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WebEA Quick Start Guide

The purpose of the WebEA Quick Start Guide is to provide the complete process for quickly installing and configuring WebEA in a new environment using the most common options.

The process is based on these assumptions:

  • A clean Windows 7 (or later) based machine has been selected to host both the Pro Cloud Server and Web Server; that is, no other Web Servers or applications are configured to listen on Port 80
  • The latest version of XAMPP will be used to install Apache as the Web Server
  • WebEA will access one brand new Firebird model (because it is the simplest, as it does not require any third party ODBC drivers)
  • The Enterprise Architect user base is using Enterprise Architect 13.5 or later

1. Download the Pro Cloud Server

Step

Description

1.1

The Pro Cloud Server installer can be downloaded from the 'Registered User' section of the Sparx Systems website.

https://sparxsystems.com/registered/reg_ea_down.html

Note:  You will need valid credentials to access this area of the website. 

2. Install the Web Server

Step

Description

2.1

XAMPP is available at https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html. Download the latest version for Windows, to your machine's desktop.

2.2

The XAMPP installer should be run with Administration privileges; on the desktop, right-click on the XAMPP installer icon and select 'Run as Administrator'.

2.3

Proceed through the installation process, accepting the defaults until the Select Components screen displays.

Deselect these checkboxes: MySQL, FileZilla, Mercury, Tomcat, Perl, phpMyAdmin, Webalizer and Fake Sendmail. WebEA only requires the minimum XAMPP installation of Apache and PHP.

Click on the Next button.

2.4

The installation folder should be set to C:\xampp. Click on the Next button until the installation starts.

When the installation finishes, select the option to open the 'Control' panel, then complete the installation.

3. Configure the Web Server

With the default XAMPP configuration, the default website will use Port 80. Its base folder is C:\xampp\htdocs.

Step

Description

3.1

Using the XAMPP control panel, start Apache. No errors should be reported at this stage.

4. Install Pro Cloud Server

Step

Description

4.1

The Pro Cloud Server installer is a standard MSI; double-click on it to start the installation.

Note: Depending on a number of factors, you might be prompted for the credentials of a user with elevated permissions; these must be entered before the installation will continue.

4.2

The 'Sparx Systems Pro Cloud Server Setup' dialog displays. Click on the Next button.

4.3

Read the license agreement and select the checkbox for indicating that you accept the terms. Click on the Next button.

4.4

Read the information about the Pro Cloud Server. Click on the Next button.

4.5

The 'Custom Setup' page displays. Click on the Next button to accept the defaults.

4.6

Click on the Install button to run the installation.

5. Configure the Pro Cloud Server

The Pro Cloud Server will have installed all of its files to the 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Sparx Systems\Pro Cloud Server\' folder and added a shortcut to the desktop.

Step

Description

5.1

Run the 'Pro Cloud Config Client' shortcut that was added to your desktop.

5.2

Enter the Server address:

localhost:1803

Enter the default password:

pcsadm1n

Click on the OK button.

Note, if you are using PCS version 4 or earlier, the default password is blank (leave the password field empty).

5.3

Click on the Licensing button, then on the Create Request button, fill in your company and purchase details, save the License Request and email it to the Sparx Systems Sales team ([email protected]). 

When the Sparx Systems Sales team return your License Certificate, click on the Add button and select the supplied certificate file, the Pro Cloud Server should now have a valid License loaded.

5.4

Select the 'Ports' tab.

Select Port '1804' from the list and click on the Edit button.

Tick the 'OSLC Supported' checkbox, then click on the OK button.

5.5

Select the 'Database Managers' tab, then click on the Add button.

Type the name 'fb-procloud.feap' in the 'Connection String' field, then click on the OK button.

Select the new entry in the list and click on the Edit button.

On the Configure Database Manager screen, select the 'Enabled' and 'Enable Pro Features (OSLC, WebEA and Integration)' checkboxes.

Click on the OK button.

For a more in-depth explanation of how to add Database Managers, see the Add Database Manager - ODBC Help topic.

5.6

Open the standard Windows Services console (command 'services.msc'), locate and select the service 'Sparx Systems Professional Cloud', then restart it.

6. Copy WebEA files to Website

Step

Description

6.1

Copy the folder  C:\Program Files (x86)\Sparx Systems\Pro Cloud Server\WebEA\   to   C:\xampp\htdocs.

7. Configure WebEA to access the model

To give a better demonstration of the WebEA options, we will define three different WebEA model connections. All will connect to the same physical Firebird database.

Each model connection will have its own set of options that control how users will be able to interact with the data.

Step

Description

7.1

Open the file 'C:\xampp\htdocs\WebEA\includes\webea_config.ini' with a text editor.

7.2

In the "[model_list]" section, remove the 'model4' and 'model5' lines. Edit the remaining model names to:

model1 = "Pro Cloud Model (no updates)"

model2 = "Pro Cloud Model with discussions"

model3 = "Pro Cloud Model with access code"

7.3

In the "[model1 : settings]" section change the SSCS_DB_ALIAS option to "fb-procloud". The remaining default options should remain unchanged.

7.4

In the "[model2 : settings]" section change the SSCS_DB_ALIAS option to "fb-procloud". The remaining default options should remain unchanged.

7.5

Delete the "[model3 : settings]" and "[model5 : settings]" sections, rename the "[model4 : settings] section header to [model3 : settings]", then set these options as shown:

  • sscs_db_alias = "fb-procloud"
  • sscs_port = "1804"
  • sscs_model_user = ""
  • sscs_model_pwd = ""
  • auth_code = "password01"

7.6

Save the changes to the file webea_config.ini in C:\xampp\htdocs\WebEA\includes.

8. Configure your firewall(s) to allow client access

Step

Description

8.1

Firewall rules will have to be adjusted to allow traffic between the [Client] and [Web Server], on ports 80 and 443.

8.2

Firewall rules will have to be adjusted to allow traffic between the [Web Server] and [Pro Cloud Server], on ports 1804 and 1805.

9. Use Enterprise Architect to add content

The initial Firebird model we created earlier will be empty. The easiest way to add content to the model is with Enterprise Architect.

Step

Description

9.1

On a client machine with access to the web server, open Enterprise Architect v13.5 or later.

9.2

From the main menu select 'Open Project...' or, from the ribbon, select the 'Project list > Open Project' option.

9.3

Click on the Connect to Cloud button.

9.4

On the 'Cloud Connection' screen set these parameters:

  • Name: fb-procloud
  • Protocol: http://
  • Server: {your servername}
  • Port: 1804
  • Model Name:     fb-procloud

Click on the OK button.

9.5

Open the 'Settings > Model > Options > Cloud' options and tick these checkboxes:

  • Auto create Diagram Image and Image Map (each time a Diagram is saved)
  • Auto create HTML Page (each time a Linked Document is saved)

These options ensure diagrams and Linked Documents are saved in a format that allows them to be viewed in WebEA.

9.6

Create a sample set of Model Views, Packages, diagrams and elements, so that they can be viewed in WebEA later.

10. Test WebEA access

Step

Description

10.1

On a client machine, open a web browser and enter the URL:

     http://{yourwebserver}/WebEA/login.php

where the value '{yourwebserver}' is either the name or IP number of the machine hosting the WebEA website.

The WebEA login screen displays, listing the three model connections we defined earlier:

  • Pro Cloud Model (no updates)
  • Pro Cloud Model with discussions
  • Pro Cloud Model with access code

10.2

Select the first model connection - Pro Cloud Model (no updates) - and click on the Next button. This connects you to the model and displays the model views that are defined.

From here you should be able to navigate through the model by selecting Packages, diagrams and elements. When you select an element, its complete details are displayed. Because of the way this model connection is defined, the bottom of the properties section will NOT contain the 'Discussions' section.

10.3

Click on the 'hamburger' icon in the top right corner of the display, and select the 'Logout' option. Then select the second model connection - Pro Cloud Model with discussions - and click on the Next button. You should see the same model views as before; now navigate to an element and confirm that the 'Discussions' section is visible.

10.4

Once again, click on the 'hamburger' icon in the top right corner, and select the 'Logout' option.

Select the third model connection, 'Pro Cloud Model with access code' and click on the Next button.

This time you should be presented with a prompt for the Access Code: enter 'password01' (as we defined in step 7.5) and click on the Login button. You should see the same model views as before.

Navigate to an element; this time there should be a blue 'hamburger' menu in the element details area that allows the creation of element features such as tests and resource allocations. There should also be a pencil icon next to the element notes area that, when clicked on, will allow the modification of element notes.

Complete

This quick start procedure is now complete. It has shown you how to install and configure a basic installation of WebEA. The Sparx System's online Help documentation has more detailed instructions and explains all possible options that can be configured. See the section Model Repository | Cloud Based Repositories | Pro Cloud Server in the Enterprise Architect online Help.