Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Suggestions and Requests => Topic started by: RusDavies on May 16, 2008, 07:30:08 am

Title: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: RusDavies on May 16, 2008, 07:30:08 am

Hi.  

I've been using the Enterprise version of EA for a couple of years.  I'm very happy with it.  However, there is one aspect that perpetually drives me nuts, which is how to apply the same property change to multiple elements at once.  

For example, let's say I have branch of hierarchical packages, each containing many (for example) classes.  The "status" of all the contained classes is initially "Mandatory".  Now say I've just finished running a set of unit tests against my package branch and want to set all of the covered classes as "validated".  

As it currently stands, I have to go to each element in turn, open its properties and change its status field.  This is OK when applying the change to a small number of elements, but is terribly tedious once hundreds or thousands of elements are involved.  Frankly, I end up just not making the changes, which kind of defeats the point of maintaining a status field.

What I'd like to be able to do is select a bunch of elements in a diagram, and apply the same status change to all of them. Even better would be to apply such property changes recursively to all elements in an hierarchy of packages.  

Of course, the status field is just an example.  Another property field that is similarly drives me nuts is  "phase"... occasionally I move an entire package branch into a different phase.  Hiring a new person just to reset the phase attribute on all affected elements just isn't practical, so the Phase doesn't get updated, which introduces inconsistency and effectively renders the phase attribute as useless.  

If the Sparx guys could see their way clear to adding this feature, then I'll buy the whole team a Mars bar each!

Thanks,

Russell

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: Jan ´Bary´ Glas on May 16, 2008, 04:50:58 pm

For some properties (status included) you may use Update Package Status function.

You will find it in context menu of a package in Project Browser. Package Control|Update Package Status.
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3918/updatestatuseh7.gif)

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: Transition Technologies on May 16, 2008, 06:03:35 pm

Quote

For some properties (status included) you may use Update Package Status function.

You will find it in context menu of a package in Project Browser. Package Control|Update Package Status.
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3918/updatestatuseh7.gif)

Hi Jan,
This tool is useful. However, tell me if I am wrong, it only covers the change of status for single package. And what is more important it will change the status for all elements inside the given package.So if some of elements have different status it will be changed automatically.
I think the question was more about how to change for example the status of Actor (ex. User) and only this actor, in every package. At least this is how I understood it.

At least Snickers for Jan !

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: Jan ´Bary´ Glas on May 16, 2008, 09:13:57 pm

Yes, I forgot to say that I would like to edit properties of all selected elements at once. In Properties Pane it would be enough.
Strange is that it was possible some time ago due to a bug. Now the bug is away and the feature as well :-(

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: DanG83616 on May 24, 2008, 03:18:34 am

This might help you in the mean time:
1. Export to CSV
2. Use a spreadsheet to make the updates
3. Import from CSV

Make sure you export the GUIDs and check the "Preserve Hierarchy" box. DO NOT delete parent elements from the spreadsheet or you will lose the hierarchy. If you search on my other posts you'll see a little more detail.

You can also use a text editor to edit the CSV file for simple search and replace operations. I've found this techinque to be better than editing the xmi but have occasionally done that as well.

HTH, DanG

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: Jan ´Bary´ Glas on May 27, 2008, 04:39:44 pm

What I do as a workaround is editing the repository database.

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: skiwi on May 24, 2013, 08:44:02 am

bump

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: kristina on April 10, 2014, 01:03:56 am

How I would love this option! Vote!

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: Graham_Moir on April 10, 2014, 08:54:30 pm

I think we'd all like this and would happily vote for it, however I have to quote skiwi from another thread of yours Kristina  (slightly modified by me).

"We have learnt that the only way to achieve this is to
1) submit a feature request for this, and get all your friends, plus your friends' friends to submit the same request (size matters)
2) ask all the companies who provide you with professional training to submit a feature request, their opinion matters much more than ours"

Title: Re: Change property on multiple elements at once
Post by: qwerty on April 10, 2014, 09:33:25 pm

What I learned from all that: you can also vote for better weather tomorrow.  :(

q.