Is it possible to Link to an EA diagram externally

[canvasback]

We are trying to determine how to integrate between TFS and EA. I have seen how it is possible to integrate work items into EA, but what I really want to do is go the other way and put links to diagrams in TFS work items. Is this possible?

[Oliver F.]

We are trying to determine how to integrate between TFS and EA. I have seen how it is possible to integrate work items into EA, but what I really want to do is go the other way and put links to diagrams in TFS work items. Is this possible?

Actually the easiest way to do this is to export to HTML and link to the corresponding diagram.

Canonic Corp. has announced a free protocol plugin which enables external access to EA but I have never heard anything about it since summer.

You can of course write a small program or service yourself which accesses diagrams and elements via the EA automation interface.

Oliver

[canvasback]

We are looking for the ability to link to a 'live' diagram so that it would load EA and allow you to start editing. That way we can do our requirements in EA and have full traceability in TFS between requirements/design diagrams to tests cases and defects logged in TFS.

[ravikiran.sodimbakam]

Hi,
     we do have a similar requirement, where we were thinking to prepare UseCase diagrams for the requirements and a corresponding text document and thereby linking the text document to UseCase diagram, and so when ever we clicked on any Shape on UseCase diagram the corresponding document should open.

Is there any such kind of facility available with EA ?

Thanks
Ravi Kiran.

[Oliver F.]

Hi,
     we do have a similar requirement, where we were thinking to prepare UseCase diagrams for the requirements and a corresponding text document and thereby linking the text document to UseCase diagram, and so when ever we clicked on any Shape on UseCase diagram the corresponding document should open.

Is there any such kind of facility available with EA ?

You have two choices:

• use the file tab to reference a document, either being on a web server, the file system or a document management system
• copy the document in question into the linked document of a use case (which is not a real linking solution)

I both cases the conten is available via mouse click when accessed from the HTML exported model, from within EA you need some more clicks.

Oliver

[Dave_Bullet]

There is another way...

Create an EAP file which is like a shortcut to the model you want to open.  When the user double clicks this, it will launch EA and open the diagram pointed to by the GUID.  You could create one of these EAP shortcut files for every diagram you want to link to from TFS - then just use a UNC path to point to the relevant EAP that opens the matching diagram

Here is an example.  Paste this into notepad and save as "whatever.eap"

EAConnectString:Production on W3PRWLGDB3 --- DBType=1;Connect=Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=False;Initial Catalog=EA_Repository;Data Source=w3prwlgdb3.ldstat01.net
OpenActions:$diagram://{5F84EC4F-DB35-423c-A51A-CA1A265F1E2A}

Of course - you have to replace all the bits and pieces with your normal connect string... and the GUI for the correct diagram is obtained from the t_diagram.ea_guid column.  I don't know how to extract the diagram GUID via the EA UI (copy RTF reference gives a different value)

Cheers,
David.

[bioform]

Very clever approach!

[«Midnight»]

Actually, EA can help you set this up. Look in the EA help index for Shortcut | Model (Capture Current Environment). The process described there will get EA to save the connection string and options into an EAP file, which will do what Dave describes. EA will work out the syntax for you.

Note that if your model is stored in a DBMS repository, EA allows several more options on startup, including opening several diagrams. The help page will guide you through.

David

[KP]

Note that if your model is stored in a DBMS repository, EA allows several more options on startup, including opening several diagrams.

Also true of EAP files. "File > Save Project As..." is the menu command, choose to save a "Shortcut" not "Copy".