Skip to content
DataMiner DoJo

More results...

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
Search in posts
Search in pages
Log in
Menu
  • Updates & Insights
  • Questions
  • Learning
    • E-learning Courses
    • Empower Replay: Limited Edition
    • Tutorials
    • Open Classroom Training
    • Certification
      • DataMiner Fundamentals
      • DataMiner Configurator
      • DataMiner Automation
      • Scripts & Connectors Developer: HTTP Basics
      • Scripts & Connectors Developer: SNMP Basics
      • Visual Overview – Level 1
      • Verify a certificate
    • Video Library
    • Books We Like
    • >> Go to DataMiner Docs
  • Expert Center
    • Solutions & Use Cases
      • Solutions
      • Use Case Library
    • Markets & Industries
      • Media production
      • Government & defense
      • Content distribution
      • Service providers
      • Partners
      • OSS/BSS
    • Agile
      • Agile Webspace
      • Everything Agile
        • The Agile Manifesto
        • Best Practices
        • Retro Recipes
      • Methodologies
        • The Scrum Framework
        • Kanban
        • Extreme Programming
      • Roles
        • The Product Owner
        • The Agile Coach
        • The Quality & UX Coach (QX)
    • DataMiner DevOps Professional Program
      • About the DevOps Program
      • DataMiner DevOps Support
  • Downloads
  • More
    • DataMiner Releases & Updates
    • Feature Suggestions
    • Climb the leaderboard!
    • Swag Shop
    • Contact
    • Global Feedback Survey
  • PARTNERS
    • All Partners
    • Technology Partners
    • Strategic Partner Program
    • Deal Registration
  • >> Go to dataminer.services

Annotations replacement

Solved979 views6th May 2025annotations documents Notes services
4
Paul Dadswell [DevOps Advocate]82 1st February 2024 0 Comments

I note with some alarm that the Annotations module is being disabled from 10.4.0 onwards. Within our DataMiner systems, we have made quite extensive use of this. It allowed us to use "generic" visual files as templates for services, but to have service/site specific information readily available to the operators when viewing the service in Cube.

So, the question is if this is being removed, what is the practical alternative to replace it? The initial potential options available in DataMiner that come to mind seem to be: Notes, Documents or Properties. However, none of these really match our current use of Annotations.

Notes: While conceptually the “closest” match to Annotations in how they are associated with a service, the intended role of Notes is different. They are more the yellow “post-it” functionality for temporary issues around a service to be shared with everyone, rather than permanent specific information. Yes I know they can be set not to expire, but it is still too easy to delete them with a single click and they only allow you to add plain text to them, rather than the richer HTML structured information (e.g. lists, bold text, embedded pictures) that is available with Annotations.

Documents: While these allow you to theoretically add any type of document to the system, they are not service specific. They are either general documents that are available whichever service you are looking at, or they are associated with an element that is included in the service, either related to the protocol/connector for that element type and therefore not specific to the service or related to a specific element instance. There is no way of associating a document which could contain information about multiple elements in the service with a specific service. In addition, any document needs to be viewed in a separate application. The contents are not shown directly within Cube as Annotations are.

Properties: One could theoretically create a custom “Annotations” property and potentially display the contents of it on a separate page in the visual file. However again you are limited to simple textual information, and I suspect that there is a limit of the size of the contents of a property.

I wonder what the reason for removing the Annotations functionality is. Is there a technical reason, or was it felt to not be widely used? Personally, we found it very useful and its removal is arguably a loss of key functionality and a retrograde step in the usability of the DataMiner system for our operators.

Does anyone else feel the same? Or are there other alternatives that people are using to provide the equivalent functionality?

Jeroen Geldhof [SLC] [DevOps Enabler] Answered question 6th May 2025

3 Answers

  • Active
  • Voted
  • Newest
  • Oldest
0
Jeroen Geldhof [SLC] [DevOps Enabler]5.07K Posted 6th May 2025 0 Comments

In an addition to earlier answers I also want to highlight the possibility to embed Dashboard components into Visio.

You could make a Dashboard folder containing an Dashboard for each service (ease of searching).
The Custom HTML component can be used to store content and by right-clicking in edit mode you can copy the embedded component url.

You could add a webpage tab page in Visual Overview and display the content of the embedded component url.  Not to have to make separate Visio files for each service you could put the url in a service property and use that property in the Visio to make the content dynamic.

An alternative to Dashboards could be a Sharepoint (or alternative) site where you host a page for each service.

A new feature request was requested to add an html editor on the Custom HTML Component.
https://community.dataminer.services/new-feature-suggestions/custom-html-editor/

Jeroen Geldhof [SLC] [DevOps Enabler] Answered question 6th May 2025
You are viewing 1 out of 3 answers, click here to view all answers.
Please login to be able to comment or post an answer.

My DevOps rank

DevOps Members get more insights on their profile page.

My user earnings

0 Dojo credits

Spend your credits in our swag shop.

0 Reputation points

Boost your reputation, climb the leaderboard.

Promo banner DataMiner DevOps Professiona Program
DataMiner Integration Studio (DIS)
Empower Katas
Privacy Policy • Terms & Conditions • Contact

© 2025 Skyline Communications. All rights reserved.

DOJO Q&A widget

Can't find what you need?

? Explore the Q&A DataMiner Docs

[ Placeholder content for popup link ] WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin