Links between different projects?

[Hermann_Pallasch]

I'm relatively new to EA and need a bit of advice (beyond RTFM...) once in a while: does anybody know, whether it's possible to have links between items in different projects (which would allow to split projects into levels in order not to let them grow too big)?

Kind regards
Hermann

[Martin Terreni]

as in graphic links?
how would you drow them?

[thomaskilian]

There have been lots of discussion in this board. You could use shared controlled packages but this has side effects you probably won't like. In general you could say that each EA repository is used for one project. You can reuse parts but not really share them.

[Hermann_Pallasch]

Thanks for your fast responses!

I'm afraid I wasn't too precise with my question concenting links elements form other projects ;-)

IMHO the thing should/could work in the same way as it now works between the packages of the same project:

Use Case Basic Flow:

USER drags element from 'foreign' project onto diagram

SYSTEM shows dialog with 'Paste element options' (possibly the same as with a drag from another 'internal' package: Simple Link; Instance of Element; New Child)

USER makes choice

SYSTEM places element on diagram, with subtitle "(from Package x in Project y)"


I don't think graphical representations of the link would be necessary. The whole feature now to me seems more like an drag and drop-based import feature on the level of selected elements, although tracebility back to the original element in its original project should be maintained (assuming the element still exists there, otherwise we'd have an error message)


With this feature, we could start projects from elements available in other projects, e.g.  to separate big business modelling projects from a group of smaller software projects based on them (on their business actors and/or business use cases) without mangling everything into one immense project.

What do you think?

Kind regards
Hermann Pallasch

[thomaskilian]

You should move your thread to "Suggestions". It sounds reasonable at a first glance. Problably one has to think twice what the implications of such a drag'n'drop feature would be.

[Hermann_Pallasch]

Will do, THNX

Hermann

[Martin Terreni]

We work with packages.
we devide or SW to XMI's sendable from project to project so interfases, calasses and so can be reused form one to another or just to show conections between packages built by diferent teams.

[Hermann_Pallasch]

A drag and drop-interface that does the same thing (plus some annotations about the element's source and some tracing options) would sitll be nice, don't you think?

Hermann

[Martin Terreni]

not necesarily. if you want to treat diferent teams as client one of the other you want them to work only on the released version, not to synchronize with you while developing.
but the option is in deed insteresting.