What is embeddable in what?

[Kallin]

I've recently begun working with EA for a school project.  I'm trying to build the high level deployment environment, and am having some trouble understand what I can embed in what. For instance, I have a device, 'cell phone', and an executable environment 'JVM' that exists within the phone. I'd like to place the jvm element within the cell phone element but it doesn't like that. I find I can place general nodes and components in 'deployment specs', but nothing else in anything else..

I suppose a can just use the 'nested' association, but it would be nicer to have one contained within the other visually. I've seen UML tutorials for deployment diagrams that do what I'm trying to do, but I'm not sure if EA supports it. Could someone let me know if I'm way off base here or what?!

Thanks,
Kal.

[«Midnight»]

Hi Kal,

I don't think you will get all you want from EA, at least not the way you might imagine it.

There is a possible alternative though. Look up Composite | Elements in the EA help index. [Note: the "|" symbol is meant as a level separator. The entry under Composite Element (note that there is no bar) relates to something else entirely.]

Perhaps this will get you the functionality you need, although it will be a different visual paradigm. Note that you can achieve considerable flexibility with composite elements, hyperlinks, and 'child' diagrams of elements. Search the forum - go back a year - for some good hints from many users.

David

[KP]

Actually we've had a couple of bug reports on this: one fix went into EA 7.5.840 and hopefully the other will go into 7.5.841. The end result is that you will be able to nest nodes, devices and execution environments beneath each other, all nine (I think) combinations being valid.

[Kallin]

Cool I'll use either the nesting or composite options until the bug is fixed/feature is implemented

Thanks for the help!