Harmonization Editor Manual

GetStarted

DataBase

Browsing

Proposals

CodeSystems

Domains

ValueSets

Tutorial

Installation

Manual Changes for Release 1.1.0

Changes to the Editor in Release 1.1.0 changed a number of the screens and caused some of the error messages to be retired. In order to allow the manual to be used for both Release 1.0 and 1.1.0, the manual has, in most cases, been edited leaving the old content in, but "striking it out" (like this) and annotating all figures that show older, no longer valid screens.

These changes were made October 21, 2007 when the new Editor was released. The old content will be removed from the manual in a couple of weeks.

Introduction

This is the initial pass at creating a manual for the Vocabulary Harmonization Editor tool that has been developed for HL7. This application permits:

• Loading the vocabulary content from an HL7 Design Repository
• Browsing that content
• Preparing harmonization proposals for vocabulary changes
• Applying those changes to the source data base
• Amending XML proposal files with an XML editor, rather than through the application.

The foundation of this application is:

1. An implementation of the HL7 CTS specification that allows it to read the HL7 vocabulary content from the design repository.
2. The HL7 Vocabulary Maintenance Language that defines operations on the HL7 vocabulary data as an XML "command file". (Sections of the specification for this language are included in the documentation of this application.)
3. Code to allow a user to interactively create and update (proposal for change)
4. Code to apply the change file to the database.

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Using This Manual

This manual is intended to be a primer on the tool, an introduction to the tool, and a reference source. The tabs at the top of the page list the various sections of this manual. This remainder of this section includes a summary of the contents for each tab, and recommended "paths" through the manual for various types of readers.

Summary of Tab Content

GetStarted tab:

Provides this reader's guide as well as a simple overview of the application GUI.

DataBase tab:

Provides an overview of how the application uses the Access database in which the vocabulary specs are stored, as well as how to load, backup and restore the database from the application.

Browsing tab:

Provides instruction on how to use the application for browsing the HL7 Vocabulary content.

Proposals tab:

Provides detailed instruction on how to use the application to create Vocabulary Change Proposals, how to apply these proposals to the data base and how to manage proposals. It draws upon the next three sections for even more detailed instructions/

CodeSystems tab:

Provides detailed instruction on preparing change proposals by selecting options on the Code Systems in the Code System Table of the application. As of October 2007, there are no such options.

Domains tab:

Provides detailed instruction on preparing change proposals by selecting options on the Concept Domains listed in the Concept Domain Tree of the application. As of October 2007, there are no such options.

ValueSets tab:

Provides detailed instruction on preparing change proposals by selecting options on the Value Set nodes displayed in the Value Set Navigator of the application. As of October 2007, there is a rich set of capable options for use.

Tutorial tab:

Provides a step-by-step assisted walk through from starting the application through creation of a change proposal, and application of that proposal to the data base.

Installation tab:

Provides detailed instructions on acquiring the application and installing it in Windows.

Key Sections for Various Users

First Time Users are recommended to:

1. Review the GetStarted tab
2. Install the application per the Installation tab
3. Perform the step-by-step exercise in the Tutorial tab

Users Building Proposals for First Time are recommended to:

1. Follow the sequence for First Time Users (above)
2. Review the section on the DataBase tab
3. Get comfortable with the steps on Browsing tab
4. Review the content of the Proposals tab
5. Scan the contents of the ValueSets tab in order to see what it contains and how it is organized

Users Building Harmonization Proposals will want rapid access to the following sections for reference:

• Proposals tab
• ValueSets tab

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Running Application and GUI Overview

The installed application is started from the StartPrograms menu. (If the application has not yet been installed, use the "Installation" tab on this manual. As the application starts up, it presents a "splash window" like:

Application splash window

Note: The first startup in a given day is always slower than subsequent ones, as Java support is loaded in the initial run.

The basic layout of the application's GUI is shown in the following graphic:

Overview of application GUI

The red and yellow overlay indicates the functions of each of the panes, and the application-specific controls. Note that several of the tool-bar and menu selections are generic to the Eclipse "platform" on which the application runs. Application-specific additions to some of these options remain to be developed.

The lay-out of the panes is set in the pattern shown above whenever the application is run. However, individual panes may be re-sized, and/or undocked (allowed) to "float" if that is desired.

The next step in running the application is to load the HL7 vocabulary from a Design Repository. (See Database tab, above.)

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