Monday 27 November 2017

Elements of the Archimate 3.0 Application Layer

This post is a basic aide-memoire for me to remember the characteristics of the Archimate Application Layer model elements. For a detailed description refer to the main Archimate 3.0 documentation.

The model elements are divided into 3 categories:

  • Active Structure
  • Passive Structure
  • Behaviour


Active Structure

Element

Description

Notes

Notation

Component

Encapsulation of application functionality aligned to implementation structure

Modular and replaceable

Encapsulates behaviour and data

Exposes services and makes them available through interfaces

A self-contained unit

Independently deployable, re-usable, and replaceable

Performs one or more application functions

Functionality is only accessible through application interfaces

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Collaboration

An aggregate of two or more application components that work together to perform collective application behaviour

Specifies which components cooperate to perform some task

A logical or temporary collaboration of application components

Does not exist as a separate entity

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Interface

A point of access where application services are made available

How the functionality of a component can be accessed

Exposes application services

The same interface may expose multiple services

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Behaviour

Element

Description

Notes

Notation

Function

Automated behaviour performed by a component

Describes internal behaviour of a component

Functions are exposed externally through one or more services

May access data objects

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Interaction

A unit of collective application behaviour performed by two or more application components

Collective behaviour performed by components that participate in a collaboration

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Process

A sequence of application behaviours that achieves a specific outcome

The internal behaviour performed by a component to realize a set of services

May realize application services

May access data objects

A component may perform the process

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Event

Denotes a state change

Does not have a duration

May be internal or external

May have a time attribute

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Service

An explicitly defined exposed application behaviour

Functionality is exposed through interfaces

Realised by one or more functions

Provides a useful unit of behaviour

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Passive Structure

Element

Description

Notes

Notation

Data

Data structured for automated processing

A self-contained piece of information

Clear business meaning

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Sunday 12 November 2017

Speed up real-time rendering in DaVinci Resolve with Optimised Media

This post refers to DaVinci Resolve 12.5.

Real-time rendering in DaVinci Resolve can be slow. One of the first things to try is optimising your media. As I understand it, Resolve will use optimised media – which is more efficient - as a proxy for the original format media in the timeline.

To optimise a media item you can right-click on it in the media gallery and select Generate Optimised Media.

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The output will end up in the same place as other cached items (see my previous post for details).

Not surprisingly, generating optimised media can take quite a while and it appears that using this method you can only do one clip at a time.

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Sunday 12 November 2017

Speed up real-time rendering in DaVinci Resolve

This post refers to DaVinci Resolve 12.5.

Problem

OK, I don’t have a system that’s setup for video editing. As a result, playback in DaVinci Resolve is slow once I’ve added more than a few clips to the timeline, especially if I’m layering clips.

How can we speed up DaVinci Resolve so we get smooth real-time playback in the editor?

Solution

A solution might be to use the render cache in DaVinci Resolve. You can activate the render cache via the Playback > Render Cache menu item.

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Note that the render cache has 2 modes: Smart and User. In short, using the Smart option allows Resolve to automatically cache items as it sees fit. In User mode clips are only cached when you indicate you want them cached. To do so, right-click on the clip and choose Render Cache Clip Source > On from the pop-up menu.

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When you first add an item to be cached a red line will appear at the top of the timeline above the clip. Once a clip is cached you’ll see the line turn blue.

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Tip: If you use the Smart mode and you already have a number of clips added to the timeline it might take a while to add to the cache. Your system might be slow for a while as the cache is built.

Changing the render cache location

Firstly, add the path you want to use to the Media Storage section of DaVinci Resolve > Preferences… screen. I had to restart Resolve after adding a new location or the next step failed.

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Secondly, open File > Project settings… and go to General Options. The cache file location is at the bottom of the screen.

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