(EA14) Associating an RTF description with a custom MDG Model Pattern

[peterc]

How do I associate an RTF describing my model pattern with the model pattern wizard? In EA14, each wizard has an associated description page in the right hand pane (right click a package and select "Add model using wizard).

In the Q&A from a recent webinar I found:
"Will the MDG Technology Framework allow us to create new pattern types and include things about new features?
Model Wizard patterns are normally distributed with an MDG technology. The patterns exist as separate XMI files from the MDG Technology file, and need to be copied to the EA ModelPatterns directory in your installation path."

So, I have created my MDG Technology with a model pattern that the wizard uses to generate a pattern. That all works. I have created an RTF (with the same filename as the XML) and moved both files to the directory alongside the EA supplied patterns (and changed the MTS file to mirror the location). But my RTF does not get displayed in the right hand pane of the Model Patterns wizard. Just to confirm that EA was correctly picking up my pattern I moved my files out and the wizard does nothing.

So, back to my starting question, what have I missed that is not displaying my RTF alongside my pattern wizard?

[KP]

Yes it needs to be in the same location as the pattern and have the same name with the ".xml" replaced by ".rtf". It may be case-sensitive (including extensions), so check for that. I have no idea if there are different RTF standards, but if you want to guarantee that you are using the same RTF standard as EA then copy-paste your document into a Document Artifact in EA and export it from there (ribbon: Edit|File|Save as).

[peterc]

Thanks for the reply - today it works as expected, which is confusing (maybe I did something wrong last week).

A bit annoyingly (and contradicting KP), the RTF file must be in the ModelPattern directory within the EA installation even if the XML file is elsewhere. I wonder if this is a bug? If not it would be helpful if a future update were made so that the XML and RTF file could be distributed - currently the XML pattern can be distributed with the MDG Technology to other users, but they would need to copy the RTF file to a specific location.

[qwerty]

Well, I started my own thread rather recently but this one appeared prior in the search. And it's exactly my issue. I tried also putting the rtf at any imaginable location. None worked. Having to place it in EA's program folder is an absolute no-go. My customer has strict rules about what can be placed there. And their own (well, fascist admins everywhere) MDG data are not allowed to go there. So once again: where is the creation of those model patterns documented? How can I define where the resources are located so EA recognizes them? I smell another half cooked "improvement" here. Please let me be wrong.

q.

[RoyC]

Look here:

https://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.1/model_domains/umlpatterns.html

Then here:

https://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.1/modeling/addingpatterninmdgtechnolo.html

And then here:

https://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.1/modeling/model_templates2.html

Does that help you?

[qwerty]

Actually no. Neither of these describes how EA deploys that RTF added in V14. I only see that EA has  a <name>.xml and <name>.rtf tuple stored in their ModelPattern subdirectory. However it does not work when I try that with my own pattern directory for my MDG. Nothing is shown in the wizards. There is no explanation as what has to be done. And there is nothing to trace down the cause. Even worse, the documentation formerly shown in the wizards is no longer displayed. There are not enough thumb down icons available.

q.