Include note elements in RTF

[Paul Lotz]

I'm trying to create a template for a requirements rtf document.  (I started with the existing requirements template.  It works OK except for one thing.

I have added some Note elements linked to the requirements elements or just free on the diagrams.  I want the notes to show up appropriately in the generated document, but the only way I seem to be able to get the notes to appear at all is by checking to include Connector...Element, but then the notes appear multiple places instead of just once.  I would think that just including Element would get them in the rtf document, but then they don't appear at all.

How do I get the notes to appear once in the appropriate place?

[Paul Lotz]

OK, here is an example.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk176/pauljlotz/notesOnDiagram.png

I want the notes in the attached image to appear in the generated rtf.  (I can get them to appear in one fashion, but then as a side effect the notes field in the requirement prints once for the diagram/package, and again for the requirement element.  That's not what I want either.  I want the Note element to print as an element.)

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Paul,

I'm not sure you can achieve what you want.  This is, subject to counter arguments from the Sparxians, because of EA's dichotomy with Notes elements.  Some notes are connected to elements and connectors via Notelink connectors and others aren't (as you've probably worked out).

Notes are also not first class elements of the repository - since they don't appear on the browser.

Consequently, Notes can't be selected as RTF elements.

NOTE: this is just from first principles - I've not used the RTF generator much.

HTH,
Paolo

[skiwi]

I have a RTF document that includes notes elements in its output.

On a diagram requirements are linked to notes.

In the document template I have sections Package | Element | Target | Element selected.

[Paul Lotz]

Hmm...  Thanks!  Let me try this....

(I had tried something similar before, but I just retried it.)

This does print the note elements, but I see that it also prints the notes (i.e., requirement text) for each requirement that is also a target on a connector twice, once when it traverses the requirement element, and again when it is the target element on a connector.  I don't want that.  (I guess it's not a problem if I don't link requirements, but I very definitely want to define the relationships between the requirements.)  Is that correct?
___
I submitted a support case to Sparx, by the way.  Support told me I can't do what I want to do, but did suggest some workarounds (use a Linked Document or Tagged Value).

Of course, the contents of Linked Documents and Tagged Values (if I make these Memo type, as I must to support text of any significant length) are invisible on diagrams, so they are not a functional replacement for Notes on diagrams.

The workaround I have implemented is to put the text of linked notes additionally into the linked element itself as a tagged value (of Memo type) and set up the rtf generator to print tagged values.  This solution isn't perfect since
1) the generator always prints the tagged value header and value, even if there isn't any text (not a huge issue)
2) I maintain two copies of the text, one in the note for diagram viewers, and one in the tagged value for rtf generation.

Still, it is good enough for the moment.  Support created a product suggestion for this issue.

[Paul Lotz]

Hmm... some years later, but I see there is (now, at least) a way to include at least some notes in a generated document.

On this page http://www.sparxsystems.com/resources/webinar/documentation/generate-enhanced-documentation.html I found (with the help of a search engine!) the following in response to the question "How can I include linked Notes from an Activity Diagram in a report?"

"1.On the Diagram Properties dialog, enable the option "Document each contained element in Documentation".
2.In your report template, enable the section Diagram > Element (even if blank).
3.In your report template, click the Document Options toolbar icon. On the Document Options tab turn off the option "Hide <Anonymous> elements". (Notes are anonymous elements.)"

I was able to get this to work.

For the record, for this project we are presently using Build 1113.

[Glassboy]

Paul how many of your notes could actually be issues, risks or constraints attached to an element?

If they're constraints you can have them as part of the element and then link a note on the diagram to it using a note link.

[Paul Lotz]

That's a good question.  I am (generally) talking about notes, comments that I use to point to something specific on this diagram.  They definitely are not issues, risks, or constraints.