Can't add a nesting connector to Quicklinkers (EA 15.1.1528)

[dgoetz]

After some tests with the quicklinkers and nesting connectors I came to the next problem.

Adding a any nesting connector to a quicklinkers profile seems not to work.

This definition doesn't work in EA 15.1 but works in EA 13.5:
Class,struct,Class,struct,,,,Nesting,,to,QuicklinkA,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,
Package,VC,Package,VC,,,,Nesting,,to,QuicklinkB,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,

The same definition with other cennector types works in EA 15.1 and EA 13.5:
Class,struct,Class,struct,,,,Association,,to,QuicklinkA,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,
Package,VC,Package,VC,,,,Dependency,,to,QuicklinkB,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,

So I guess there is a problem with nesting quicklinkers definition in EA 15.1.

[qwerty]

I think that the "strict UML syntax" flag is not recognized by the QL. You probably should think over what you're doing and introduce a stereotype "<<nested>>" association defined in your profile instead of misusing the UML nest connector.

q.

[dgoetz]

Hi q,
introducing a new connector type is not our favorite. The nesting relation has been used for many years now - but after updating from 13.5 to 15.1 it is not working any longer. 
Then we started a lot of testing and a lot of time on it. Debugging Quicklinkers are not very smart.
One test was adding a relation between stereotyped packages (see my first post). This is in UML 2.5. a valid relation and supported by EA. It is not working, but it should.

We tested a <nested> association also - added it to our profile. But we failed added it to the quicklinkers.
I tried this, but it is not working. Maybe you have an idea?
Class,struct,Class,,,,,Association,nested,to,QuicklinkABC,,TRUE,,TRUE,TRUE,,0,,,,,

Metamodel constraints will propably not help us because they requires a stereotyped target and source element. We don't have.

[qwerty]

The QL basically is a neat idea. But Sparx implementation of it is a dissaster. Just take a look into the table they use in the EA V13.5 exe file (it's a HUGE table). Even smaller tables are a nightmare to maintain and you can't configure them when you like to override standard UML definitions. From what I read here about V15: I avoid getting my hands dirty as long as possible. I still use EA, but only because there is nothing else. It's not the one-eyed amongst the blind any more (to me) but the one that shouts the loudest. Or simply it's the one I worked with most of the time since using UML tools.

q.

[Eve]

Metamodel constraints will propably not help us because they requires a stereotyped target and source element. We don't have.

Actually, you can.

In your profile, add the Nesting and Class metaclasses. Create two metaconstraints from Nesting to Class. Set the umlRole fields to source and target.

It should look like this in your profile

Code: [Select]

<Metamodel>
<Metaclass name="Nesting" notes="">
<metaconstraints>
<metaconstraint umlRole="source" constraint="Class"/>
<metaconstraint umlRole="target" constraint="Class"/>
</metaconstraints>
</Metaclass>
</Metamodel>

And the result is that Nesting shows up in the quicklinker (subject to the toolbox filter) and validates.

[dgoetz]

Hi Eve,

thanks - it works.

Dieter