ActivityParameter _instanceType not honoured

[Uffe]

Hi all,

If you create two stereotypes, one of ActivityParameter and one of ActionPin, and specify that the parameter stereotype should be instantiated to the pin stereotype using the _instanceType attribute in the ActivityParameter metaclass, that specification is not honoured when EA creates an action pin during instantiation of an activity with parameters.

AFAIK there is no other way to instantiate an activity parameter. You can't drag-and-drop one onto an empty diagram area, nor onto an action.

Reported.


/Uffe

[Eve]

Unless I'm mistaken, _instanceType is only used for stereotyped Classifiers when dropping from the project browser onto the diagram.

On the other hand, the version 14 metaconstraints are more flexible and powerful.
http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/14.0/modeling_tools/metamodelconstraints.html

I don't know how it's going to go for Activities with Parameters. But for classifiers containing ports it can create the appropriate stereotypes on the slots of an instance based on the classifier and slot rule types.

[Uffe]

Unless I'm mistaken, _instanceType is only used for stereotyped Classifiers when dropping from the project browser onto the diagram.

Well, you may be right but if so then that isn't documented anywhere. And while ActivityParameter is not in itself a classifier type it acts as one for ActionPins, so the expectation that an ActivityParameter _instanceType should apply when creating an ActionPin is a reasonable one.

Strangely, it seems _instanceType has been deprecated. Except, no, it hasn't.

On the other hand, the version 14 metaconstraints are more flexible and powerful.
http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/14.0/modeling_tools/metamodelconstraints.html

I don't know how it's going to go for Activities with Parameters. But for classifiers containing ports it can create the appropriate stereotypes on the slots of an instance based on the classifier and slot rule types.

Well, considering that action pins are pretty poorly implemented in the first place, I'm not holding my breath. The more I tinker with these, the more it looks like they're in need of a serious overhaul.

/Uffe

[PeterHeintz]

Again issues with action pins and activity parameter!
From my perspective, there is really a strong need to make pin and parameter features in EA more clean.