CAST Imaging Documentation

Assess Cloud Readiness

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, project manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application analyzed with CAST Console 2.4+ and the `com.castsoftware.highlight2mri` extension

Step 1: Open the cloud readiness view

On the Welcome page, find the Do you want to accelerate cloud migration? section. Click Cloud Readiness or Containerization Insights.

[TODO: Screenshot of the tiles]

Step 2: Read blockers and boosters

The view lists two categories:

Choose a Deployment Model

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging can be deployed in three ways. Choose the model that best fits your infrastructure and operating constraints.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator planning a new installation
Role required	None (planning phase)
Prerequisites	None

Comparison

Model	Operating system	Best for
Windows installer	Windows Server	Single-server setups, teams already using Windows infrastructure
Docker (Linux or Windows)	Linux or Windows with Docker Desktop	Reproducible environments, easier upgrades, containerized infrastructure
Kubernetes	Any Kubernetes cluster	High-availability, scalable, enterprise-grade deployments

Windows installer

The Windows installer packages all CAST Imaging components into standard Windows executables. Installation is straightforward and does not require container knowledge.

Export the Current View

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	A view open on the canvas

Export as image

In the toolbar, click Export and select the image format:

PNG: raster image, good for presentations and documents.
SVG: vector image, good for large diagrams that need to stay sharp when scaled.

[TODO: Screenshot of the export menu]

Export as data file

To export the objects and links currently on the canvas as structured data:

Get an Overview of Your Application

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, team lead, developer new to the application
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported into CAST Imaging

Step 1: Open the application

From the application list, click the application you want to explore. The Welcome page opens.

Step 2: Read the application properties

On the Welcome page, look at the right panel for:

Application size (S, M, L, XL, XXL) based on lines of code
Total number of objects, relationships, transactions, and data call graphs
Technologies present and their lines of code

[TODO: Screenshot of the application properties panel]

Graph Fails to Load

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

The canvas shows an error: “Failed to get graph data”, or the application loads but the canvas stays empty.

Likely causes

Cause	How to confirm
Neo4j out of memory	Check Neo4j logs for OutOfMemoryError or GC overhead
Neo4j page cache too small	Graph loads but is very slow; Neo4j log shows cache misses
Corrupt import	Some applications load but one specific application fails
Neo4j service stopped	CAST Imaging admin panel shows Neo4j as down

Resolution

Increase Neo4j memory

See Manage Neo4j — Optimize memory allocation.

How to Use This Documentation

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This documentation is organized by task, not by feature. Each section answers a specific question a user might have.

Learning paths by role

Developer

You want to find the impact of a change, trace a call path, or understand a piece of code.

Architect

You want to understand the structure of an application you have not seen before.

Manage Users

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed and running

Open the Users panel

In the Admin Center, click Users.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Users panel]

Create a user

Click Add user.
Enter the username, email, and password.
Assign a role. See Manage roles and permissions.
Click Save.

Edit a user

Click a username to open the user record. Edit the fields you want to change and click Save.

Register and Deliver Source Code

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Analysis engineer, AIP Console operator
Role required	AIP Console operator role
Prerequisites	AIP Console installed and running; source code available as a ZIP, Git repository, or SVN path

Step 1: Create the application in AIP Console

[TODO: Navigate to AIP Console; click New Application; fill in application name and description]

Step 2: Deliver the source code

Choose one of these methods:

Save and Reload a View

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application open; a view configured the way you want to save it

Save the current view

In the toolbar, click Save view.
Enter a name for the view.
Click Save.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Save view dialog]

The view saves the current scope, level, visible objects, filters, and any custom aggregations or annotations applied.

Search for a Specific Object

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported into CAST Imaging

Global search

The global search finds objects across all scopes and levels.

Click the Search icon in the toolbar, or press the keyboard shortcut.
Type the object name. Results appear as you type.
Use filters to narrow the results by technology, object type, or tag.
Click a result to display the object on the canvas.

[TODO: Screenshot of the global search dialog with filters]

Set Up AI Integration

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	An OpenAI or Azure OpenAI API key; internet access to the AI provider (or a proxy)

Step 1: Get an API key

OpenAI: Create an account at openai.com, go to View API keys, and click Create new secret key.

Azure OpenAI: You need an Azure subscription with access to Azure OpenAI. Deploy a GPT-4 model. Collect the API key, endpoint URL, and deployment name.

User Interface Reference

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Investigation panel

[TODO: Annotated screenshot and description of each element — scope selector, level selector, perspective selector, search bar, filter options]

[TODO: Annotated screenshot and description of each toolbar button — search, reports, saved views, tabs, preferences, help]

Canvas

[TODO: Description of canvas interactions — zoom, pan, double-click to drill, Shift+double-click to go up, right-click context menu]

Properties panel

[TODO: Description of the Properties panel fields — name, full name, type, file, module, metrics]

What is CAST Imaging?

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging is a browser-based tool that turns application source code into an interactive graph. You can explore the structure of any enterprise application without reading code line by line.

What problem does it solve?

Large applications can contain millions of lines of code spread across many technologies. Understanding how the parts connect — and what breaks when you change something — is very difficult without a visual map.

CAST Imaging reads the output of a static code analysis and displays the results as a navigable graph. You can zoom in from a high-level architecture view all the way down to individual methods and database calls.

Generate Built-In Data Reports

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect, manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported

Open the report dialog

In the toolbar, click Reports (available in all scopes and at all levels).

[TODO: Screenshot of the Reports button and dialog]

Available reports

Data Sources

Report	What it contains
Relation between Objects and Data Sources	All links between code objects and database tables/views
Relation between DB tables and DB objects	Links between database tables and procedures/functions
Relation between Data Sources and Transactions	Which transactions access which tables
Number of Transactions per Data Source	Coupling count per table

Transactions

Report	What it contains
Relation between Transactions and Objects	All objects in each transaction
Relation between Transactions and Data Sources	Data sources accessed per transaction
Transaction Complexity	CC, IC, EC, and LOC for each transaction

References

Report	What it contains
Most referenced Objects	Objects with the highest number of callers
Most referenced Data Objects	Database objects with the highest number of callers

Application

Report	What it contains
Relation between Modules	All links between modules
Relation between Modules and Transactions	Which transactions belong to which module
Module Complexity	CC, IC, EC, LOC per module
Relation between Modules and Objects	All objects per module
Lines of Code per Technology Artifact	LOC by object type and technology
Added/Modified Objects	Objects that changed between the current and previous snapshot

Choose the output format

Click CSV, XLSX, or JSON to generate and download the report immediately.

Check Requirements

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Check these requirements before you start the installation. An undersized environment causes performance problems that are difficult to diagnose later.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator planning a new installation
Role required	None (planning phase)
Prerequisites	None

Hardware requirements

Hardware needs depend on the size of the applications you will analyze.

Application size	Objects (approx.)	RAM	CPU cores	Disk (Neo4j data)
Small (S)	< 50,000	16 GB	4	50 GB
Medium (M)	50,000–200,000	32 GB	8	100 GB
Large (L)	200,000–500,000	64 GB	16	250 GB
Extra large (XL)	500,000–1,000,000	128 GB	32	500 GB
XXL	> 1,000,000	256 GB+	64+	1 TB+

[TODO: Verify values and add separate rows for PostgreSQL disk]

Organize Objects into Custom Modules

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, developer
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; objects visible at Objects level

Step 1: Start a custom aggregation

Right-click any object at Objects level and select Associate to custom aggregation.

[TODO: Screenshot of the context menu]

Step 2: Create or select a group

Create new: enter a name for the new group.
Add to existing: select an existing custom group from the list.

[TODO: Screenshot of the group selection dialog]

Explain an Object with AI

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up by administrator; source code viewer configured

Step 1: Right-click an object

At Objects level, right-click any object and select Explain with AI.

[TODO: Screenshot of the context menu]

Step 2: Read the explanation

The source code appears in the Legend panel. The AI explanation loads below it. The explanation first appears as a short summary.

Explore a Transaction End-to-End

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; application contains transactions

Step 1: Open the Transaction scope

In the Investigation panel, select Transaction.

Step 2: Find the transaction

A search dialog opens. Type the transaction name and select it from the results.

Use filters to narrow a long list:

Input: filter by entry point object type
Technologies: filter by technology
Tags: filter by tag assigned to the transaction

[TODO: Screenshot of the transaction search dialog]

Explore Technology and Language Distribution

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, project manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported into CAST Imaging; Core Metrics extension used during analysis

Step 1: Check the Welcome page tiles

On the Welcome page, find the Are you new to this application? section. These tiles are available:

Tile	What it shows
Frameworks	Detected frameworks (Spring, Angular, etc.)
Technologies	Technologies and their lines of code
RDBMS Table Inventory	All database tables in the application
APIs Inventory	All exposed REST or SOAP endpoints

Click any tile to open the corresponding view.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Shortcut	Action
Double-click a node	Drill down to the next level
Shift + double-click empty space	Go up one level
Scroll wheel	Zoom in / zoom out
Click and drag empty space	Pan the canvas

Canvas actions

Shortcut	Action
[TODO]	Open global search
[TODO]	Undo last action
[TODO]	Redo last action
[TODO]	Save current view

Object actions

Shortcut	Action
[TODO]	Open properties of selected object
[TODO]	Show source code of selected object

[TODO: Complete the table from the existing keyboard-shortcuts documentation page]

Use the Modernization Advisor

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, project manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application analyzed with the `com.castsoftware.sql.movetocloud` extension; application contains Oracle Server (PL/SQL) objects

Step 1: Open the Modernization Advisor

On the Welcome page, find Are you looking for guidance on upgrading/modernizing your application? and click Imaging Advisor.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Read the recommendations

Recommendations are organized into three categories:

Category	Meaning
Quick Wins	Small changes, low effort, immediate benefit
Minor Cleanup	Moderate effort changes that reduce migration complexity
Major Cleanup	Large, complex changes required for the migration to succeed

[TODO: Screenshot of the recommendation categories]

Quick Start — Windows

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This guide gets you from zero to a working CAST Imaging instance on one Windows machine. It is designed for proofs of concept and demos.

Production deployments

For a production installation with multiple servers or Docker, see Install and deploy.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator setting up a demo environment
Role required	Local administrator on the Windows machine
Prerequisites	Windows Server 2016 or later; 16 GB RAM minimum; internet access to download installers

Step 1: Install CAST Storage Service

CAST Storage Service is a pre-configured PostgreSQL package. It stores the results of the code analysis.

Manage Roles and Permissions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	Users created

Open the Roles panel

In the Admin Center, click Roles.

Default roles

Four roles are provided by default. They cannot be deleted or modified.

Role	Access level
Viewer	Read all application data; read saved views and annotations
Editor	Viewer + create tags, annotations, custom links, saved views
Admin	Editor + manage users and application settings for the tenant
Super Admin	Full access to all tenants and all settings

Create a custom role

Click Add role.
Enter a name.
Select the applications the role can access (one, many, or all).
Set resource permissions (READ, CREATE, UPDATE, DELETE) for each feature.
Click Save.

[TODO: Screenshot of the role editor]

Run a Full Analysis and Generate a Snapshot

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Analysis engineer, AIP Console operator
Role required	AIP Console operator role
Prerequisites	Application registered; source code delivered; fast scan completed successfully

Step 1: Configure the analysis

[TODO: Extension selection, analysis settings, exclusion rules]

Step 2: Run the analysis

[TODO: Start analysis from AIP Console; monitor progress in the logs]

Step 3: Review the analysis results

[TODO: Where to see object counts, technology coverage, and any errors]

Search Returns Stale or Missing Results

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

Objects that exist in the graph do not appear in the search results.
Search results contain objects that were removed in a recent re-import.
After an upgrade, search results are incomplete.

Likely causes

Cause	How to confirm
Search index not updated after import	Compare a known object name against what appears in search
Failed ETL run	Check the import logs for errors
Index corrupted during upgrade	Problem started after an upgrade

Resolution

Rebuild the search index

See Rebuild the search index.

The CAST Imaging Stack

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging is not a single program. It is a set of four components that each do a specific job. You need all four to go from source code to a visible graph.

The four components

AIP Console

AIP Console is a web application you use to register applications, deliver source code, and start analyses. It is the main control panel for the analysis pipeline. You access it through a browser.

Generate an Application Discovery Report

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, project manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported

What the report contains

The Application Discovery Report is a structured document that summarizes:

Application properties (size, technologies, LOC)
Architecture overview
Module list and coupling
Transaction list and complexity
Database access summary

It is intended for stakeholders who need an overview of the application without using CAST Imaging directly.

Generate the report

[TODO: Steps to access and generate the Application Discovery Report — toolbar location, configuration options, download]

Applications and Snapshots

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Application

In CAST Imaging, an application is the unit of work. It corresponds to one software system — for example, a banking back-end or an e-commerce website. Each application has its own graph in the viewer.

An application is created in AIP Console, where you also deliver the source code and run analyses.

Snapshot

A snapshot is the result of one analysis run. Each time you run a full analysis, CAST produces a new snapshot. A snapshot captures the state of the application at a point in time: all objects, all links, all metrics.

Browse the Project Structure

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported into CAST Imaging

Step 1: Open the Project Structure scope

In the Investigation panel, select Project Structure.

[TODO: Screenshot of Project Structure scope]

Step 2: Navigate the file tree

The view shows folders and files organized the same way as the source code on disk. Expand a folder to see its contents.

Create a Custom Scope

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; objects identified that you want to include

Step 1: Add objects to the canvas

Use search, Add linked objects, or Add callers/callees to build the set of objects you want to save as a scope.

Step 2: Save as a custom scope

In the Investigation panel, select Custom from the scope list. Then click Save as custom scope and enter a name.

Explain an Object in its Call Context

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up; source code viewer configured

When to use this feature

Use Explain Object Context with AI (rather than plain Explain) when the object’s purpose is only clear when you see how it is used. For example, a utility method called from many places has different meaning depending on which callers are relevant to your investigation.

Import Application Data into Imaging

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

After a snapshot is published in AIP Console, an ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process imports the data into Neo4j so CAST Imaging can display it.

Before you start


Who this is for	Analysis engineer, AIP Console operator
Role required	AIP Console operator role
Prerequisites	Snapshot published in AIP Console

How the import works

The ETL tool reads the analysis results from PostgreSQL.
It transforms the data into a graph format.
It loads the graph into Neo4j.
CAST Imaging reads from Neo4j to display the results.

This process starts automatically after a snapshot is published. You do not need to trigger it manually in most cases.

Install on Windows

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Local administrator on the Windows server
Prerequisites	Requirements checked; installation media downloaded

Step 1: Install CAST Storage Service

CAST Storage Service is a pre-configured PostgreSQL package. Install it first because the other components need it.

[TODO: Download location, installer steps, default port 2284]

Step 2: Install AIP Core and AIP Node

AIP Core is the analysis engine. AIP Node is the communication layer between AIP Core and AIP Console.

Manage Tenants

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging Super Admin
Role required	Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed and running

Open the Multi-Tenant panel

In the Admin Center, click Tenants.

Create a tenant

Click Add tenant.
Enter a name for the tenant.
Click Save.

[TODO: Screenshot]

The new tenant is empty. Add applications and users to it.

Move an application to a tenant

[TODO: Steps to move an application from one tenant to another]

Quick Start — Docker / Linux

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This guide gets you from zero to a running CAST Imaging instance using Docker. It covers Linux hosts and Windows hosts with Docker Desktop installed.

Production deployments

This guide is for quick evaluation. For a production Docker deployment, see Install with Docker.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator or developer evaluating CAST Imaging
Role required	Docker user with permission to run containers
Prerequisites	Docker Engine 24+ and Docker Compose v2; 16 GB RAM; internet access to pull images

Step 1: Pull the CAST Imaging images

[TODO: docker pull commands and image registry details]

Source Code Viewer Shows No Content

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

You right-click an object and select Show source code, but the Legend panel shows nothing, shows an error, or shows “Source code not available”.

Likely causes

Cause	How to confirm
Source code viewer not configured	Admin Center → Source Code Viewer shows no path configured
Path mapping incorrect	The path in the configuration does not match the actual file location
HTTP header restriction	Browser console shows a blocked request (CSP or X-Frame-Options error)
Source files not accessible	The server cannot reach the path where source files are stored

Resolution

Configure the source code viewer

If the viewer is not configured, set it up. See Set up the source code viewer.

Technology Coverage

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Programming languages

[TODO: Table of supported languages with version ranges and required extensions]

Frameworks

[TODO: Table of supported frameworks — Spring, Angular, React, .NET, etc.]

Databases

[TODO: Table of supported databases — Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, DB2, MySQL, etc.]

Middleware and integration

[TODO: Table of supported middleware — JMS, Kafka, REST/SOAP services, etc.]

How to check coverage for a specific technology

Go to the CAST Extend catalog and search for the technology name.
If an extension exists, the technology is supported. The extension page lists version coverage.

Request coverage for a new technology

[TODO: Link to the CAST support portal or community forum]

Track Third-Party Component Health

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, developer, security engineer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application analyzed with CAST Console 2.4+ and the `com.castsoftware.highlight2mri` extension

Step 1: Open the Third-Party Components view

On the Welcome page, find Do you want to modernize your application? and click Third Party Components (or Third Party Components Upgrade).

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Read the component list

The view lists all detected open-source components with their version and health status. Components are flagged if they are outdated or have known vulnerabilities.

Trace the Path Between Two Objects

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; both source and target objects visible at Objects level

Step 1: Right-click the source object

At Objects level, right-click the object you want to start from and select Path Finder.

[TODO: Screenshot of the context menu]

Step 2: Select the target object

A dialog asks you to select the target object. Use the search to find it.

Annotate Objects with Sticky Notes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; object visible on the canvas

Add an annotation

Right-click any object at Objects level.
Select Annotations / Documents.
Click Add annotation.
Type your note and click Save.

[TODO: Screenshot of the annotation dialog]

The sticky note appears on the canvas near the object.

Edit or delete an annotation

Click the sticky note on the canvas to open it. Use the edit or delete buttons.

Understand Callers and Callees of an Object

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; object visible at Objects level

Add callers and callees

Right-click any object and select:

Add callers/callees — adds all objects that directly call or are called by the selected object. The number in brackets shows how many there are.
Add 2 levels of callers/callees — adds two levels of callers and callees at once.
Add linked objects — adds objects connected by any link type, not just calls.

[TODO: Screenshot of the context menu showing these options]

Generate an AI Summary for a Scope

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up; application imported

Step 1: Open the scope

Go to the scope you want to summarize: Application, Transaction, Module, or Data Call Graph.

Step 2: Start AI summary generation

In the toolbar or left panel, click Generate AI summary.

[TODO: Screenshot showing the button location]

Step 3: Configure options

Option	Description
Filter by complexity	Only summarize objects above a cyclomatic complexity threshold. Useful for large scopes — focus AI on the most complex parts.
Generation method	Graph Representation: includes call relationships. Exclusive Object: summarizes each object independently.

Step 4: Wait for the summary

The AI processes objects in the scope. For large scopes, this can take several minutes. Monitor progress in the status bar.

Transaction or DCG Is Marked as Huge

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

In the Transaction or Data Call Graph scope, an item in the list is marked with the message: “Huge Transaction, content is filtered” or similar. When you select it, no graph is displayed.

Cause

During the import process, CAST Imaging found that this transaction or data call graph contains more than 10,000 objects. The importer stopped processing it to prevent performance problems. The detail of this transaction is not available in the graph.

Install with Docker

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Docker user with permission to run containers and manage volumes
Prerequisites	Docker Engine 24+ and Docker Compose v2 installed; requirements checked

Step 1: Download the Compose file

[TODO: Where to get the official docker-compose.yml, login to CAST registry if needed]

Step 2: Configure environment variables

Copy the example .env file and fill in the required values:

[TODO: List of required environment variables — database passwords, ports, volume paths, license key]

Log In and Navigate the Welcome Page

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

When you open CAST Imaging in a browser for the first time, you land on the login page. After login, the Welcome page is your starting point for any application.

Before you start


Who this is for	Any new CAST Imaging user
Role required	Any role
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging is installed and running; you have a username and password

Step 1: Log in

[TODO: Navigate to the CAST Imaging URL; enter username and password; click Log in]

Manage Applications in the Admin Center

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	Applications imported via the ETL process

Open the Applications panel

In the Admin Center, click Applications.

Configure application aliases

An alias is an alternative name for an application. Use aliases when the application name in the analysis results differs from the name used by the team.

[TODO: Steps to add and manage aliases]

Objects, Nodes, and Links

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Every graph in CAST Imaging is made of three things: objects, nodes, and links.

Objects

An object is a code artifact. Examples include:

A Java class or method
A C# interface
A SQL table or stored procedure
A REST endpoint
A configuration file

CAST Imaging discovers objects automatically during analysis.

Nodes

A node is the visual representation of an object on the canvas. At high zoom levels (Level 1–4), a node can represent a group of objects — for example, an entire technology layer or a module. At the lowest level (Objects level), each node represents one individual object.

Plan a Database Migration

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, DBA, project manager
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; application uses a legacy database (Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, etc.)

Step 1: Map all objects that access the legacy database

Use the Data Call Graph scope to find all objects that read from or write to the legacy tables.

For each key table:

Open the Data Call Graph scope.
Select the table.
Note the objects in the call graph.

See Map database access patterns.

Use the Report Generator

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, developer, manager
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported

What the Report Generator does

The Report Generator lets you define custom report templates. A template specifies:

Which data dimensions to include (objects, links, modules, transactions)
Which filters to apply (technology, tag, complexity threshold)
The output format (CSV, XLSX, JSON)

Step 1: Create a template

[TODO: Navigate to the Report Generator; create a new template; configure dimensions and filters; save]

System Requirements

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This page is the full requirements reference. For a quick summary before installation, see Check requirements.

Hardware requirements by application size

[TODO: Full table with S/M/L/XL/XXL sizes — RAM, CPU, disk for each component]

Software requirements

Operating system

[TODO: Supported Windows Server versions; supported Linux distributions for Docker; Kubernetes version requirements]

Java

[TODO: Required Java version; where it is used]

PostgreSQL

[TODO: Supported versions; minimum configuration settings]

Neo4j

[TODO: Supported versions; minimum configuration settings]

Understand Architectural Layers

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, team lead
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; architecture layers defined in AIP Console

Step 1: Open the Architecture Layer scope

In the Investigation panel, select Architecture Layer.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Read the layer diagram

The view shows nodes for each architectural layer (for example: Presentation, Business Logic, Data Access). Links between layers show the dependencies.

[TODO: Screenshot of a typical layer diagram]

Use the AI Chatbot Assistant

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up with GPT-4

What data is shared

The chatbot shares graph metadata (object names, relationships, module names) with the AI provider. It does not share source code. This is different from the Explain features, which do share code snippets.

Open the chatbot

Click the chatbot icon in the toolbar.

AI Features Are Unavailable or Return Errors

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Cause	Resolution
AI features disabled for the tenant	Admin: enable AI features in the Admin Center for this tenant. See Set up AI integration.
API key not configured	Admin: add an OpenAI or Azure OpenAI API key in the Admin Center.
Role does not have access	Check the user’s role and resource permissions.

Symptom B: AI error messages

Error message	Cause	Resolution
“There is no internet connection”	The server cannot reach the AI provider	Check outbound internet access; whitelist `api.openai.com` (OpenAI) or `<app>.openai.azure.com` (Azure) on port 443
“Invalid GPT key”	The API key is wrong or has been revoked	Admin: replace the API key in the Admin Center
“GPT engine is overloaded”	The AI provider is under high load	Wait a few minutes and try again
“Source code is too large to explain”	The object has too many lines of code	Use the Explain on a portion of the source code instead
API key expired or disabled	Key was revoked by the AI provider	Admin: generate a new key and update it in the Admin Center

Next steps

Set up AI integration

Explore Application Modularity

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, team lead
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported into CAST Imaging

Step 1: Open the Module scope

In the Investigation panel, select Module.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Read the module diagram

Each node represents a module. Links between modules show dependencies (one module calls objects in another).

The thickness or number of links indicates the level of coupling.

Highlight and Visualize Dependencies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; objects visible at Objects level

Available highlight options

Right-click any object at Objects level to access these options:

Option	What it shows
Highlight Callers	All objects that call the selected object (direct and indirect)
Highlight Callees	All objects that the selected object calls (direct and indirect)
Highlight Immediate Callers/Callees	Direct callers and callees only (one level)
Highlight Path	All paths between two selected objects

[TODO: Screenshot showing highlighted objects on the canvas]

Install on Kubernetes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Platform engineer or Kubernetes administrator
Role required	Kubernetes cluster admin
Prerequisites	Kubernetes 1.25+; Helm 3; requirements checked; persistent storage class available

Step 1: Add the CAST Helm repository

[TODO: helm repo add command and repository URL]

Step 2: Create a values file

[TODO: List of required values — image registry, storage class, resource limits, ingress settings]

Step 3: Install the chart

helm install cast-imaging cast/imaging -f values.yaml -n cast-imaging --create-namespace

Step 4: Configure ingress

[TODO: Example ingress resource for the CAST Imaging web interface]

Manage Licenses

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed; license key received from CAST

Enter a license key

In the Admin Center, click License.
Paste the license key into the field.
Click Update.

[TODO: Screenshot of the License panel]

Check license consumption

The License panel shows:

License type and expiry date
Number of applications allowed and currently active
Features enabled by the license (for example, AI, multi-tenant)

Licence-gated features

Some features require a specific license type:

REST API Reference

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Authentication

All API requests require an API key. Pass the key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer <your-api-key>

Generate an API key in the Admin Center. See Manage users.

Base URL

https://<your-imaging-host>/api/v1

Available endpoints

[TODO: Full endpoint table — method, path, description, required parameters]

Applications

Method	Path	Description
GET	`/applications`	List all applications the user can access
GET	`/applications/{id}`	Get details of one application
[TODO]

Import and analysis

Method	Path	Description
POST	`/applications/{id}/import`	Trigger an application import
[TODO]

Reports

Method	Path	Description
POST	`/reports`	Generate a report
GET	`/reports/{id}/status`	Check report generation status
GET	`/reports/{id}/download`	Download a completed report

Example: trigger an import

curl -X POST https://imaging.example.com/api/v1/applications/42/import \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <api-key>"

Next steps

Automate deployment and import

Scopes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A scope is a predefined way of looking at an application. Each scope shows the same objects but organizes them differently. Choose the scope that matches your current question.

Available scopes

Application scope

Shows the full application, organized by the CAST Taxonomy (front-end, middleware, back-end). This is the default view when you open an application.

Use it to: get a high-level overview, explore component structure.

Module scope

Shows objects grouped into functional or technical modules.

Tag Objects, Transactions, and Modules

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported

Add a tag to one object

Right-click an object at Objects level.
Select Tags.
Type a tag name or select from existing tags.
Press Enter or click Add.

[TODO: Screenshot of the tag dialog]

Add a tag to a transaction or module

[TODO: Steps to add a tag to a transaction from the Transaction scope, or to a module from the Module scope]

Understand the User Interface

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The CAST Imaging interface has four main areas. Understanding them helps you work faster.

Before you start


Who this is for	Any new CAST Imaging user
Role required	Any role
Prerequisites	You have logged in and opened an application

The four main areas

[TODO: Annotated screenshot showing the four areas]

Investigation panel (left)

The left panel controls what you see on the canvas. Use it to:

Switch between scopes (Application, Transaction, Module, etc.)
Select a specific transaction or module to display
Change the aggregation level (Level 1 to Objects)
Change the perspective (CAST Taxonomy, Modules, Services, Architecture)

Canvas (centre)

The canvas shows the graph. You interact with it by:

Add Custom Links Between Objects

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; both source and target objects visible at Objects level

Add a custom link

Right-click the source object and select Add edge.
Click the target object on the canvas.
A dialog asks you to name or type the link.
Click Save.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Add edge flow]

The custom link appears on the canvas as a dashed edge to distinguish it from analysis-detected links.

Aggregation Levels

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Within any scope, objects are organized into levels. Levels let you start with a broad view and drill down to the detail you need.

The levels

Level	What you see
Level 1	Very large groups — for example, one node per technology family
Level 2	Smaller groups — for example, one node per application layer
Level 3	Components or subsystems
Level 4	Packages or modules
Level 5	Individual classes, procedures, or similar objects
Objects level	The same as Level 5 but with full drill-down capability and contextual actions

Not all levels are available in every scope. The Transaction scope starts at Level 4, for example.

Generate an AI Functional Report

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, project manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up; application imported

What the report contains

The AI Functional Report is a document that describes the application in plain language. It covers:

Application overview and technologies
Module descriptions
Transaction summaries
Data call graph summaries

The report is intended for stakeholders who do not have access to CAST Imaging.

Configure HTTPS / TLS

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Local server admin (Windows) or Docker/Kubernetes admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed and running on HTTP; TLS certificate available (PEM format)

Windows installation

[TODO: Steps to configure Nginx (or the embedded web server) to use the TLS certificate; how to reconfigure the front-end service port to 443]

Docker installation

[TODO: Steps to mount the certificate into the Nginx container; update the Compose file to expose port 443]

Discover Inter-Application Dependencies

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, portfolio manager
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Multiple applications imported; app-to-app dependency detection configured (see Manage applications)

Step 1: Open the Application-to-Application scope

In the Investigation panel, select App to App.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Read the dependency map

Each node is an application. Links between nodes show calls or data exchanges between applications.

[TODO: Screenshot showing an example dependency map]

MCP Server Reference

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is the MCP server?

The CAST Imaging MCP (Model Context Protocol) server exposes the application graph to AI assistant tools such as Claude Desktop or IDE plugins. This lets you ask questions about your application directly from your IDE or AI chat interface.

Set up the MCP server

[TODO: Installation steps; configuration file format; how to connect a compatible AI assistant]

Available capabilities

[TODO: List of capabilities exposed by the MCP server — what queries it can answer, what data it returns]

Rebuild the Search Index

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging running

When to rebuild the index

Rebuild the search index if:

Objects that exist in the graph do not appear in search results.
Search results contain objects that were removed in a re-import.
After a major upgrade, search results are incomplete.

Rebuild the index

In the Admin Center, click Search.
Click Rebuild index.
Wait for the rebuild to complete. This may take several minutes for large applications.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Search panel]

Performance Is Slow

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

The canvas takes a long time to display objects.
A transaction takes many minutes to load.
The browser shows a timeout or connection error.
CAST Imaging becomes slow after an application with many objects is imported.

Step 1: Check Neo4j memory

Insufficient Neo4j memory is the most common cause of slow performance.

See Manage Neo4j — Optimize memory allocation.

Step 2: Reduce the view size

Very large views (many objects and links) are slow by design. Try these options:

View Source Code of an Object

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Source code viewer configured by the administrator (see Set up the source code viewer)

Step 1: Open the source code

At Objects level, right-click any object and select Show source code.

The Legend panel on the right opens and shows the source file. The specific object is highlighted in the file.

[TODO: Screenshot of the source code panel]

Add Custom Object Types

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported

When to use custom object types

Static analysis detects code artifacts. It does not detect external systems, business concepts, or infrastructure components. Use custom object types to add these to your graph.

Examples:

An external payment gateway your application calls at runtime
A message broker (Kafka, RabbitMQ)
A business domain concept used to organize a discussion

Step 1: Create a custom object

[TODO: Right-click on empty canvas space or use the toolbar to create a custom object — steps and screenshot]

Configure the Audit Trail

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed

Enable the audit trail

[TODO: Steps to enable the audit trail in the configuration file or Admin Center]

What is logged

When enabled, the audit trail logs:

User login and logout events
Application access events
Changes to users, roles, and tenant settings
Admin Center configuration changes

[TODO: Full list of logged events]

Bulk-Generate AI Summaries

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, developer
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	AI integration set up; application imported

Step 1: Start bulk generation

In the toolbar, click Bulk AI summary.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Select the target scope

Choose which items to summarize:

All modules
All transactions
All data call graphs
A combination

Step 3: Configure generation options

[TODO: Same options as Generate AI summary — generation method, complexity filter]

Call Graphs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

A call graph shows the objects involved in a transaction or a data access path, and the links between them. Because some transactions touch thousands of objects, CAST Imaging offers three display modes to balance detail against performance.

Reduced call graph

The default mode. CAST Imaging removes objects that are less important to understanding the flow. The result loads quickly and is easier to read.

Use this mode first. Switch to a different mode only if you need more detail.

Complexity Metrics

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging shows three complexity metrics for every object. Understanding them helps you identify high-risk code.

Cyclomatic Complexity (CC)

Cyclomatic Complexity measures the number of independent paths through a piece of code.

A method with no branches has CC = 1.
Each if, for, while, case, or similar branch adds 1 to the CC.
A higher CC means more paths to test and a higher chance of bugs.

Guideline: CC > 10 is considered complex. CC > 25 is very complex and should be reviewed.

Configure Authentication

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed; LDAP server details or SSO provider details if applicable

Local accounts

By default, CAST Imaging uses local accounts managed in the Admin Center. No additional configuration is needed. Manage users in Manage users.

LDAP / Active Directory

LDAP authentication lets users log in with their existing corporate credentials.

[TODO: Configuration steps — LDAP host, port, bind DN, base DN, user filter, group filter]

Inspect Object Properties and Metrics

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; object visible on the canvas

Open the Properties panel

Right-click any object and select Properties. The Properties panel opens on the right.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Properties panel]

What the panel shows

Property	Description
Name	Short name of the object
Full name	Full qualified name including namespace and package
Type	Object type (Java Class, SQL Table, etc.)
File name	Path to the source file
Module	Module the object belongs to
Cyclomatic complexity (CC)	Number of independent paths through the code. Higher = more complex.
Integration complexity (IC)	Measures how many other objects this object depends on.
Essential complexity (EC)	Measures how much of the code structure cannot be simplified.
Lines of code	Total lines in the object

See Complexity metrics for definitions.

Login or Authentication Fails

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom A: User cannot log in with a local account

Cause	Resolution
Wrong password	User: use the password reset option. Admin: reset the password in the Users panel. See Manage users.
Account deactivated	Admin: reactivate the user account in the Users panel.
No role assigned	Admin: assign a role to the user. See Manage roles and permissions.

Cause	Resolution
Wrong LDAP server address or port	Check LDAP host and port in the authentication configuration. See Configure authentication.
Bind DN or password incorrect	Verify the bind DN and password. Re-encrypt the password if needed.
User not in the base DN	Confirm the user exists in the LDAP tree under the configured base DN.
Group filter excludes the user	Check the group filter in the LDAP configuration.

Symptom C: Session expires too quickly

The session timeout is configured by the administrator. Ask the admin to increase it.

Map Database Access Patterns

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Architect, data engineer, DBA
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; application contains database objects

Step 1: Open the Data Call Graph scope

In the Investigation panel, select Data Call Graph.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Select a table

A search dialog appears. Type the name of the table you want to investigate and select it from the results.

[TODO: Screenshot of the search dialog]

Add Inserts and Canvas Comments

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Editor or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; a saved view open

What are inserts?

An insert is a text block placed on the canvas. Unlike an annotation (which is attached to one object), an insert floats freely on the canvas. Use it to:

Add a title or description to a saved view.
Explain the context of the objects shown.
Add a note visible to anyone who opens the view.

Add an insert

[TODO: How to add an insert — toolbar button or right-click on empty canvas space; screenshot]

Upgrade Leaves the Application in a Broken State

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Symptom

After upgrading CAST Imaging:

The interface does not load (blank page or JavaScript error).
Applications do not appear in the list.
A specific feature that worked before now gives an error.

Step 1: Clear the server-side cache

A stale cache is the most common cause of post-upgrade problems.

[TODO: Steps to clear the server-side cache — file location or command]

Step 2: Verify the Neo4j schema

After a major upgrade, the Neo4j schema may need to be updated.

Explore Method-Level Links

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; two connected objects visible at Objects level

Step 1: Click an edge

At Objects level, click the edge (line) between two objects. The Method view opens.

[TODO: Screenshot of the Method view panel]

Step 2: Read the method pairs

The Method view lists all the method-to-method links that create the connection between the two objects. For each link, you can see:

Manage Neo4j

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Local server admin; Super Admin for the Admin Center actions
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed and running

Export graph data

Export the Neo4j data to move it to another server or to create a backup.

[TODO: Steps to export Neo4j data — using the Admin Center or the neo4j-admin dump command]

Import graph data

Import a Neo4j data export into an existing or new instance.

Release Notes

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging v3.x

[TODO: List of releases with links to detailed release notes for each]

CAST Imaging v2.x

[TODO: Link to legacy release notes]

For the full changelog, see the CAST Software support portal.

Set Up the Source Code Viewer

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The source code viewer displays the source file of any object directly in the canvas. It is an optional feature that requires access to the original source files.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed; source files accessible from the server

Step 1: Make source files accessible

The CAST Imaging server must be able to read the source files. Options:

Tags and Annotations

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging gives you two ways to add information to objects: tags and annotations. Both are stored on the server and visible to all users who have access to the application.

Find Start and End Points of a Flow

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; objects visible at Objects level

What this feature does

The Get Start and End Points feature analyses the objects currently on the canvas and finds:

The start point: the object that starts the flow (for example, a REST endpoint or a JSP page).
The end point: the object that ends the flow (for example, a SQL table or an external service call).

This is useful when you have added several objects to the canvas manually and want to understand the boundaries of the flow they form.

Legal and Privacy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

License

[TODO: CAST Imaging end-user license terms or link to them]

Data privacy

Data processed by CAST Imaging

CAST Imaging processes:

Application source code (stored on your infrastructure, not sent to CAST)
Analysis results (objects, links, metrics — stored in your PostgreSQL and Neo4j databases)
User actions (for audit trail purposes, stored locally)

Data sent to third-party AI providers

If you use AI features, CAST Imaging sends data to the AI provider you configured:

Manage the PostgreSQL Database

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator, DBA
Role required	PostgreSQL superuser; Super Admin for Admin Center actions
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed

Back up the database

[TODO: Steps using pg_dump or CAST Storage Service backup tool; recommended backup schedule]

Restore the database

[TODO: Steps using pg_restore; how to verify a successful restore]

Change the PostgreSQL password

[TODO: Steps to change the database password and update the CAST Imaging configuration to use the new password]

Modules and Custom Aggregation

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Modules

A module is a group of objects that belong together from a functional or technical point of view — for example, a payment processing module or an authentication module.

CAST Imaging computes modules automatically during the analysis. The analysis engine groups objects based on how they call each other and how they are organized in the source code. You can see modules in the Module scope.

Custom aggregation

Custom aggregation lets you create your own groupings when the automatically computed modules do not match your team’s understanding of the application.

Manage Multiple Canvases with Tabs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application open

Open a new tab

When you drill into a node at Level 5 (or use the right-click menu to open a sub-view), CAST Imaging opens the new view in a separate tab rather than replacing the current view.

You can also open a new tab manually from the toolbar.

[TODO: Screenshot showing the tab bar with multiple open views]

Install an Offline Extension Server

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

CAST Imaging uses extensions (plugins) to support specific technologies. In a standard installation, extensions are downloaded from the CAST Extend cloud service. In air-gapped environments, you need a local server.

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator in an air-gapped environment
Role required	Local server admin
Prerequisites	A machine with internet access (for initial content download); a machine on the internal network to host the local server

Step 1: Install the CAST Extend local server

[TODO: Download and installation steps for the local server package]

Configure CAST Extend

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin in AIP Console
Prerequisites	AIP Console installed

Online mode (internet access)

In online mode, AIP Console downloads extensions directly from the CAST Extend cloud service when they are needed.

[TODO: How to verify that online mode is active; how to check for extension updates in AIP Console]

Offline mode (no internet access)

In offline mode, you use a local CAST Extend server. See Install an offline extension server.

Configure Display Preferences and Level 5 Behaviour

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Any user
Role required	Any role
Prerequisites	Logged in to CAST Imaging

Open the preferences panel

Click your user name or the settings icon in the top right corner, then select Preferences.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Available preferences

Landing page

Choose what you see when you open an application:

Welcome page (default): the tile-based welcome page.
Imaging menu: the Investigation panel directly.

Preferred language for AI explanations

Select the language for AI-generated explanations. Supported languages include English, French, German, Italian, and Chinese.

Focus on a Subset of Objects

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; objects visible at Objects level

Use the Focus option

Right-click any object and select Focus.

The canvas keeps only the selected object and its direct callers and callees. All other objects are hidden.

[TODO: Screenshot showing the canvas before and after applying Focus]

Undo Focus

To restore all objects, click Undo in the toolbar, or refresh the page.

Migrate from a Previous Version

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Super Admin; local server admin
Prerequisites	Existing v2.x installation; new server or environment for v3; backup of all data

Back up first

Always take a full backup before starting a migration. See Back up and restore.

Step 1: Export data from the v2.x instance

[TODO: Export Neo4j graph data; export PostgreSQL databases; note configuration file locations]

Step 2: Install CAST Imaging v3

Install v3 on the new server following the standard installation guide for your deployment model.

Tenants and Roles

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tenants

A tenant is an isolated workspace inside one CAST Imaging instance. Each tenant has its own set of applications, users, and settings. Users in one tenant cannot see the applications in another tenant.

Tenants are useful when:

You host applications for multiple clients on one server.
You want to separate production and test environments.
Different teams need isolated workspaces.

A Super Admin can create and manage tenants.

Roles

A role controls what a user can see and do inside a tenant. Every user must have at least one role before they can access application data.

Monitor and Tune Performance

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Super Admin; local server admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed

Diagnose slow graph loading

If the canvas takes a long time to load, or shows a “Failed to get graph data” error:

Check Neo4j memory settings. See Manage Neo4j.
Check the CAST Imaging logs for timeout or memory errors. See Enable logging [TODO: update link].
If the error persists, see Graph fails to load.

Adjust Neo4j buffer size

Increase the Neo4j page cache for applications with large graphs.

Upgrade an Existing Installation

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Local server admin (Windows) or Docker/Kubernetes admin
Prerequisites	Backup taken; release notes for the new version reviewed

Back up first

Always take a full backup before upgrading. See Back up and restore.

Windows installer

Use the ImagingSystemUpdate.exe tool to apply the update.

[TODO: Download location, command syntax, expected output]

Docker

Replace the container images with the new version tags.

Work with Services and APIs

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application imported; application exposes REST, SOAP, or other services

Step 1: Open the Service scope

In the Investigation panel, select Service.

[TODO: Screenshot]

Step 2: Browse the service list

The left panel lists all exposed services detected in the application. Select one to display it on the canvas.

Step 3: Read the service view

The canvas shows the entry point of the service and the objects it calls. This is similar to a transaction view but focused on the service interface.

Compare Versions and Track Object History

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	Developer, architect
Role required	Viewer or higher
Prerequisites	Application has at least two snapshots

Compare two snapshots

The Compare feature shows the differences between two versions of an application.

In the toolbar, click Compare.
Select the two snapshots you want to compare.
The view highlights:
- Added objects and links (new in the later snapshot)
- Removed objects and links (present in the earlier snapshot, removed in the later one)
- Modified objects (present in both, but changed)

[TODO: Screenshot of the Compare view]

Customize Session and Port Settings

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Local server admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed

Change the session timeout

The default session timeout is [TODO: default value] minutes. Users are logged out after this period of inactivity.

[TODO: Configuration file location and parameter; steps to apply the change]

Change the front-end web server port

By default, CAST Imaging listens on port 8083 (HTTP). To use a different port:

Configure Dashboards

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed; dashboard data source configured

Enable dashboard tiles

[TODO: Steps to enable dashboard tiles in the Admin Center — what data source is needed, configuration steps]

Customize the displayed metrics

[TODO: Which metrics can be shown; how to select them; where the configuration lives]

Disable dashboard tiles

[TODO: Steps to hide dashboard tiles from the viewer for specific tenants or all users]

Automate Deployment and Import

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	DevOps engineer, CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Admin or Super Admin; API key required
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed; API key generated (see Manage users)

Imaging CLI

The Imaging CLI is a command-line tool for automating common tasks.

[TODO: Download location; authentication with API key; available commands]

Common commands:

Command	Purpose
`imaging import`	Trigger an application import
`imaging report`	Generate a report
`imaging snapshot`	Promote a snapshot

[TODO: Full command reference and examples]

Back Up and Restore

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	CAST Imaging administrator
Role required	Local server admin
Prerequisites	CAST Imaging installed and running

What to back up

Component	What to back up
Neo4j	Neo4j data directory (graph database)
PostgreSQL	All CAST databases (analysis results, AIP Console data)
Configuration	CAST Imaging configuration files
Saved views and annotations	Stored in Neo4j and PostgreSQL — covered by the above

Backup frequency

Component	Recommended frequency
Neo4j	Daily
PostgreSQL	Daily
Configuration	After every configuration change

Back up Neo4j (Windows)

[TODO: Steps using neo4j-admin dump or the backup tool; stopping the service if required]

Uninstall CAST Imaging

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start


Who this is for	IT administrator
Role required	Local administrator
Prerequisites	Back up all data before uninstalling. See Back up and restore.

Data loss warning

Uninstalling CAST Imaging removes all configuration files. Neo4j and PostgreSQL data may also be removed depending on the steps below. Back up everything before proceeding.

Windows installation

Remove components in this order:

CAST Imaging
AIP Console
AIP Node and AIP Core
CAST Storage Service (PostgreSQL)

[TODO: For each component — Control Panel / Programs, or specific uninstaller location; registry keys and data directories to clean up]

CAST Imaging Documentation

Assess Cloud Readiness

Before you start

Step 1: Open the cloud readiness view

Step 2: Read blockers and boosters

Choose a Deployment Model

Before you start

Comparison

Windows installer

Export the Current View

Before you start

Export as image

Export as data file

Get an Overview of Your Application

Before you start

Step 1: Open the application

Step 2: Read the application properties

Graph Fails to Load

Symptom

Likely causes

Resolution

Increase Neo4j memory

How to Use This Documentation

Learning paths by role

Developer

Architect

Manage Users

Before you start

Open the Users panel

Create a user

Edit a user

Register and Deliver Source Code

Before you start

Step 1: Create the application in AIP Console

Step 2: Deliver the source code

Save and Reload a View

Before you start

Save the current view

Search for a Specific Object

Before you start

Global search

Set Up AI Integration

Before you start

Step 1: Get an API key

User Interface Reference

Investigation panel

Toolbar

Canvas

Properties panel

What is CAST Imaging?

What problem does it solve?

Generate Built-In Data Reports

Before you start

Open the report dialog

Available reports

Data Sources

Transactions

References

Application

Choose the output format

Check Requirements

Before you start

Hardware requirements

Organize Objects into Custom Modules

Before you start

Step 1: Start a custom aggregation

Step 2: Create or select a group

Explain an Object with AI

Before you start

Step 1: Right-click an object

Step 2: Read the explanation

Explore a Transaction End-to-End

Before you start

Step 1: Open the Transaction scope

Step 2: Find the transaction

Explore Technology and Language Distribution

Before you start

Step 1: Check the Welcome page tiles

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigation