Information Items Conveyed - topic revisited, sorry...

[johnks]

Hi,

Has anyone written a plugin/utility that allows a user to select an "item" (e.g class/interface etc) in the project browser (or from a query results window) and to display the information flows that the selected item is conveyed in (or even list the diagrams containing the flow tha contains the item?!)?

I see it's a topic that goes back into the dim and distant past. I have tried to wade through the archeology of related postings before writing this one, unfortunately I'm not entirely clear on the latest position.

Many thanks in advance for any responses..

John 

[Geert Bellekens]

Hi John,

It's on my EA Navigator backlog: https://github.com/GeertBellekens/Enterprise-Architect-Toolpack/issues/27, but it has been there for a while now 
There's always more pressing (payed ) issues that get priority.

In the meantime you could maybe write an SQL Search or something...

Geert

[johnks]

Thanks Geert - it's causing me so much pain I might have to get my credit card out! 

John

[qwerty]

There are a couple of posts here which deal with that topic. I know the search is sub-optimal, but...

q.

[Helmut Ortmann]

Hi John,

have a look at my Addin ho_Tools (http://community.sparxsystems.com/community-resources/745-toolset-to-set-linestyle-quick-search-and-a-lot-more), published in EA Community.

If you select e.g. a class and click on 'Find Usage' on the Addin Window ho_Tools will find the diagrams in the EA Search Window which contains the class as Item Flow. I think it would be no big to select the Items Flows instead of the diagrams.

You have to install the MDG (ho_Tools_Technology.xml) for the searches.

If you have questions or advice don't hesitate to ask.

By the way: The Addin hoTools you can find on GitHub with a lot of more usefull features.

Helmut



 

[Helmut Ortmann]

Hi John,

I just figured out: It's not in the current ho_Tools release.

I'll integrate it in hoTools. Select a classifier, click at a button and you see in the search:
- Source, Target classifier of the connector the classifier is conveyed
- With a click or two you are in the diagram

If you have something else in mind let me know.

Helmut

[johnks]

Thanks Helmut! I've downloaded the tool and can see how it works for existing classifiers. Thanks!

I am currently referencing interfaces in Information Flows as "Conveyed Items". I'd like the tool to work as follows:

1. Click on item in project browser
2. Select "Find Usage" (or separate "Find Usage as Conveyed Item")
3. Results window displays usage if found referenced within an Information Flow (connector)
4. If usage found in an IF connector then ideally I'd like from/to element details provided and diagrams that the connector appears in.

Many thanks 

John

[Helmut Ortmann]

Hi,

I think I'll publish a new release next week on my dropbox. I keep you informed.

It will work this way (If someone has a better idea let me know):
- You: Select classifier in Browser
- You: Click on ...(Show Conveyed item or so)
- hoTools+EA: In EA Search Window it will display the source classifier of the connector with the Conveyed Item
- You: With Right Click you can easily browse to all Diagrams the source classifier of the connector is used in the diagram, and with it the connector


Helmut

[johnks]

There are a couple of posts here which deal with that topic. I know the search is sub-optimal, but...

q.

but what?

I get the point of trying to avoid repetition on the forum, which is why I spent a fair amount of time trying to locate relevant posts. In the end I've made a call to ask again and to see if there have been more recent developments on this. Apologies if that's an irritant for you.

[qwerty]

I get 47 results amongst which http://sparxsystems.com/forums/smf/index.php/topic,23099.msg192545.html#msg192545 seems to be promising. But ... I guess you already read this.

q.

[Glassboy]

but what?

John, qwerty seems to have bad days when he thinks he can set rules in addition to the T&Cs and Etiquette posts Roy C has pinned to the top of each forum.  It's best to ignore him and not engage, he'll get over it and start to post productively again.

From my perspective I prefer that people ask again rather than suddenly having a bunch of zombie threads.  Often people are making statements that don't hold true across versions and the thread is a really crap knowledge record.

[johnks]

Thanks Glassboy - much appreciated. I'll do that

[johnks]

Hi,

I think I'll publish a new release next week on my dropbox. I keep you informed.

It will work this way (If someone has a better idea let me know):
- You: Select classifier in Browser
- You: Click on ...(Show Conveyed item or so)
- hoTools+EA: In EA Search Window it will display the source classifier of the connector with the Conveyed Item
- You: With Right Click you can easily browse to all Diagrams the source classifier of the connector is used in the diagram, and with it the connector


Helmut

Sounds perfect! Vielen dank im voraus 

[Geert Bellekens]

Hi John,

This weekend I finally set myself to it and implemented the dreaded Information Items Conveyed in the EA Navigator in a new version of the EA Toolpack v 10.0.16.0

Currently this is a "test" version. If it works fine I'll make it available via the general EA Navigator download.

I've implemented the Conveyed Elements, and Conveying connectors in both directions.
Recently I've also added the feature "In Diagrams" for connectors, which opens the diagram and selects the connector in that diagram, making navigation to connectors a lot easier.

Here's what it looks like in the EA Navigator window:


Let me know it if works for you.

Geert

[johnks]

  What a star. Looking at it now!!