Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools => Topic started by: Paolo F Cantoni on October 19, 2016, 06:32:08 pm

Title: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on October 19, 2016, 06:32:08 pm
In the past, in the templates package, we had set the Diagram Note Element (aka Title Block) to non-selectable.   This meant that when the Title Block was placed on the diagram, it automatically became unselectable and would not be "accidentally" moved.

A few versions ago, this stopped.  All of the Diagram Note Elements in the Templates Package are set non-selectable.  Yet, when we place the Title lock on the diagram, it stays selectable, until we manually change it.

Does anybody know why or where to start looking for the answer?

FWIW, WE also have stereotyped Diagram Note Elements but we still retain the "vanilla" Diagram Note Element - for this purpose.

TIA,
Paolo
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Geert Bellekens on October 19, 2016, 07:22:38 pm
Paolo,

Have you tried in on a new model?
I think the mechanism itself still works. There must be some data interfering with the intended functionality.

Geert
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on October 19, 2016, 09:55:34 pm
Paolo,

Have you tried in on a new model?
I think the mechanism itself still works. There must be some data interfering with the intended functionality.

Geert
Now why didn't I think of that?  ;)  Well, I did.  But assuming it works on a clean model, I don't think it actually helps me with finding out why it doesn't work on my repository.

I guess I'm looking for people's experiences where the Template Package object didn't behave properly and they were able to figure out why.

For example, I thought the reason might be that (as I note in a related post) we stereotype our Title Blocks.  Therefore there wouldn't be an unstereotyped Text with Subtype 18 within the templates package.  But even creating such an unstereotyped element didn't seem to help.

Paolo
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Geert Bellekens on October 19, 2016, 10:18:56 pm
Paolo,

Have you tried in on a new model?
I think the mechanism itself still works. There must be some data interfering with the intended functionality.

Geert
Now why didn't I think of that?  ;)  Well, I did.  But assuming it works on a clean model, I don't think it actually helps me with finding out why it doesn't work on my repository.
It might. Start adding more and more of of the things you have in your "real" template package until the point where it stops working as intended. Then you know where the problem is.
Geert
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on October 20, 2016, 10:38:50 am
Unfortunately, over time, the real Templates Package is very complex, so it's not time or effort effective to take this route.  In addiiton, I have a feeling that the MDG specification we use may have something to do with it.

At present it's quite annoying, but not enough to invest the effort unless I can get some short cut.

Oh well, thanks for your help.  At least we were thinking along the same lines.

Perhaps some kind soul with a more standard installation could confirm that the mechanism still works.  :D  That is, place a Diagram Note Element in the Templates Package, mark it non-selectable and see if dropping a Diagram Note Element on a diagram creates a non-selectable Diagram Note Element on the new diagram.

Paolo
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: qwerty on October 20, 2016, 08:25:28 pm
I rarely use template packages, but I created one with a diagram note on it (non-selectable). When I created a new diagram and put a diagram note on it, it was still selectable. Used the latest ribbon-free V12.

q.
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: Paolo F Cantoni on October 21, 2016, 10:40:24 am
I rarely use template pacakes, but I created one with a diagram note on it (non-selectable). When I created a new diagram and put a diagram note on it, it was still selectable. Used the latest ribbon-free V12.

q.
Just to show how weird this is...  At (almost) exactly the same time you did that, I create a NEW templates package in the production repository and switched the pointer to it.  I also created an unstereotyped unselectable Diagram Note Element and it worked!  So, reset the pointer back to the original Templates Package and created another unselectable Diagram Note Element in a new diagram.  Then I went out of the templates package and created a new diagram int he general area and the new Diagram Note Element was set as unselectable !

I'm now waiting to get in to work to check if all is still well!
EAUI?

One question that the Sparxians might answer is:  Does chagning the Templates Package pointer take immediate effect, or does it require a restart of EA?

Paolo
Title: Re: Diagram Note Element and Templates Package - Selectability.
Post by: qwerty on October 21, 2016, 08:38:25 pm
Restart seems to do the trick (I did not firstly). Now after a restart the note is made non-selected.

q.