Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

Introduction

EA_Project_files

An Enterprise Architect project is stored in a data repository. In Enterprise Architect Desktop and Professional editions, you work with a single file having a .EAP extension. In Enterprise Architect Corporate, Business and Software Engineering, Systems Engineering and Ultimate editions you can also use a suitable DBMS database for project files.

Topics:

Topic

Detail

See also

Project Files

.EAP Files

In Enterprise Architect Desktop and Professional editions, a single file with a .EAP extension is used to store projects. A .EAP file is a Microsoft JET database, so you can also open it using MS Access 97, 2000 or 2003, or any other reporting tool that can work with JET databases.

DBMS Repositories

In Enterprise Architect Corporate Business and Software Engineering, Systems Engineering and Ultimate editions, you can use a suitable DBMS database for project files. DBMS project files have the same logical structure as .EAP files, but must be connected to using ADO/ODBC. See Connect to a Data Repository, below

File Based Repositories

Server Based Repositories

Creating Project Files

On creating a new project, the Model Wizard enables you to create a model containing various Model Packages.

You can also add Model Packages to a project from the Project Browser by:

  • Right-clicking on an existing model and selecting the New Model or Add a New Model using Wizard context menu options
  • Right-clicking on a package and selecting the Add | Add a New Model using Wizard context menu option
  • Clicking on an existing model, pressing ( Insert ) and selecting the New Model or Add a New Model using Wizard context menu options
  • Clicking on a package, pressing ( Insert ) and selecting the Add a New Model using Wizard context menu option

File Based Repositories

Model Wizard

Opening Existing Projects

There are various ways to open a project in Enterprise Architect. New users are advised to explore the EAExample file supplied with Enterprise Architect.

Open a project

Connect to a Data Repository

Enterprise Architect enables you to connect to any of the following data repositories:

  • MS Access 97, 2000 and 2003 (in all editions - .EAP files are stored in Microsoft JET databases)
  • Access 2007
  • SQL Server 2000, 2005 and 2008
  • MySQL
  • Oracle 9i, 10g or 11g
  • PostgreSQL
  • MSDE
  • Adaptive Server Anywhere
  • Progress OpenEdge

To create a new data repository, you must first create a new database with the DBMS management software, then run supplied scripts to create the logical structure. You should then use Enterprise Architect data transfer functions to move a project from a .EAP or DBMS model into the new project.

Connect to a Data Repository