Sharing objects across models

[wdchilders]

Assuming I have more than 1 model in my repository (e.g. Oracle), can I use objects (packages, classes, etc.) from one model in another model?  Can I create and navigate relationships between objects from different models?  

I'm not asking about copying the objects such as importing a package's XMI, I'm asking using them directly so that if the attributes of an object were changed in its home model I would see it in mine.

[thomas.kilian]

Two roots in one repository: yes.

Two repositories in one database: no.

[wdchilders]

I guess I didn't make myself clear.  I'm asking about sharing objects across 2 models that share the same repository/database by linking not copying.  

I've assumed I can because they are rows in the same tables are they not?  I would also expect to be able to populate the database with a number of pre-defined objects - an augmented eabase - without having a separate copy for each model.  

[«Midnight»]

See below.

AFAIK this is (still) not possible.

I have not checked for a few versions though, so perhaps it is. There's been some discussion about this in past, some of which hinted indirectly that this might be on the radar for sometime in the future.

I don't remember noticing anything about this in the release notes over the past year or so, but that does not mean it is not so.

Why not check for yourself. [After all, you asked first.]

Create a small Oracle project - it seems you can do more with a DBMS than an EAP in a few cases - and add a second model root. Add a few classes to each; nothing special, just create a diagram and drag a class or two onto it from the toolbox.

Now try to drag a class from one model onto the diagram in the other.

Let us know what happens.

David

[wdchilders]

Thanks.  I was trying to avoid doing that right now.  We're qualifiying products for evaluation as our new enterprise UML modeling tool.  A number of us are big fans of Enterprise Architect so we're tryihg to pull together our case for including it.  

[«Midnight»]

I had a SQL Server repository sitting around for test, so I just tried the above experiment.

It appears to have worked like a charm. I can even create features - class attributes in the test case - and assign classes from the other model as a data type.

The acid test was closing and reopening the project. The stuff still looks OK.

I did not try XMI export and such. Be very careful with that kind of thing until you've tested thoroughly. Remember that references to items defined in the 'foreign' model might not import into another project successfully.

David

[Dermot]

Hello Bill,

There is a whitepaper covering Deployment of EA across multi-user, multi-site and multi-project corporate environments.  I would suggest you read through this and look at the different options available.  

See the Deployment white paper on:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/resources/whitepapers/index.html

I hope this is of help.

[wdchilders]

Thanks.  The white paper answered the key questions.