Archimate Information Flow

[milasx]

Hello - What is the best way to add Archimate Information Flows to an Archimate Application diagram?
I seem to only be able by dragging a relationship and then changing the type.  Is there a better way?

Thanks

[Geert Bellekens]

Change the toolbox to one that has the information flow, and then use it from the toolbox,

Or change the "limit to toolbox" checkbox and use the quicklinker.

If that doesn't work, then it means that the relation is invalid, and you probably shouldn't be forcing it by changing the type either.

Geert

[milasx]

Thank you - the information flow in the toolbox appeared to work once but it has not worked since.
What I am really trying to do is to use the association relationship (chapter 5.2.4 "Association Relationship" see this post:
https://sparxsystems.com/forums/smf/index.php/topic,44694.msg263367.html#msg263367 and I assumed that it would be via an Archimate_Flow flow strereotype which should be accessible in the toolbox via the information flow item. The issue is that the Information Flow item in the toolbox does not work so what I have to do is:

• Crete a relationship of any type
• Change the type to Information Flow
• Now the stereotype becomes Archimate_Flow

At that point the stereotype allows me to add the data item.
What I am looking to do is to be able to create the flow without the need to change the type.
Am I missing something?
Thanks!

[Geert Bellekens]

I quickly tried, but when I create an ArchiMate_Association between two elements, and then change the type to Information Flow, I get an Information Flow relation with stereotype ArchiMate_Association

AFAIK there is no way to indicate conveyed objects in standard ArchiMate.

For one client we solved that by creating our own relation (stereotype), derived from the UML Information Flow

Geert

[milasx]

In my version i can add items to an Archimate_Flow stereotype but only if I change the type from ControlFlow to InformationFlow.  I cannot add an item to a ControlFlow with Archimate_Flow strereotype.  How can i post a picture?

Thanks!

[Geert Bellekens]

I see, but that means you are no longer using ArchiMate. You are making some kind of hybrid mutant between ArchiMate and UML.

The fact that EA even allows this will probably be seen as a bug, and might get fixed in the next version.
The only way I know to do this properly is to create your own stereotype

Geert

[milasx]

Thank you Gert - could you point me at how to create the Stereotype?  Is just via the UML types and if so could you help with how it should be defined?

Thanks a lot!

[Geert Bellekens]

It involves a bit more than just creating the stereotype.
You might want to seek help from a consultant. Here where to start in the manual: https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/16.1/modeling_frameworks/mdgtechnologies_2.html

Geert