Redefine toolbox for other MDG technology

[Geert Bellekens]

Context:

My users are doing modelling Archimate Business Processes and linking them to Archimate Business Objects. The use
- Business Process
- Business Object
- Flow
- Some of my own Stereotypes extending standard Archimate elements.

They don't need any of the other Archimate element/connector types, and I don't even want them to.

Question:
Is there a way to link the existing Archimate Business Diagram to a toolbox of my own?
I know how to do it with the standard UML and Extended toolboxes, but hat process doesn't seem to work with MDG diagram types such as Archimate.

Thanks

Geert

PS. If all else fails I'll make a new diagram type in my MDG and change the stereotype all of the standard Archimate Business Diagrams to my new diagram stereotype, but I would prefer it to work on standard Archimate diagrams.

[peterc]

Could you make use of the new Metamodel in EA14?

I don't think it will quite achieve what you want - you need a Stereotyped diagram (I wonder whether you could specify the Archimate diagram you want and it would work with that? Otherwise you need to create your own diagram type anyway) and use a View Specification to expose the desired element and connector types. If you can also create a template package then new diagrams of that type can by default by created with your metamodel selected.

It won't stop users switching back to the full toolbox and using more element types.

Alternatively, you could probably modify the Sparx supplied Archimate xml file defining the MDG (probably by creating your own MDG and selected cut and paste into Sparx's Archimate definition), but I'm not sure that is ideal from a longer term support.

[Geert Bellekens]

Could you make use of the new Metamodel in EA14?

I don't think it will quite achieve what you want - you need a Stereotyped diagram (I wonder whether you could specify the Archimate diagram you want and it would work with that? Otherwise you need to create your own diagram type anyway) and use a View Specification to expose the desired element and connector types. If you can also create a template package then new diagrams of that type can by default by created with your metamodel selected.

It won't stop users switching back to the full toolbox and using more element types.

Alternatively, you could probably modify the Sparx supplied Archimate xml file defining the MDG (probably by creating your own MDG and selected cut and paste into Sparx's Archimate definition), but I'm not sure that is ideal from a longer term support.

I'll experiment a bit with the View specifications, but it now looks like I have no choice but to define my own diagram type.

Geert

[Glassboy]

I'll experiment a bit with the View specifications, but it now looks like I have no choice but to define my own diagram type.

The EA diagram types don't map to a particular ArchiMate viewpoint so it wouldn't be a bad idea to create diagram types that do, and that contain appropriate toolboxes.

[Eve]

Context:

My users are doing modelling Archimate Business Processes and linking them to Archimate Business Objects. The use
- Business Process
- Business Object
- Flow
- Some of my own Stereotypes extending standard Archimate elements.

They don't need any of the other Archimate element/connector types, and I don't even want them to.

Sounds like exactly what the view definitions are for. See Custom Metamodel Diagram View

• Create a "view specification" in a new profile.

Create an "Extension" connector to one or more ArchiMate diagram types. As described in that link, open the desired diagram and enter the following into a Javascript scripting console to get the fully qualified name: ?GetCurrentDiagram().MetaType

Add "Exposes" connectors to the types you want to display. Use the metaclass item in the toolbox to select the profile items you want included. (Quick way to create abstract stereotypes with the fully qualified names needed)

Include this profile in your technology in the UML profiles section[/li]
[/list]

Users can then select this view under the the diagram types extended in the second step. The result is that the toolbox and quicklinker are filtered to the types you specified. You can also optionally filter the diagram to those types even if something else was added for any reason.