Tag: non-automatic

Unofficial DPTPB Nutanix Dynamic Visio Shapes: Custom Disk Sizes

In my previous post I covered DPTPB Dynamic shape usage in manual mode. At the end of the previous post I described briefly how to add new disk sizes to existing front view shapes and promised to deliver more detailed and safer instructions for adding new disk sizes.

The method I described earlier is based on manually editing shapesheet variables in master shapesheet. While not awfully difficult, manually editing might sound scary to users unfamiliar with Visio shapesheets and variables. Additionally manual operations always carry more risks.

Maybe there is a better way?

Continue reading “Unofficial DPTPB Nutanix Dynamic Visio Shapes: Custom Disk Sizes” →

Unofficial DPTPB Nutanix Dynamic Visio Shapes: Non-Dynamic mode

Having automation, like found in the DPTPB dynamic shapes which will automatically populate your shapes with additional elements, is usually a good thing.

One could compare automation to using GUI. It makes life easier and there are safeguards preventing users from making mistakes.

However automation without ability to override or handle exceptions might not be such a good thing. You are limited to what the automation can do and you might not be able to handle exceptions. One way to handle exceptions would be to provide CLI access with more freedom to do things in more manual fashion.

To give users freedom to handle exceptions or by-pass automation, I’ve designed the Dynamic shapes in a way that still allows the shapes to be used in manual (non-dynamic) mode, instead of relying on the built-in automation. In manual mode users can combine shapes as they desire without the built-in automation restricting their choices. And best of all (for CLI haters), no CLI required…

Just bear in mind: With more freedom comes more responsibility.

Continue reading “Unofficial DPTPB Nutanix Dynamic Visio Shapes: Non-Dynamic mode” →