Sterotype Icon Library

[brettonwoods]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a good library of icons in wmf, emf format to use with sterotypes? I'm looking for something to dress up activity, component and use case diagrams.

Thanks

Tom

[thomaskilian]

I use the Metafile Companion (share ware once upon a time) to design my icons. However, be parsimonious when using other than the standard ones. People might get confused.

[brettonwoods]

I was looking more for something like a clip art library, Metafile Companion works well as a drawing tool for doing create / modify.

You can paste icons from Visio stencils into MC then save them as wmf or emf files that can be used in EA. I suppose as long as I have a Visio license that should be OK

One other thing is that stereotypes in EA with icons seem to behave inconsistently.

For example in an analysis diagram boundary, control and entity icons respond to the Use Stereotype Icons check box in the diagram properties but actor, process, information do not. They can only be displayed as icons.

Icons set by Configuration / UML / Stereotypes do not respond the diagram properties check box. This is not the desirable behavior for me, is it the intended behavior?

[thomaskilian]

Indeed I also noticed some places where stereotypes do not behave well. But for the time being I do not make much use of non standard stereotypes and can live with that behaviour. However, if you feel that there is an error you are encouraged to send an error report to Sparx

[retoba]

Is it possible to use existing icons in EA as a base for custom icons in a profile? I would like to build a profile for dataware house modeling. What's the procedure for adding an icon to a defined stereotype?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Reto

[brettonwoods]

From the Menu Bar Select Configuration / UML / Stereotypes...
Choose a stereotype from the Current Stereotypes list.
Enter the path to a Metafile (windows wmf or emf file type)
or
Find a file by clicking the ellipse button.

The stereotype you need is not on the list you can create a new one in this dialog. You have to save the new stereotype then select it before EA will let you assign a windows metafile.

Tom

[retoba]

Thanks,

is it then possible to export the stereotypes defined here to a profile file?

Thanks for your help

Reto

[thomaskilian]

Tools/Export Reference Data/Stereotypes

[brettonwoods]

Reto,

I think what you want to do is described in the docs. See Modeling / UML Profiles / Depreciated Task / Save Diagram As UML Profile. It’s marked as depreciated but the option is still there on the diagram context menu.

Let me know if it works.

Tom

[retoba]

Hi Tom,

thanks that works. But is there a way to export the metafile of a stereotype? I would like to take the metafile of class or table as a template for my custom icons.

Thanks for your help

Reto

[brettonwoods]

Not that I know of. If you just want to copy them and modify them for reuse they are easy to find.

Tools / Export Reference Data / Stereotypes. Open the xml file and search for 'MFPath'

Or just search your drive for *.efm *.wfm files.

[retoba]

Hi Tom,

thanks for your help, hope not annoying you. On my drive i can't find efm.*, wfm.* files (i already searched for it). My generated xml file contains only the follwing entry (e.g. for stereotype table, which i would like as a template for my icon)
<DataRow>
 <Column name="Stereotype" value="table"/>
   <Column name="AppliesTo" value="class"/>
   <Column name="Description" value="A class that represents a database table"/>
<Column name="MFEnabled" value="FALSE"/>
<Column name="ea_guid" value="{1834F72B-9896-4cd1-8662-B5741411C548}"/>
</DataRow>

Perhaps older EA versions stored the efm.*, wfm.* files externally?

Regards

Reto

[brettonwoods]

Reto

Try going to http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/uml_profiles.htm
and loading some profiles. They come with icons. The icons path will appear in the export flle in the MFPath value.

Example:
<DataRow>
<Column name="Stereotype" value="ProcessPackage"/>
<Column name="AppliesTo" value="package"/>
<Column name="Description" value="UML Profile NotesA SPEM Process Package"/>
<Column name="MFEnabled" value="TRUE"/>
<Column name="MFPath" value="icons\processpackage.wmf"/>
<Column name="Metafile" xmlns:dt="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:datatypes"

You can also try http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us
which has loads of clip art you can use with sterotypes or as an alternate image (from the context menu on an element select Appearence / select alternate image or Ctrl + Shift + W)

Tom