Adding QuickLink to UML profile not working

[cjo]

I'm trying to add some Quick Link customisations into my MDG technology. I am using EA version 12.

I have followed the Quick Linker example in the Help and added the elements indicated into the technology, but nothing seems to happen after I export the MDG Technology file.  Here are the steps I have followed:

Create new MDG Technology and a new profile.
Create 2 new stereotypes in the profile: Actor (metaclass is 'Actor') and Business Service (metaclass is 'Activity').
Create toolbox and diagram profiles
Create CSV definition of quicklinks
Add 'QuickLink' document artefact to profile diagram and paste contents of CSV into this and save it
Export the profiles
Generate MDG Technology
Import MDG technology.

The new stereotypes, toolboxes and diagrams all work, but I cannot see any of my quick links showing up.

I have also created the 'quick' stereotype and the CSV definitions from the help page and this does not work either.

My CSV file is:

Actor,Actor,Activity,Business Service,,,,Association,Accesses,to,Accesses,,TRUE,,TRUE,,,0,,,TRUE,,

I have looked in the MDG xml file in notepad and the CSV information appears in the QuickLink element under the Content node of the UMLProfile:

            <QuickLink data="Actor,Actor,Activity,Business Service,,,,Association,Accesses,to,Accesses,,TRUE,,TRUE,,,0,,,TRUE,,&#xA;"/>

Is there a trick I have missed somewhere. I have seen posts from people saying they have done this, but nothing which says how.

[Geert Bellekens]

I see that you are using a stereotype that already exists as a metatype.
To rule out any conflict with that I would start with a simple example. Something like "MyStereoA" and "MyStereoB"

Geert

[Uffe]

I haven't tested this in EA 12, but in earlier versions there's a problem with the final dummy column ('W' in the help): it can't be empty.

So add a dummy value, like 0, to the end of each line and you should be OK.

/Uffe

[cjo]

Many thanks for the responses.

I've started again with a fresh MDG with just a profile (no toolbox or diagram) and now the quicklinks from the 'quick' stereotype from the help documentation works. 

However, adding any quicklinks to my stereotypes still does not work. I don't think the final column is a problem as the help example (which is now working) doesnt' have dummy values. However I have now added the dummy value and changed the names as suggested, so now my quicklinks file contains the following:

Actor,OrganisationUnitAA,Activity,BusinessServiceAA,,,,Dependency,,to,Dependency to,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,0

I would expect this to add the value 'Dependency to' to the quick links when linking from an OrganisationUnitAA to a BusinessServiceAA, but I am just getting the default quick links and not the additional value I would expect.

Any more ideas what I could be doing wrong please?

[KP]

Assuming the stereotypes are spelt correctly, I can't see anything wrong with it. Might be worth sending your technology in to Support so someone (probably me) can run it in debug.

(One thought: depending on which version of EA you are using, the quicklinker tables might not be refreshed on enabling your technology/importing your profile. Restarting EA will guarantee your quicklinker data is loaded.)

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Assuming the stereotypes are spelt correctly, I can't see anything wrong with it. Might be worth sending your technology in to Support so someone (probably me) can run it in debug.

(One thought: depending on which version of EA you are using, the quicklinker tables might not be refreshed on enabling your technology/importing your profile. Restarting EA will guarantee your quicklinker data is loaded.)

Hi Neil,

Any change we poor long-suffering  QuickLinker designers could get hold of the Debugger?

Paolo

[KP]

Hi Neil,

Any change we poor long-suffering  QuickLinker designers could get hold of the Debugger?

Paolo

That's probably my fault... When I said "run it in debug" I meant run EA in debug, stepping through the EA source code. So to answer your question: No you may not have the EA source code!! 

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Neil,

Any change we poor long-suffering  QuickLinker designers could get hold of the Debugger?

Paolo

That's probably my fault... When I said "run it in debug" I meant run EA in debug, stepping through the EA source code. So to answer your question: No you may not have the EA source code!! 

Didn't really expect a "Yes"   
But since it's my first day back at work, I thought why not ask?

Happy new year everyone!
Paolo

[cjo]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all of the responses. I have found the problem and it is the oldest trick in the book (Thanks to the hint from KP). I needed to restart EA to pick up the changes.

What I don't understand is that it managed to pick up some of the changes (using the quick links tutorial example) without a restart, but to pick up my changes does require a restart. Quite strange, but at least it's working now.

Many thanks for your help!