link several projects

[TheBigW]

Hello,
I'm working with EA 7.0818. Is there any way to link several EAP files? Currently we manage our subsystems in separate EAP files and would like to have one top level Project which is providing the top level view. Currently we allays export to XMI and than re-import. Is there any direct way on project level?

Thanks,

Tobias

[Geert Bellekens]

Tobias,

You either have to create one big model (eap file or "real" database) and use only that, or use integration with a version control system.

Geert

[TheBigW]

Thanks, that answers my question quite well.
How does integration in a version control system address this problem? We currently store our eap - projects in ClearCase. We would really like to keep them separated as they also belong to different SW groups/responsible persons.
Our current mergin approach is also fine, I just wonder if there is any better way to do it.

[Paul Lotz]

You can check out the particular packages you need for the current project.  This makes it very easy to share specific packages between projects.  (Use Get All Latest to make sure you have the current versions!)

[Geert Bellekens]

Yes, integration with a version control system stores the packages as xmi files in the VC.
It actually does pretty much the same thing as you are doing with the xmi exports/imports, but it automates it. (making it less likely to get into trouble)

I think the ideal situation is to setup a "real" database to hold all of your projects.
By connecting the packages to different locations in the VC system you can manage the write access to those packages with the security in the VC.
This has the added advantage that all the users can easily see all the projects at their current state.

Geert

[ChrisBD]

You'll find that it will be better to transfer your models from .eap to RDBMS when using ClearCase.
This way your individual packages will be stored as separate XMI files within the ClearCase VOB.
To save money you can use the community edition of MySQL for the database (using their script to create the blank DB) and then use the EA transfer EAP to RDBMS tool.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

You'll find that it will be better to transfer your models from .EAP to RDBMS when using ClearCase.
This way your individual packages will be stored as separate XMI files within the ClearCase VOB.
To save money you can use the community edition of MySQL for the database (using their script to create the blank DB) and then use the EA transfer EAP to RDBMS tool.

Storage of XMI packages is orthogonal to whether the repository is in a .EAP file or a Server DB.  That's one of the features of EA over its competitors.

To use or not use a particular repository storage technology is purely a context based decision.  Indeed some of my customers use a mixture of Server and Access based technologies.  The corporate (full) model is held in a Server based repository (although for no particular reason) and specific project based repositories  - coordinated with the corporate ones are held in local (or semi-local) .EAP files.

HTH,
Paolo

[ChrisBD]

Orthogonal?

Either way I'd recommend use of an RDBMS as the respository over EAP especially for a team of people.

Oh and for this instance configuration of your ClearCase view will need to tie in each repository. I'd suggest that you baseline each at VC Root level and then that way each "team" can work on a given view that ties in specific versions of each repository.

A word of warning you'll need to regularly GetLatest in order to keep the ClearCase and EA repositories synchronised.

[TheBigW]

Thanks for your answers: I was dreaming about something like in other non - UML tools -> setting up one big workspace which than "links" to several projects .
I guess we will go the way you described.

Thanks again,

Tobias