Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools => Topic started by: aldr1c on April 03, 2019, 08:53:34 pm

Title: Generating a Document fragment targeted at a specific diagram in the model
Post by: aldr1c on April 03, 2019, 08:53:34 pm

I have been tearing my hair out, but expect that there is a simple solution to this.  I have a multipart document representing a software design description that I am pulling out of a (rather messy) EA model.  for one of the sections, the engineer wants to have a specific diagram, with its notes and descriptions of all of the objects on it as a section of the document.

i can pull the diagram (or shallow copy) into a specific folder and target a model document against it.  Leaving it in place (with other diagrams) means that the generator will return all of the diagrams in that package.  I would rather use either the QBF or custom SQL query to generate this.

What am I missing?

there is work in line to harmonise the model structures such that everyone is representing the same 'stuff' in the same way (please dont ask...) as well as striking the balance between ease of navigation for non-modellers and document generation and modellers thought patterns, however to get over the current hump I have a series of structures of model documents, templates, fragments (duct tape, string and hope) pulling it together; except this 'pull a single diagram' into a fragment and report on it.

any advice appreciated!

Title: Re: Generating a Document fragment targeted at a specific diagram in the model
Post by: Geert Bellekens on April 03, 2019, 09:56:02 pm

There's not really a good way to get a single diagram into a document when that diagram is under a package with lots of diagrams.

Options include

- 1 - use a different type of diagram and add a filter to your template that makes sure it only generates that type
- 2 - use objects to be the owner of the diagrams and reference that option with a search (on element GUID)
- 3 - use the document generator API in a script to generate the content of this single diagram

The best option would probably be - 2 -. Rethink the model structure. A diagram ususally represents something. Make that something the owner of the diagram.
Then make sure everyone uses the same modelling structure.

Geert

Title: Re: Generating a Document fragment targeted at a specific diagram in the model
Post by: aldr1c on April 03, 2019, 10:15:31 pm

Geert,

 indeed we will be reordering the model structure across a number of repositories and merging them into one project so that we can run analysis, generate reports etc.

Many thanks for the reply - it is the way that we will set things up.

kind regards