1.8 - Windows - Model Summary Window
The Model Summary Window
The Model Summary Window, pictured above, allows you to display customized reports that contain information from your model.
The picture above shows a report called "AcmeTech Departments Report". This report is based on a type of template called a Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
For information on how to create Model Summary Window Templates, refer to the section: Key Concepts: Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
The layout and contents of the report depend on the template you create. Once you learn how to create templates for this window, you can create a wide variety of reports.
How to Open the Model Summary Window (MSW)
To open the Model Summary Window, first open a model using the "File Menu: Open Model" command.
Once you have a model open, choose "Model Summary Window" from MindModel's View Menu.
If the "Model Summary Window" item in the View Menu is unchecked (if you don't see a check mark there), choosing the menu item will open the MSW. If the "Model Summary Window" item in the View Menu is checked, choosing the menu item will close the MSW.
Software Requirements
The Model Summary Window requires that MSXML software be installed on your computer. If MSXML is not installed on your computer, you will see a dialog that looks something like this when you try to open the Model Summary Window:
If you don't see this dialog when you try to open the MSW, you're all set. Skip to the next part of this section and keep reading.
If you do see this dialog, you can click "OK" to have MindModel point a browser window to a web page on Microsoft's web site that will allow you to install the MSXML software. There is no charge for this software.
If you want to know more about MSXML, refer to the section: Key Concepts: MSXML.
Some Parts of the Model Summary Window Change and Some Don't
Some parts of the Model Summary Window (MSW) look the same no matter which model you open, and some parts change depending on the model.
The Title Bar
The title bar (at the top of the window) will always display the words "Model Summary Window" and the name of the current model. In this case, the model is the sample model "AcmeTech.min". For more information on sample models, refer to the section: Key Concepts: sample model.
The Templates Drop-Down Menu
The item with the small black triangle on the left side of the window is called the "Templates Drop-Down Menu". In the picture above, the Templates Drop-Down Menu also displays the words "AcmeTech Departments Report". When you click the small black triangle (drop-down arrow), MindModel displays a menu that looks something like this:
The items in the Templates Drop-Down Menu change depending on the Model Summary Window Templates (MSWT's) that are added to the model.
Remember, reports in the Model Summary Window (MSW) are based on Model Summary Window Templates (MSWT's). You add MSWT's to the model so you can easily create reports.
Once an experienced MindModel user has created a MSWT for the report, any other user can generate that report simply by choosing the report's name from the drop-down menu.
Let's go through the four items in the drop-down menu, in order from top to bottom.
1) Add a Model Summary Window Template for AcmeTech.min
This command allows you to add a new MSWT to the model. For information on creating MSWT's, refer to the section: Key Concepts: Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
Once you choose this command, MindModel displays a dialog which allows you to load a MSWT.
You can paste the MSWT into the area in the center of the dialog, or click "Load Template" to load the template from disk.
2) Delete a Model Summary Window Template for AcmeTech.min
This command allows you to delete a MSWT from the model.
3) (no model summary window template)
This command allows you to clear the Model Summary Window.
The bottom section of the drop-down menu displays a list of MSWT's that have been added to the model. In our example, there has been one MSWT added to the model: AcmeTech Departments Report.
As you'll see in #4 (below) choosing "AcmeTech Departments Report" causes MindModel to display that report.
Choosing "(no model summary window template)" causes MindModel to clear the Model Summary Window.
In order to display a report, the Model Summary Window has to calculate the report, which takes time. Clearing the Model Summary Window can save time, since MindModel will not recalculate the report as you switch between windows.
4) AcmeTech Departments Report
Choosing the name of a MSWT in the drop-down menu (in our case, "AcmeTech Departments Report") causes MindModel to calculate and display that report.
Note that the more complex the report and the more data there are in the model, the longer it will take MindModel to calculate the report.
The Four Buttons
The four buttons (Print, Save As, Export Template, Help) will always appear in the upper right-hand corner of the window.
The Print button allows you to print the currently-displayed report. In this case, the currently-displayed report is the "AcmeTech Departments Report".
Save As...
The Save As button allows you to save the currently-displayed report as an HTML file.
Once you've used this command to save the HTML file, you can do whatever you want with it.
You can email the file to someone who doesn't have the MindModel software. As long as they have a web browser (such as Internet Explorer or Netscape) they will be able to view the file.
You can upload the file to a web server, to use the report as a web page.
Export Template
The Export Template button allows you to export the Model Summary Window Template (MSWT) that you added to the model to define the report.
For more information on MSWT's refer to the section: Key Concepts: Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
Do not confuse the "Save As" button with the "Export Template" button.
The "Save As" button saves an HTML file which contains a completed report.
The "Export Template" button saves a file which contains a MSWT, which is a template for defining reports.
Help
The Help button opens the MindModel help file to the section on the Model Summary Window.
The Report Itself
Finally, we come to the actual report.
In our example, the report looks something like this.
As we've mentioned before, the contents and format of the report depend on a report definition called a Model Summary Window Template.
Follow these steps to see the sample report pictured above.
1) Use the "File Menu: Open Model" command to open the AcmeTech.min sample model.
The AcmeTech.min sample model is located at: C:\Program Files\MindModel\Sample Models\AcmeTech.min.
2) Use the "View Menu: Model Summary Window" command to open the Model Summary Window.
3) Choose "AcmeTech Departments Report" from the drop-down menu in the Model Summary Window.
To find the drop-down menu, click the small black triangle in the upper left-hand corner of the Model Summary Window.
MindModel will calculate and display the report.
You can use the scroll bar on the right side of the window to scroll through the report.
The report shows each department in a fictional company (AcmeTech), each employee that works for that department, and the skills and software packages for the employee.
You can use the buttons on the right side of the window to save or print the report.
The information contained in the report is calculated from the nouns and statements in the model.
The format and contents of the report are defined by a Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
Once you learn how to create MSWT's, you can create a very wide variety of reports and display them in the Model Summary Window.
If you work in a place where more than one person is using MindModel, a more-experienced user can create MSWT's and less-experienced users can display them.
To learn how to create MSWT's, refer to the section: Key Concepts: Model Summary Window Template (MSWT).
If you get stuck, feel free to contact us for help.