Option to import XMI using object names

[Mahaveer Pareek]

When a package is imported from XMI, it uses the GUIDs already in XML file. There is an option to strip GUIDs, which creates object new GUIDs. There is no other option.

I propose that another option should be provided where object names can be used while importing (overriding GUIDs). That means, if an object with the same name already exists in the model, new object will not be created and use the existing object in the model. All references will be directed to existing object in the model.

It will require another checkbox in the "Import Package from XMI" dialog ( say "Use Object Names") which will allow user to override GUIDs by existing name.

This became apparent when we had an old model and a new model was created from scratch by reverse engineering existing code. Now we needed to import sequence diagrams from the old model into new model. We were not successful as the objects in the sequence diagram could not locate the required objects in our new model because of different GUIDs, even though names were identical. With the proposed functionality, this will be possible.

When matching object names, a fully qualified path name of the object should be tried first, then a partial path name, then just the object name (if a unique name exists). Even after that if there is ambiguity, user may be prompted to select one out of many.

This probably means that an option will need to be provided on "Export Package to XMI" dialog to enable exporting of fully qualified names of objects as well as GUIDs.

Suggestions are welcome.

Voting starts now ....