Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Suggestions and Requests => Topic started by: Dave_Bullet on August 08, 2007, 02:10:49 pm

Title: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used elements
Post by: Dave_Bullet on August 08, 2007, 02:10:49 pm
How about being able to create a toolbox to contain key actors, components, nodes etc... often used on diagrams.

To be able to be configured per user.

This saves having to find in a large project hierarchy the right components.  Relocating frequently used elements to a "common" package wouldn't work since different project roles would have different elements (and some might be shared) and would also "break" the logical structure in the model moving things about.

What do you think guys?

Cheers,
David.
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on August 08, 2007, 03:41:59 pm
Gets three votes from me!

(Vote early and vote often...  ;D)

Paolo
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: glen_kidd on August 08, 2007, 08:06:17 pm
I vote for this one too.

I wonder if the toolbox palette is the right place to put it though.

Instead, why not a "Favourites Browser"  palette similar to project browser. This new browser palette is simply providing a partial view of the real project structure. The view can be rendered flat (mimicking what you would get with a toolbox solution), or hierarchical (as in project browser) depending on user preference.
This seems a more logical and consistent place for the feature. Any thoughts?

...Glen
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: Dave_Bullet on August 08, 2007, 08:18:25 pm
Yes - a favourites browser is better.  Best not to overload usage of the toolbox (almost as bad as overloading a table column for several purposes :)

Gets another vote from me.
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on August 08, 2007, 08:45:09 pm
Quote
I vote for this one too.

I wonder if the toolbox palette is the right place to put it though.

Instead, why not a "Favourites Browser"  palette similar to project browser. This new browser palette is simply providing a partial view of the real project structure. The view can be rendered flat (mimicking what you would get with a toolbox solution), or hierarchical (as in project browser) depending on user preference.
This seems a more logical and consistent place for the feature. Any thoughts?

...Glen
This suggestion gets 6 votes from me!  ;D

(especially for the flexible interface)

Besides which, from previous suggestions, Toolboxes appear immutable (in terms of structure).

Paolo
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: KP on August 08, 2007, 09:06:38 pm
Quote
How about being able to create a toolbox to contain key actors, components, nodes etc... often used on diagrams.

To be able to be configured per user.


If you mean something like this:

(http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/4978/mycommonelementsmt8.gif)

It's already possible. Download the SDK (http://www.sparxsystems.com/bin/SDK.chm) and read the section on Toolbox Profiles. In short, you will be creating a toolbox profile like this:

(http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9240/toolboxprofilema8.gif)

and adding it to an MDG Technology which you can point EA to from the "Settings > MDG Technologies" command.
Title: Re: Custom Toolbox / profile for common used eleme
Post by: Jan ´Bary´ Glas on August 08, 2007, 09:49:37 pm
For the same (or similar purpose) I use Profiles from the Resources Pane. The benefit is that I have stereotyped elements in my Profiles.