Tagged Value and Import Requirements from .csv

[Emiliano]

Hi,

i want import some requirement from a .csv file.
To manage this requirements with EA i have created a template requirements with some tagged value.
Now i want to do an import with EA that permit to create all requirements imported with tagged value of the previous template. What are the necessary step ?

Thanks.

[Dave_Bullet]

Unfortunately there is no built in feature to allow this.  I do this via the database but don't have a generic mechanism I can give you.

There is a post on the forum containing a link to an add-in that allows saving of tagged values to CSV - but not import.

Importing tagged values via CSV is something I wish Sparx would add.  Also ability to round trip engineer.  Also the ability to import regardless of package (and just match on previously exported GUID, or name/type/stereotype columns and update / synchronise with existing elements).

David.

[mrf]

The main thing preventing this sort of behaviour is the inherent "flatness" of CSV. Tagged values would be fine to store for one type of object where all entries would have the same tagged value structure, and thus a standard set of columns could be used to represent them. However once you add in another class that has a whole different set of unrelated tagged values you start to reach the limitations of storing data in CSV.

As is stated in the help file, if you are attempting more complex imports/exports then we recommend that you investigate XMI as an alternative.

[Davide]

Let's suppose that I've a past EA projects with 300 requirements; now I want to add to them 4 tagged values; how can I do this?
Do I have to manually add each tagged value to each 300 requirements?  
This would mean 1.200(4x300) manual operations!

[Aaron B]

The automation interface could be used for this kind of operation.  API documentation is available in the EA help file.  Additional code samples can be found here:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/resources/developers/autint.html

[Dave_Bullet]

Let's suppose that I've a past EA projects with 300 requirements; now I want to add to them 4 tagged values; how can I do this?
Do I have to manually add each tagged value to each 300 requirements?  
This would mean 1.200(4x300) manual operations!

Hi David,

Are you familiar with UML Profiles?  Define a requirement stereotype to capture your 4 tagged values in a uml profile.  You can then do a "synch tagged values" to get EA to autocreate the 1200 tagged values on the 300 elements.

The only catch is you need to bulk change all 300 requirements to be this new custom stereotype you created... and in EA there is no easy bulk update.

2 options:
1. Drag all the requirements onto a diagram, right click and "show as element list".  Will make it easier to change stereotype

2. (better) use SQL to update the stereotype - something like
update t_object set stereotype = '<my custom type>' where object_type = 'Requirement' and package_id = XXXX (where XXXX is the package containing the 300 elements and no other requirements you want changed).

Cheers,
David.

[Matt]

Davide,

following on from David's post - although there is no bulk/multi element update in EA directly - why not try the 30 day evaluation of TA http://www.timearchitect.net ?

TA has a bulk update function including stereotypes!  

Set up your profile as mentioned by David...

Then:

• Install 30 day trial
• Open EA model
• Select top level package of elements that you wish to update in Project Browser
• Add In > Time Architect > Draw Gantt Chart
• (Don't worry too much about Gantt Chart - you want the data behind it)
• Check Include Packages
• Click Top Big Button 'Get Gantt Chart - Element View'
• Then click into datagrid mode Icon to the left of blue question mark
• Find column called Type and click on the Filter icon and select Requirement
• Now click on 'Select All' toolbar button - left most button in TA toolbars (3 green ticks)
• Now click on Properties button (Right most icon - looks like a book)
• Select your stereotype from the list
• Click OK - all requirements now updated to the new stereotype!

You can also access the multi - element functionality from diagrams too - just select the elements you want to update! Choose Add-Ins > Time Architect > Multiple Selection Functions > Properties

We will be adding better tag management directly to the multi-element functionality in a build that is coming soon!

Hope that helps...

Best regards,

Matt

[«Midnight»]

Davide,

Pay attention to what Matt says. I think they worked out a lot of these things when they built TA. If you think you could run into the type of problem you describe in future - or even if the first occurrence poses considerable work, as it appears to in your case - then TA starts looking like a good investment.

If you add to that the functions that TA was actually intended for you have a handsome package indeed!

[That's my personal opinion; I have no association with Matt and co.]

David