Standard Profile/Stereotype Inconsistency?

[Resurrection]

Hi - first forum post  

As a relative newcomer to EA, I'm having difficulty understanding how the tool utilises the in-built (non-custom) profiles and stereotypes. There seem to be some profiles e.g. EAUML that are available by default but don't show as profiles with the Resource window (for example). Then, under "Settings->UML" we have a bunch of standard stereotypes, some that seem to belong to the default profiles and some that seem to be outside them. Finally, and it's this aspect that makes me post this under the "bugs and issues" forum, there are some standard stereotypes that I can't seem to apply. For example, I add a standard stereotype via the "Stereotypes" tab in the "UML Types" dialog. I make that stereotype apply to a message. But, when I go to a diagram and bring up the properties for a message, the only stereotype choices I'm offered are standard stereotypes applicable to a business class and some other EAUML-specific choices.  

I've read the manual and the white papers back and forth, but I can't get a clear picture of how the built-in profiles and stereotypes work and I don't want to add my custom profiles and confuse myself futher. Can some kind person help me make sense of all this  

[Oliver F.]

First of all the resource window does not show UML profiles unless you import them explicitely here.
The standard way to deal with profiles now is to put them in a MDG technology- as a consequence they are not available in the resource view which leads to the side effect that the "synchronise stereotypes" functionality is not available any more.

All built in types deployed with EA are defined in such a MDG file. Take a look at the MDG directory in the EA folder.
Stereotypes available in the UML Types dialog are not the same as stereotypes applied from a profile. In fact I made the experience that having the same stereotype in the profile and the UML Types dialogue confuses EA as it does not know which one to use. Which will lead to interesting effects if the profile defines shape scripts, etc.

We stopped using the types dialogue for stereotypes and defined our own in several UML profiles. It indeed happens often that people are manuall typing the stereotype in an element and misspell it leading to the creation of a new type.

Regarding your message issue- messages are applied in sequence and object diagrams only, not for activities. So make sure that you really have selected a message you are applying the stereotype to and that the stereotype has also set the correct Group attribute.

HTH

Oliver

[Resurrection]

Oliver,

Thanks for the quick reply. You have helped to remove some of my confusion! However, a couple of questions remain.

The EAUML does not seem to be defined within a MDG technology, or at least it is not present in the MDGTechnologies directory in the EA folder. Also, your previous post seem to say that the same stereotype should not appear in a profile AND the UML Types dialog. However if I view the properties of an object in an object diagram, I am offered the stereotypes "worker", "case worker" and "internal worker" within the EAUML profile AND the standard stereotypes. Is the EAUML profile just a special built-in profile that is treated differently?

Regarding the problem with message stereotypes - I have created a sequence diagram with a message connecting two lifelines. When I look at the "Message Properties" dialog for the message and hit the Stereotype selector all I see are a number of EAUML stereotypes that apply to objects, not messages. Am I doing something wrong?

[Oliver F.]

The EAUML does not seem to be defined within a MDG technology, or at least it is not present in the MDGTechnologies directory in the EA folder.

Though I have not checked this I believe that EAUML is some sort of hardcoded/builtin profile as you assumed.

Also, your previous post seem to say that the same stereotype should not appear in a profile AND the UML Types dialog. However if I view the properties of an object in an object diagram, I am offered the stereotypes "worker", "case worker" and "internal worker" within the EAUML profile AND the standard stereotypes.

Assuming that such a builtin EAUML profile exists it is imaginable that it is treated special and does not have those restrictions. However I am starting to speculate here.

Regarding the problem with message stereotypes - I have created a sequence diagram with a message connecting two lifelines. When I look at the "Message Properties" dialog for the message and hit the Stereotype selector all I see are a number of EAUML stereotypes that apply to objects, not messages. Am I doing something wrong?

I took a look at some of my sequences and indeed I only get
stereotypes to choose from which are applicable for objects or all.

Maybe some Sparxian can comment on this.

Oliver

[Resurrection]

Thanks for the confirmation Oliver. I'll see if a Sparxian can help out!

[Resurrection]

Could someone from Sparx please comment on this issue? I am seeing similar confusing behaviour with other standard stereotypes. I logged a registered support request about a week ago, but I'd really like to know if this is a genuine software issue or just pilot error on my part.

Thanks.

[Resurrection]

Sparx representatives - I'm starting to feel invisible here  

[Eve]

See our support page.

Disclaimer:
While Sparx Systems employees monitor and sometimes post to the forum, it is not a substitute for Technical Support. If you have a specific question or issue, please submit a support request via our registered users support page.

[KP]

There seem to be some profiles e.g. EAUML that are available by default but don't show as profiles with the Resource window (for example).

The EAUML profile is internal to EA and contains stereotypes that are necessary for the correct working of EA's built-in toolboxes.

Then, under "Settings->UML" we have a bunch of standard stereotypes, some that seem to belong to the default profiles and some that seem to be outside them.

These you are welcome to delete if you don't want them. In fact, if you delete them in your "seed model" (by default EABase.eap) then they won't appear in any new models that you create either.

Finally, and it's this aspect that makes me post this under the "bugs and issues" forum, there are some standard stereotypes that I can't seem to apply. For example, I add a standard stereotype via the "Stereotypes" tab in the "UML Types" dialog. I make that stereotype apply to a message. But, when I go to a diagram and bring up the properties for a message, the only stereotype choices I'm offered are standard stereotypes applicable to a business class and some other EAUML-specific choices.  

Are you referring to the Message element from the BPMN profile? That is an extended Class, and so if you want to change its stereotype you are offered all stereotypes that can be applied to a Class. Stereotypes defined with a base class of "Message" can be applied to sequence diagram messages.

HTH

[Resurrection]

See our support page.

I had already logged the issue as a "registered users bug report", so I thought that satisfied protocol. However I've submitted it again as "registered users support", if that helps.

[Resurrection]

Are you referring to the Message element from the BPMN profile? That is an extended Class, and so if you want to change its stereotype you are offered all stereotypes that can be applied to a Class. Stereotypes defined with a base class of "Message" can be applied to sequence diagram messages.
HTH

I wasn't referring to BPMN - I was referring to messages in sequence diagrams. When I select such a message, bring up its properties and drop down the stereotype selector I don't see stereotypes defined for application to messages.

[KP]

I wasn't referring to BPMN - I was referring to messages in sequence diagrams. When I select such a message, bring up its properties and drop down the stereotype selector I don't see stereotypes defined for application to messages.

There's definitely a bug there: sequence messages are being offered stereotypes that apply to objects. Lifelines get the same list, and that isn't right either. We'll look into it.

[Resurrection]

There's definitely a bug there: sequence messages are being offered stereotypes that apply to objects. Lifelines get the same list, and that isn't right either. We'll look into it.

Thanks KP. I received a support e-mail saying that the issue was being reviewed.