Open ReqIF requirement files

ReqEdit Online Documentation

Open ReqIF requirement files

4 min read
last updated: 03/16/2023

ReqEdit is used to display contents of ReqIF requirement exchange files including attachments and images in ReqIF Archive files.

These are the key features:

  • ReqIF requirement objects
  • hierarchy structure
  • Internal UUIDS
  • attribute types
  • specification attributes
  • object attributes and relations

For experienced users the XML Editor add-on can display the source code of the ReqIF file.

Supported RIF/ReqIF file extensions: RIF contents (.xml .rif .zip) or ReqIF content (.reqif .reqifz)

You can open decrypted *.reqedit files too, if you know the password. More about encryption / decryption read here.

More about RIF and ReqIF files read here.

Open file

Dashboard for ReqEdit

To open a file

  • click on the Open Specification on the Dashboard or
  • select File > Open on the main menu or
  • press CTRL+O and then select the ReqIF file.
ReqEdit displaying an opened ReqIF file

All containing specification documents are displayed as tabs in the tab bar.

ReqEdit tab bar showing a ReqIF with three specifications

Compatible ReqIF files

If the file is not a standard ReqIF file but ReqEdit can import it, a popup notifies the user. Import wizard starts and completes the steps to open file.

ReqEdit found an invalid ReqIF but asks the user for importing the file

Multi ReqIF Archives

If the opened document contains multiple ReqIF files (is an archive format .reqifz or .zip) a popup notification allows the user to select the files to open.

ReqEdit showing document selector for .zip or .reqifz files (containing two or more ReqIF files)

In case of any ReqIF errors, ReqEdit identifies the errors. Use XML Editor Add-on to correct.

Error message shows ReqEdit detected an invalid ReqIF source code

ReqIF file format

ReqEdit follows ReqIF standard on all levels. It will display contents of ReqIF files from structural to attribute definitions.

ReqIF format

Attribute Types
atomic data types: boolean, date, enumeration, int, float, string, xhtml

Attributes
uses the basic attribute type definitions with optional restrictions: min, max, length, can be defined for objects and specifications also

Object types
collection of attribute types that are grouped together

Objects
uses a specific object type and has values for each attribute

Values
value objects for attributes of objects or specifications

Specification Types
a collection of object types and specification attributes

Specifications
uses a single specification type

Hierarchy
requirement object structure inside a specification

Relations
links between the objects

Documents

ReqIF requirements are grouped into specification documents, these are displayed in the tab bar. Each opened ReqIF file will have its own random color to indicate that the files are together.

ReqEdit tab bar showing colored dots in front of specifications that are contained in a single opened file

Hierarchy

Each specification document has its own object structure which is shown in the navigator tab.

ReqEdit displaying an opened ReqIF file, navigator on the left side is highlighted

The navigator can be used to quickly jump to a specific section in the specification document.

Numbering
Automatically generated for each ReqIF.ChapterName which are used as headlines. Depth is determined by child objects.

Objects

Each row in the main content area is an object that has a Main Content and additional attributes. Objects are displayed as follows

ReqEdit displaying different types of requirement object states from top to bottom:
not changed (white), edited and saved (blue), new not saved (green), deleted (red), with links (link icon, in, out, external)

Status indicator

First column of the grid is a frozen column, which means that the user will always see the column, even if the document will be scrolled horizontally.

Displays the following states:

  • unchanged – marked with white color
  • edited – marked with light green
  • edited and saved – marked with light blue
  • links – marked with link icon
    • internal links
    • external links
      • URI / OSLC
      • Inward / Outward
  • red – soft deleted (can be recovered)

More about Editing objects you can read here.

Attachments

ReqEdit displaying attachment previews of an object, file icons and preview images

Double-click on the icon. The attached file will be opened by the installed applications on the machine.

Attributes

Object attributes are displayed as columns inside the data grid. The default column layout starts with Main Column then the rest of the object attributes defined in the specification.

By default all attributes are displayed in the specification as texts

Main Column

Displays the the main ReqIF attributes: ReqIF.ChapterName, ReqIF.Name, ReqIF.Text as a single cell where

ReqIF.ChapterName – is displayed as Headline and will be auto numbered, displayed in the navigator

ReqIF.Name – displayed in the content area as text

ReqIF.Text – displayed in the content area as text

The main column rendering can be customized in the Settings > Document menu

Attribute columns

All columns can be set hidden / visible by right clicking on the column name row.

ReqEdit column management menu displayed by right clicking anywhere on column names

Attributes used in the current specification document can be displayed by opening Setting > Document and selecting the Attributes tab.

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