how to link to diagram in model documents

[Mr. Sanders]

Hi
our customer is using virtual documents.
they have ea model packages containing the model with the SW artifacts  itself
and in parallel to it
documentation packages based on master and model documents.
The model documents are linked to a package structure which is defining the document chapters.

Fine so far.

What they do now is copy the diagrams from the SW artifacts packages into the document structure packages.

Of course this is cumbersome if the diagram changes.
All changed diagrams have to be copied again.

Is it possible to link a diagram from the artifacts packages into the document chapter packages?

Thus the copy wouldn't be needed.

Thanks

[Geert Bellekens]

Yes, there's no reason to copy the diagrams.

I've recently published an article with an example of a virtual document that should help you further.
Tutorial: Generate complex documents from Enterprise Architect with a two-step semi-automated approach

Geert

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

thank you for your answer, but this is not the answer to my question.

Is it possible to add a link to a diagram into a package?

Regards
Michael

[Boron]

You can create a "shortcut" file (*.eap) that "points" to your diagram:

• Navigate to your desired diagram
• Menu File -> Save as Shortcut...
• Select a target file (will be overwritten or newly created)
• Select "action when model is opened": Open the diagram '<yourDiagramName>'
• Click OK

The eap file that is stored now is not the EA model itself, but contains only a connection string to the model and the diagram.
The eap file is in ASCII format and readable in every editor.
Its content looks like this:

Code: [Select]

EAConnectString:ea_model_27 --- DBType=4;Connect=Provider=MSDASQL.1;Persist Security Info=False;Data Source=ea_model_27;LazyLoad=1;
OpenActions:$diagram://{6692A33B-1D0B-4637-83E0-026B660B5BB1}


[Geert Bellekens]

Hello Geert,

thank you for your answer, but this is not the answer to my question.

Is it possible to add a link to a diagram into a package?

Regards
Michael

That is because you are not asking the right question  
You are asking for a specific solution, where I suspect the answer I gave you will solve your problem, but with another solution.

If you need to insert a diagram into your document that isn't part of the "normal" structure, you can add another model document just for this diagram; without having to move or copy it.

Geert

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

thank you for your answer.
Interesting that you know that I am not asking the right question.

Sorry, but i exactly ask what I want to know.

There are boundary conditions which lead to this question.
Boundary conditions are not relevant, because if my question is answered with yes I do not need any other solution.

The question is still not answered.
I am not interested in other solutions, right now.

So here is the question again:


Is it possible to add a link to a diagram into a package?

Best regards

[Geert Bellekens]

So here is the question again:


Is it possible to add a link to a diagram into a package?

Best regards

No, not as such.
You could maybe create another diagram, and drag the diagram you would like to see on that diagram, and choose diagram frame.
That will display said diagram in a frame on the new diagram.

It's not exactly the same, but as close as you will get.

Geert

PS. I still think my first suggestion was better

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

thank you for your answer.
I am not sure if you have read the initial context of my question

It's about having diagrams in the generated documentation.
Doing it in the way you describe, what the customer gets is
a diagram showing a frame of a diagram.

This is even worse than copying, because in case of copying the customer gets the Information he wants, with the additional effort of creating copies, but it works. Your last proposal is not working at all in this context.

Best regards

[Geert Bellekens]

I did read your initial question.
I'm not sure if is really that much worse then having to copy them each time you want to generate a document.
If you tell EA not to show diagram frames, it would look pretty much the same as directly reporting the diagram.

But it is still a workaround as I indicated.

Is there a reason why you don't want to do it the my way?
It works very well for me and my clients, and I don't have to do mind-numbing  stuff like copy/paste a bunch of diagrams.

Geert

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

of course there are reasons. A couple of reasons.
The main reason is, that the document structure is predefined in customer SW development processes, which have to fullfill certain Quality Standards for FDA or TÜV aproved processes.

That means the document structure follows the SW development process templates and the content will be provided copmponent wise having planty of diagrams, linked documents, etc. comming from existing ea models. ea model contains separated models for System and subsystems

So your Approach is fine for small projects, but not for those industry hardened Projects, where documentation follow more or less
the chapture structure provided by en iso's like 13485, 14791, 62304 etc. and not vice versa by the model and the Content of a diagram.



the tool has to Support the process and not vice versa.

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

your solution with the linked diagram in the diagram is not a solution, because during document Rendering, the notes from the link object are taken, but not the notes from the linked diagram.

That means, that still the notes have to be copied from original diagram into link object.

[Geert Bellekens]

So your Approach is fine for small projects, but not for those industry hardened Projects, where documentation follow more or less
the chapture structure provided by en iso's like 13485, 14791, 62304 etc. and not vice versa by the model and the Content of a diagram.

I don't see why you would say that?
I use this approach for large models, for large teams, and in environments that have very specific (i.e predefined templates) needs for their documentation.

But I'm not forcing you to see things my way of course.

Geert

[Mr. Sanders]

Hello Geert,

your first reply was about generating virtual documents based on a selected diagram.

That means that the virtual document follows the packages used from the diagram. so the chapters are called like the packages where the diagram "links" to.

the sequence of the chapters is than more or less arbitrary. This is not a predefined structure.

[Geert Bellekens]

Ah, I see.

The fact that it was generated on the basis of a diagram was merely a detail, it could have been on the basis of a package structure, or even created manually.
My main argument was that you can create a model document that references the diagram using either a search, or a package, and put that into your master document.

If there is a way to automatically deduce which model elements you need for your document then it is interesting to write a script to create that, but otherwise you can still create the document structure manually.

Geert

[Mr. Sanders]

This is exactly what virtual documents are used for.
And using your "Detail" is what I was discussing about, because this is what your proposal was.

That's why I would like to have answered the question instead of giving other Solutions instead.
First I want to have a answer to my Problem, second, maybe I am interessted in other Solutions or Workarounds
avoiding useless time to discuss.

And now I am back at my starting question:

Is it possible to link diagrams to packages?