Element creation using template

[Henrique Narciso]

Hello,

I have established a template for a Change type element in a template folder. Executed all the steps in the manual.

If I am in a diagram and do a right click > New element or conector> change, it works fine, the element comes with all the tagged values that are specified in the template.

However, If I do the same in the Project Browser, in a package element ou do an import from a CSV file, the elements are created as change, but without the tagged items specified in the template.

Does anyone know a solution for this?

I have to import 40 or so Change elements from a CSV file and just don't like the manual aproach.

Thank you in advance.

[Dermot]

If you have set up a Profile for the Elements - and set the CSV import of the Stereotype to the Profile name - then you can try the Tagged Value synchronize function:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/uml_tool_guide/what_is_uml_modeling/synchronizetagsandconstrain.html

[Oliver F.]

If you have set up a Profile for the Elements - and set the CSV import of the Stereotype to the Profile name - then you can try the Tagged Value synchronize function:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/uml_tool_guide/what_is_uml_modeling/synchronizetagsandconstrain.html

And here again comes the Resource window into play- which Sparxians have stated not to use when working with UML profiles because the recommended way is to work with MDG technologies.
In that case the Resource window does not hold the profiles and synchronising does not work.

Dermot or whoever at Sparx is able to make that statement- can somebody please definitely clarify this issue? Is the Resource window still a valid and recommended option for working with profiles?

Oliver

[Henrique Narciso]

Only a work around?
So it seems I have no option than to use the profile instead of the template.

It's quite odd that the EA doesn't use the same function to execute the same functionality. why does it have diferent behaviour from a diagram to the explorer folder?

I will try to use the synchronize, even dough it's not the path I was searching for.

Oliver, since I'm new to this issue, should I will be carefull while doing this? your post seems like a big warning sign post.

[Oliver F.]

Oliver, since I'm new to this issue, should I will be carefull while doing this? your post seems like a big warning sign post.

My post is not directly related to your issue. However some Sparx staff members have stated last year that using the resource window to import a UML profile is not any more recommended. On the other hand lately several posts from Sparx are pointing to the resource window when talking about UML profiles. This is somehow confusing and I would like to know which directions they are officially heading to because it has a high impact on the way people are working.

Oliver

[Dermot]

I have verified that the synchronisation of imported elements with the stereotype set -  does create the correct set of Tagged Values.

[mrf]

Oliver:

However some Sparx staff members have stated last year that using the resource window to import a UML profile is not any more recommended. On the other hand lately several posts from Sparx are pointing to the resource window when talking about UML profiles. This is somehow confusing and I would like to know which directions they are officially heading to because it has a high impact on the way people are working.

Importing a profile through the resources menu isn't recommended as the profile on its own doesn't contain the full set of information required to make it complete in complex cases (eg where a profile makes use of a custom tagged value type definition).

Consequently we recommend people to export their profile as per usual, but package it within an encompassing MDG technology that includes all the relevant additional information.

That does not make using the resource window an invalid method, just an incomplete one (in some cases). It's prudent, in our case, to consider both possibilities when trying to trouble shoot.

Henrique:
This behaviour isn't currently implemented as CSV actually came before Profiles/Technologies (AFAIK), and the templated tagged values weren't a consideration at that point.

Please consider submitting a feature request if you would like to see this behaviour added.

[Oliver F.]

Consequently we recommend people to export their profile as per usual, but package it within an encompassing MDG technology that includes all the relevant additional information.

Michael, thanks for the clarification.
However this still leaves some questions open- we now have two ways of dealing with UML profiles of which both are incomplete.
According to your statement there is the (old) way of using the resource window which lacks dealing with certain information types but which is told to be used for workarounds and there is the actual way of using MDG technology files which however lack the (important) capability of synchronising the tagged values (which exists in the resource window).

Talking about consistency I would have expected that the new method holds all features of the old one plus improvements, now there is a new methods with improvements (tons of) but lacks the legacy features.
Can we expect the tagged value synchronisation for MDG encapsulated profiles somewhere in the next releases?

Thanks,

Oliver

[Henrique Narciso]

MRF,

so you recomend at this point I implement a profile fo the change elements or whatever I use.

how do I import from a CSV then? just like I would using a template?