Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools => Topic started by: Filip Hendrickx on May 17, 2013, 02:26:36 am

Title: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: Filip Hendrickx on May 17, 2013, 02:26:36 am

Hi all.

I'm creating a toolbox that contains a subset of the Archimate and BPMN elements. I do this via a stereotype that extends a metaclass named "ToolboxPage" and contains attributes for each element that I need. The attribute name refers to the corresponding Archimate or BPMN element, like BPMN2.0::BusinessProcess.

However, when dropping certain elements from my toolbox on a diagram, nothing happens. Others work fine.

I suspect that I'm using incorrect names in my stereotype attributes, but don't know where to find the right names, so I can't be sure.

The problematic elements are:

• The 3 BPMN events
• The Archimate Communication Path and Network (may have to do with the fact that there are two of each, an element and a connector, and I don't know how to distinguish between them).

It could also be a typo, but I'm missing it :).

You can find an example repository here: http://users.telenet.be/filip.hendrickx/SparxEA/.

Any tips?

Best regards,

Filip.

Title: Re: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: Paulus on May 17, 2013, 05:39:28 am

Hi Filip,

Creating MDG's can be frustrating, EA is very unforgiving...

In your toolbox profile you need to add the correct UML type, like so: Archimate2::ArchiMate_Network(UML::Class) or else Archimate2::ArchiMate_Network(UML::Association)

And likewise, for the BPMN events. Take a look at the BPMN MDG technology file in the EA installation directory,

best regards,

Paulus

Title: Re: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: qwerty on May 17, 2013, 06:33:55 am

Unforgiving in a way that it detects a defect but then doesn't tell you were. Hunting for Easter eggs is nice. But that remembers me on some sadistic teacher.

q.

Title: Re: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: Filip Hendrickx on May 17, 2013, 05:07:22 pm

Hi Paulus. Works like a charm! :)

Thanks for the tip about the original MDG files. Very useful.

One related question I still have: is there a way of limiting what appears in for example the Event's submenus (None, Compensation, Conditional, ...)? That is, without hacking the original MDG file ;).

Do I have to recreate this menu, adding only the Event types that I need and setting the eventDefinition tagged value? Using a hidden submenu doesn't seem to get me there: I can't stop the Event's proper menu from appearing.

Best regards,

Filip.

Title: Re: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: Paulus on May 17, 2013, 09:41:28 pm

The tagged values are part of the definition of the stereotype and afaik you can't re-define/override the stereotypes in the MDG

So the only option would be to hack the MDG but that's always :-/ and especially so for BPMN2 since it seems that the BPMN2 support in EA involves more than just the MDG XML (those property dialogs are custommade).

Title: Re: Problem when creating a toolbox
Post by: Filip Hendrickx on May 20, 2013, 03:24:39 pm

OK, thanks for your replies!

Best regards,

Filip.