Entity Stereotype always gives business class

[rogmil]

When I create a class and try to set its seteotype to enitity in the property dialog there are two instances of 'enitity' in the Seteotype drop down list. No matter which I select the icon for the class changes to a business class. If I try to set it from the pick list (button next to the Stereotype field) the same thing happens.

Looking at the defintion of the sereotypes (configuration->UML->Stereotypes) thare are 2 types of entity stereotype one applies to 'business class' and the other to  'class', so I assume that I'm always getting the business class.

I'm new to EA (this is the first thing I have tried to do) and haven't done much UML for a while so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks

Roger

[Paolo F Cantoni]

When I create a class and try to set its stereotype to entity in the property dialog there are two instances of 'entity' in the Stereotype drop down list. No matter which I select the icon for the class changes to a business class. If I try to set it from the pick list (button next to the Stereotype field) the same thing happens.

Looking at the definition of the stereotypes (configuration->UML->Stereotypes) there are 2 types of entity stereotype one applies to 'business class' and the other to  'class', so I assume that I'm always getting the business class.

I'm new to EA (this is the first thing I have tried to do) and haven't done much UML for a while so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks

Roger

No Roger, YOU aren't doing anything wrong.  EA is exhibiting here the the behaviour of an inconsistently incorrect system.  
In the configuration there are CLEARLY two stereotypes selectable by classifier type.
In the control there appear to be two stereotypes, but they have the same classifier type!
You can't there there from here!

Consistency, consistency, consistency ^TM

(See my moniker and tag line)

Paolo

[rogmil]

I have tried deleting both existing 'entity' stereotypes and then adding one back that applies to 'class'. When I then apply this to a class the icon is still changed to a business class. I can't think of anything else to try. Any ideas?

Paolo says this is a bug, if this is the case can anybody say when it will be fixed? I'm using AndroMDA (see www.andromda.org) which requires a class to have a stereotype of entity.

Roger

[Paolo F Cantoni]

I have tried deleting both existing 'entity' stereotypes and then adding one back that applies to 'class'. When I then apply this to a class the icon is still changed to a business class. I can't think of anything else to try. Any ideas?

Paolo says this is a bug, if this is the case can anybody say when it will be fixed? I'm using AndroMDA (see www.andromda.org) which requires a class to have a stereotype of entity.

Roger

Roger, the bug I wrote about was the dropping of the class vs business class in the stereotype list (moving two distinct entities into one - pun intended!).

The reason your Entity analysis shape appears (even though you may have deleted both entity entries in the list is because EA is hard wired to replace the rectangle with the analysis shape if the option "Classes honour Analysis stereotypes". is checked in the Local Options Objects list (second on the main list).  Remove the check box and the shape will revert!

Incidentally, Roger, unchecking that option ALSO stops the bug behaviour.  Can you confirm that?  Use a new, clean project.  If so, then the Sparxians could  (and I'm pretty sure would) argue that they are only doing what you asked.  The beauty of the Consistency, consistency, consistency ^TM is that it is not possible to make a consistent case out of an inconsistent behaviour!  If the Sparxian attempt to argue this way, then bug is that they present two identical elements into a set.

The problem that the Sparxians NOW face is that there are multiple types of Entity - those that relate to Databases and those that don't.  I suspect that this option (honouring Analysis stereotypes) should have been offered on a per diagram basis, or better both!

HTH,
Paolo

[rogmil]

Paolo

having unchecked 'classes hnour analysis sterotypes' in Local Options the icon reverted to a standard class rather than giving the business class icon. When I looked at the drop down list of stereotypes in the class properties both 'entity' options are still there. When I look at the tick list of stereotypes (click the button next to the stereotype field) both entity options are ticked and both are shown as class stereotypes (which I hadn't noticed before!)

As you say there seems to be a problem here. I'm not sure what the develpers can do. Obviuosly the duplication needs to be removed and perhaps include what the stereotype applies to in the drop down list so people know which entity they're selecting (although that's in the tick list already) Perhaps the stereotypes in the list could be limited to those that are apprpriate to the type of class in the diagram. Presumably this should only happen if the 'classes honour analysis sterotypes'  is unchecked. However I'm very new to EA so I'm sure those moe knowledgeable than me can come up with better ideas.

Thanks for all your help

Roger