Starting from CAST AIP 8.3.23, CAST Architecture Checker will no longer be installed as part of the CAST AIP setup, whether installing CAST AIP from scratch or on a server where a previous release of CAST AIP exists. CAST Architecture Checker has evolved into a standalone component where all feature requests and bug fixes are now managed. This standalone component can be downloaded from CAST Extend (https://extendng.castsoftware.com/#/search-results?q=archichecker).
Up-to-date documentation can be found here: CAST Architecture Checker.
Working online
The CAST Architecture Checker offers you the possibility to work "online" to check the content of the model you have created and violations of the authorized / forbidden dependencies by connecting to a CAST Management Service (which will in turn fetch data from the CAST Analysis Service).
Working online
When you first open the CAST Architecture Checker, it will automatically be in offline mode:
The CAST Architecture Checker can still be used offline to create a model out of the box on a desktop. However to really benefit from this application, you need to work online. To do so, you can use any of the options provided in the Action menu. The actual connection process is described in Connect and select application.
Snapshot generation
Before you can take advantage of the online operating mode (i.e. one of the following options):
...you do need to have already successfully generated a snapshot of your application. On connection to the CAST Management Service, the CAST Architecture Checker will check for the presence of up-to-date and completed analysis results data for the Application you choose during the connection process.
There are several scenarios that need explanation here:
- If you have successfully generated a snapshot in the CAST Management Studio, then you can take advantage of the online features of the application without doing anything else. The GUI will notify you that you are working online:
- If you have never generated a snapshot or have never used the Run Analysis only option in the CAST Management Studio, then you will be prompted that you cannot work online and will remain in offline mode:
- If you have used the Run Analysis only option in the CAST Management Studio (since a previous snapshot was generated or on its own without a snapshot ever having been generated) then you will be offered the possibility to run a pre-snapshot preparation action from within the CAST Architecture Checker GUI:
- Clicking Yes will proceed with running this pre-snapshot preparation action - this is equivalent to using the PrepareSnapshot action via the CAST Management Studio Command Line and is included in a standard snapshot generation process. Running this action is NOT equivalent to generating a snapshot, it simply prepares the Modules and other required elements. When the process is complete, you can work online as normal.
- Clicking No will display the following at the bottom of the GUI and you will not be able to take advantage of the online features.
- If you have already generated one snapshot then deleted it via the CAST Management Studio, the CAST Architecture Checker will still be able to check information about your application because the check is made on the presence of analysis results and whether the PrepareSnapshot action has been run (rather than whether a snapshot is actually present).
