SysML requirements, block compartments

[Guillaume]

Hi,

I have the following questions on SysML support/behaviour in EA 12.1:

1- I tested SysML Requirement extensions such as Physical, Interface, Performance -> on diagrams, the stereotype cannot be shown so there's no way to check its type ; could this be added in the future? Also I think it would be good to add a priority in the Tagged Value as it's not possible to show elements' priority on a diagram

2- When I add attributes in the SysML Block, I'd expect it to be displayed in a Values compartment (according to SysML spec). Should I understand that in EA an unnamed compartment with attributes matches the Values (and same with operations & Operations compartment).

3- A property typed by a SysML Block that has composite aggregation is a Part and should be shown in a parts compartment. EA shows it in a Property compartment. Should I understand this matches decisions on how this has been implemented by Sparx?

4- Parts multiplicity don't show in the property compartment. Is there any way to enable it?


Thanks

[PeterHeintz]

To 1) In my configuration I see the stereotype of requirements. Maybe just “Show Element Stereotype is switched off in your diagram.

To 2) No; attributes are not displayed in value compartments. To get something displayed in the values compartment you need a block property that is typed with a Value Type. However to achieve that is typically weird (neither direct possible on a diagram nor on the project browser). I typically create in the project browser a flow property under a block, delete the flow property stereotype and type the property with a value type. Straight forward; isn’t it?
If attributes even exist in SysML is not clear to me (not mentioned in SysML Spec but based on UML classes).
 

To 3) Yes, Part Associations go in properties (I just think about properties as a alias for parts) and Shared Associations go in references

To 4) Yes, there are some multiplicity issues in EA. Something was announces to be fixed in the last release (did not check that yet).

[Guillaume]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your replies.

1- I enabled this in my diagram properties so I'm not sure why it doesn't show up but I'll investigate further
2- I'll keep it simple and use the empty compartment with standard attributes

Regarding a Block Properties and References, I did a couple of tests creating aggregation & composition with other blocks in the BDD. The fact that the main block takes some time to update with the properties and references is not ideal ; it seems I have to wait and check that the block is properly updated before moving on doing something else, fearing the property may not get created. Any view on this?

Results from my tests show that the property multiplicity is not set when the role is not defined on the aggregation/composition link. So unnamed aggregation need to be avoided although this looks like a bug.

Having all my references & properties/parts in my Block, I tested the IBD.
A right click on the IBD diagram > Synchronise structural elements is useful as I get all my parts to assemble.
It would be useful to have an option to show the Block name for all parts - however I can only achieve this via a right click onto each part > advanced > show element type. Is there any workaround?

I tried to show a part/property with a block's part e.g. show a Luggage property within the Trunk property of the Car's IBD. Is the best way to do a right click on Trunk property > Structural elements > show owned > tick on Luggage? Any way to automatically generate all sub properties?

SysML support has improved since earlier EA versions so I'm trying to identify all the right tips to use it efficiently in EA.

thanks

[PeterHeintz]

I also use several times attributes rather than property values (even I am not sure if this is SysML), just because I am not able to define values for the value properties when used somewhere.

The update of the block compartments I belief do not depend on time, but on diagram refresh triggers which are not fired but others user triggers are fired late. To be sure what is happening I always verify what is in the project browser?

When I do SysML modelling I only have role names if something is there more than once (just go with the bug). This is because of role names in my models are often noises but no information.

Show element types, you can enable under Options/Objects/Port and Part types visible by default.

The “Structural elements” command is the only way (AFAIK) to do that. Once done and deleting some relations on the BDD means, you have to delete your properties manually (“Structural elements” is one short).