Many functions in TOPICA are controlled by a number of configuration files organized in a folder structure, and where end user selects one of these files to initiate some action. Examples:

• Selecting a report to run.

• Selecting an SQL script to run.

• Selecting a document to read e.g. in the start-up menu.

• Selecting a framework tool to run.

TOPICA contains one common mechanism for all the above situationes - a mechanism that enables the end user to browse in files and folders and view/run selected files. This mechanism is called TOPICA Explorer. The name is inspired by Windows Explorer , that has comparable functionality.

Technically TOPICA Explorer is a frameset with 2 frames:

• Left frame displays the folder structure in a tree view, where each folder is a node. Nodes may be expanded and collapsed.

  • Per default all folders (and all files in the folders) are visible and selectable.

  • The configurator may control security on the folder level by creating a small file Access.tb containg a TOPICA Basic expression in each folder. If this expression returns false, the folder is not selectable - it is displayed as a "dimmed", disabled folder icon.

  • If the "Hidden" flag is set on a folder or file, the folder or file is NOT displayed in "TOPICA Explorer".

  • Default behavior is, that files in the folders are visible in the tree view, once a folder node is expanded. But in some situations (where the number of files in each folder is large), this is turned off (so that files in the folders are only visible in the right frame).

• Right frame displays files in the folder that is selected in the left frame.

  • Clicking on a folder icon navigates to the clicked folder.

  • Clicking on a file icon will run/execute the clicked file.

  • "Ordinary" users (that do not have Configure permission) only see the name of the folders and files in the selected folder, and thus cannot do anything but navigating in folders and view/execute the files.

  • Configurators, on the other hand, see a much more detailed view.

    • When TOPICA Explorer displays folders and files from the framework, configurators cannot change anything.

    • When TOPICA Explorer displays folders and files from the configuration, configurators have the following extra possibilities:

      • Delete folders and files.

      • Rename folders and files.

      • Deploy folders and files to remote environments.

      • Create folders.

      • Upload files. As a specail case, when .zip files are uploaded, they are automatically unpacked into folders.