge Path - Winmerge^® is a utility that enables the comparisons between two similar files eg. two WORD documents, two Excel Spreadsheets etc. SCOPE uses this utility in its compare reports function.

• Status Bar
• Dynamic FP Calculation - SCOPE dynamically calculates the functional size of the currently selected Function branch as you move around the Function Hierarchy Tree. It is recommended to turn this off when viewing very large Release/ Application baselines, as these calculations may require significant memory utilisation and slow the display performance of SCOPE. If you want SCOPE to calculate or refresh size for display just press F5 and SCOPE will display the functional size of the current position. It is recommended that you turn this option on for small function trees and off for large function trees.
• Only Flagged Data Nodes Used for FP Calculation - this instructs SCOPE on how to include data in the calculation of size when located on a function branch. By default SCOPE will include all Data Groups linked to the processes within the branch, but in certain cases you may only want the size to include Data Groups that have satisfied certain criteria and are displayed as 'flagged'. For more information on how this option works see Reporting the Functional Size in Function Points. It is recommended that you turn this option on .

• Node Name Insert Defaults - you should change these defaults based on the characteristics of what you are currently keying. You may change them many times during the setting up of your hierarchy trees.
• Use Last Inserted Node Name- When this option is selected SCOPE will automatically load the newly inserted Tree node with the same name as the last inserted node. This speeds up text insertion when creating nodes which have predominately similar names as the user just needs to modify a small part of the name. eg. Create New Online Account User, Modify Online Account User, Delete Online Account User etc.
• Auto Edit Inserted Node Name - When this is selected SCOPE will automatically move its edit 'focus' to the newly inserted node to allow immediate editing. When this option is turned off, it allows the user to keep inserting new nodes and retain the focus at the parent node.
• Double Click Displays Node's Detail Screen - When this is selected SCOPE will automatically open the Detail screen on the opposite screen, when you double click the node so you can edit the nodes details. Some users find this a distraction and prefer to turn it off and manually select the Details Tab on the other screen when they want to edit the nodes details.
• On / Off Tooltips - When this is selected SCOPE will display a tool tip box over the node when it has the cursor located on it. It is recommended to turn this off as it may become distracting if not specifically required.

• Autosave - SCOPE automatically saves your changes to your data at specified intervals, 5 to 30 minutes apart. If you select to disable this option then you will have to manually select to save the data. If you have failed to save your data you may be able to recover it - see Backup and Recovery and what to do if SCOPE is not responding.

• Language - SCOPE displays using English as its default language. To change the display and all reports to another language select from the list. You can change the display language without restarting SCOPE.
• User Name - SCOPE defaults to display the user name of the current Windows Logon User ID, you can change the name here. This is the 'author' name stored by SCOPE when a tree node is created or modified.