Report Tool On-Line Help

When should I use it?
The Report tool provides the most informative description of any multi-agent activity. Activities are depicted as a time-ordered graph of sub-tasks that shows the resource dependencies between them. Each sub-task is also colour-coded to reflect its state, making it much easier for the user to follow and understand the progress of an activity.

How do I use it?

• If you haven't connected to an Agent Name Server, no agents will be listed in the Agents list at the top left-hand corner of the window. In which case, follow these instructions, which will retrieve the list of known agents.
  
• To make the Visualiser aware of on-going agent tasks it must contact each known agent to request progress updates. To do this, select the Request Reports option from the Online menu. This will bring up a dialog enabling you to choose which agents' tasks will be followed.
  
• Nothing will be shown in the Report Tool until an agent begins a task, at which point its name will appear in the Current Tasks list, and its constituent sub-tasks will appear in the main panel.
  
• Additional information about each sub-task can be obtained by double-clicking on the appropriate node in the main panel.
  

The Task States
Each sub-task is colour-coded according to what the Visualiser believes is its current state; this will be one of the following:

• FIRM - the agent concerned has commited itself to performing this task at some point in the future.
  
• RUNNING - the agent is currently performing this task; this may mean an external process has been started.
  
• FAILED - this task has not been performed, this may be because of insufficient resources or a program error. The exact reason may become apparent by examining the Agent Viewer.
  
• COMPLETED [White] - the task has successfully run to completion and terminated.
  
• JEOPARDY - the agent has detected the existence of a problem that will prevent the task from being completed, and is attempting to replan.
  
• SERVICE AGREEMENT - the agent has undertaken to provide this task a predetermined number of times from now.
  

The Toolbar Options
Collapse - collapses the nodes dependent on the currently selected node.
Expand - expands any previously collapsed nodes.
Recompute - moves the nodes back to their default positions.
Redraw - refreshes the screen, useful if display is corrupted.
Select/Deselect - changes the state of those nodes within a selected area.
Select All Icons - marks all nodes as selected.
Hide Selected Icons - removes the currently selected nodes from the display.
Show Hidden Icons - shows all previously hidden nodes.

These options also have corresponding entries in the View menu.

Other Menu Options

• Even after a task has run to conclusion it will remain in the Current Tasks list unless the Auto-Delete Reports option has been chosen from the Reports menu.
  
• Reports can be selectively deleted by choosing either the Delete Current Report or Delete Reports... options from the Reports menu.
  
• If the Show Connected Reports option from the Reports menu has been selected, then all goals currently being attempted that use the results of this task will be shown.
  
• The activities displayed live by the Report Tool can be saved to a file to be replayed later; this process is described here. Instructions for loading a previously saved session are listed here.
  
• To stop receiving report updates from any or all agents, select the Unrequest Reports option from the Online menu.