Learning Shape Script?

[jeshaw2]

Where is the starting point for learning EA's Shape script?    :-/

I need to add some compartments to the Class element to support AOP.

I mistakenly used Action Script in an earlier post, but that is not my need, so I removed the post.

[«Midnight»]

Some time ago I asked Sparx whether the Shape Script language was based on a core that could be found elsewhere and studied.

The answer is no, this (the language) is an original concept and implementation.

I think we're on our own.

Good idea for a white paper perhaps, if anyone at Sparx is listening.

David

[jeshaw2]

Thanks David;

I'm reading Aspect-Oriented Software Development with Use Cases by Jacobson & Ng.  This is an awesome book that resolves many issues I've had with modeling.  Anyhow, the authors use a suggested UML notation (currently not defined therein) which adds an Extension Pointcut compartment to the Use Case element's rectangular presentation.    This compartment is in addition to the Extension Point compartment.

I found the shapescript topics in the EA help topics, but it did not look like shapes generated this way are scalable.  This would not work for me.  Even if the shape script language could do it, writing such a script would be too complicated and tedious for the common Business Analysts who do Use Case modeling.  Seems it is quicker and easier to use a vector graphics package, like Corel Draw, to produce Aspect Oriented Use Case Diagrams.

It seems the deeper I get into Use Case modeling, the more disappointed I am with the OMG and the leadership they provide to the EA developers.  As a result of this deficiency, a huge door is opening into which a flood of new Use Case authoring tool developers are entering.  Long-term, this will put Sparks at a competitive disadvantage as these tool developers begin to add on their own UML tools.

[«Midnight»]

Yes Jim, I agree with you fully.

There's been a lot of discussion here about improvements to EA's Use Case support. Simple things like being able to explicitly reference a class or other use case in the notes, and link the other element. But the bottom line is that what we need is some kind of robust support for use cases, beyond simply diagramming them.

As far as compartments and Shape Scripts go, quite a long time ago Sparx confirmed that there is no support for this in version 1 of the language. We can hope that the "next major version" of EA will move on the version 2 of these scripts (whatever that turns out to be).

David