Messages

1

Uml Process / Re: Multiple state machines for semi-independet objects in one diagram

« on: June 28, 2025, 03:27:59 am »

As said, I'm not at all convinced that it is correct. If I deselect the Show Composite Diagram in Frame I get the normal notation with the composite indication in the bottom right corner. But at least it may help to indicate that only one of the objects it existing at any point in time. You exit one STM and with that the other object enters its lifecycle.

2

Uml Process / Multiple state machines for semi-independet objects (Solved, sort of)

« on: June 28, 2025, 12:22:52 am »

I think I have found a solution, although I do not fully understand it.
In my earlier trials, I started to work from a class, added the STM and populate it will all my states. That ended up in the strange diagrams I posted earlier. Now I use an empty STM diagram and drop the two STMs from the toolbox onto it. I can add my states, entry and exit points and the transitions I need. As long as I only work in this diagram things are fine. When I started to work in the two individual composite STM diagrams, things get messy. But as long as I stay in the main diagram, I think I can get what I want.

3

Uml Process / Re: Multiple state machines for semi-independet object in one diagram

« on: June 26, 2025, 07:31:18 pm »

Hi,
thanks for the feedback. The reason why I'm trying to use entry and exit points was basically that in this specification working group one of the colleagues (who at the end also provided the diagrams in the specification) present a diagrams with two STMs and direct transitions between those STMs from an internal state in one STM to an internal state in the second STM. This looked a bit strange to me, thus I suggested the entry and exit point to at least indicate that the lifecycle of for example the boot loader has ended, and the application is invoked, or vice versa. He uses StarUML that obviously permits such things, even without the entry and exit points.
Composite states may be an approach, however if I add to states to a diagram and add the two STMs created earlier as child diagrams, I just get the indication the those states are composite and do not see the sub states. I can switch to Show Composite Diagram in Frame/Compartment, but then I end up again with the transitions out of and into the STMs are hanging around in nowhere. This will not allow me to create distinct transitions from one STM to the other, in particular when I would have multiple entry points into an STM.
I haven't quite understood why EA obviously permits to define entry and exit point for state machines, but offers not much that one could do with them.
What is definitely required that I see all the possible state machines and their (sub)states in one diagram as those diagrams need to be presented to certification bodies (I cannot send them a EA model) to formally assess safety or security fitness, at least for some applications (I mentioned medical earlier).
Thanks, Martin

4

Uml Process / Re: Multiple state machines for semi-independet object in one diagram

« on: June 25, 2025, 04:17:15 pm »

Yes, it is correct that starting the boot loader is when I release the controller from the reset. The boot loader is however a bit more than an initial state. For once, it checks if there is a valid application available in another sector of the non volatile memory. It may also check if there multiple applications and which one to start. I may also verify, if an application is signed. Further, it may check if there is an attempt to download firmware update, an perform authentication of any entity that attempt a application firmware update. A boot loader can be considered as a separate object that is build independent of the applications. So logically we thought once I've done my boot loading tasks, I set the reset vector to any of the applications and then perform the reset, thus the exit point in the STM.
This would look sort of like this (using invocations of the STMs):



What I meant with 'loose' is that with an invocation I create instances of the STMs an entry/exit point are retained but the states of the individual STMs are not instantiated.

What I am aiming for that in a diagram similar to above, I see the individual STMs with their sub-states (as in particular application STMs can get quite complex (for example for medical devices) and no outer STM frame. Those STMs below are extremely oversimplified.

 

Below the simple EA project



Ps: What I'm looking for goes a bit into this direction:



I used a custom diagram and created links of the STMs on that. Changed then to 'New Child Diagram -> Show Composite Diagram in Frame' and disabled 'Filter to Toolbox'. Definitely cheating, however the transitions from and to the states do not end at the entry and exit points but in nowhere...

5

Uml Process / Multiple state machines for semi-independet objects in one diagram

« on: June 25, 2025, 01:27:13 am »

Hi,
I am currently trying to find a solution for the following problem: Essentially I have two (or more) independent classes, respectively objects. In my case that would be a boot loader (BL), whose lifecycle is described by one state machine, and one (or more) application(s) (APP) which are again described by their own state machine(s). They all execute on the same controller, but never at the same time. So either the boot loader executes or one of the applications. I tried to model that with entry and exit points for each of the state machines but are not able to get all this onto one diagram.
I tried to create invocations as states of the two state machines to show that if I exit the BL I enter the APP, and vice versa. I can model the transitions from an exit point on one STM to an entry point on the other STM, but in this way I 'loose' the states of the STMs in the diagram. Only entry and exit point are taken over as structural elements.
Any hints to solve this are welcome.
Martin

6

Suggestions and Requests / Highlighting of Glossary Terms

« on: August 13, 2024, 11:39:21 pm »

Hello,
is there any way to configure Glossary Term highlighting in the Notes window to behave case sensitive? It's a bit annoying if one has terms CAN (Controller Area Network) or OF (Overload Frame) and each and every 'can' or 'of' gets the highlight as well.
Could be a feature request.
Thanks, Martin

7

General Board / Customizing SVG output

« on: December 08, 2022, 10:46:25 pm »

Now that Enterprise Architect has learned how to generate SVG files from diagrams, is there any possibility to customize the SVG output, other then by editing the SVG itself. For example, I like to have a transparent background for the state machine frames, which is easily done by editing the SVG file itself, but customizing a style sheet would be preferred.

A second question: Is there any configuration option at embed HTML links into the SVG file. Again, easily done by editing the xml file, but it would be preferred to add a link from the EA user interface.

Thanks

8

General Board / Re: State machine and entry/do/exit behaviors

« on: October 12, 2022, 10:33:19 pm »

Thanks for the replies.
I must admit I haven't look into the UML spec recently. I remember that in the 'old' days, having had multiple entry or exit actions, that there is no way to define a particular sequence in which the multiple actions would be executed, for the do entry, I just don't remember. Thus, the only possibility would be to reference to an activity in which I can also define the sequence of actions.
Thanks a lot anyway.
Martin

9

General Board / Re: State machine and entry/do/exit behaviors

« on: October 11, 2022, 11:48:27 pm »

Hi there,
related to this, is there any way to add multiple do Behaviors to one state (do first this, then that), or would the only way be selecting an activity? I remember I had seen state machine diagrams somewhere where multiple operations were shown under do, don't remember however if this was in EA or other tools/documents.

Would look something like that:

do /
  callOpA()
  callOpB()

I've seen that I can do something like above when using the Edit Behavior and just type in text strings, however, I have operations defined for my class that is described by my state machine, and would prefer if I could just select them.

Thanks, Martin

10

General Board / Re: Hyperlinks in EA Custom tables

« on: August 17, 2022, 03:05:18 am »

In my notes, I use links only to other elements in my model. As my models attempt to replicate (international) standard documents, they should change to frequently  Anyway, I learned my lessons in around 30 years of HTML that one cannot rely on external links. Still I wouldn't mind to use links within a model as much as possible to simplify navigation.

11

General Board / Re: Hyperlinks in EA Custom tables

« on: August 16, 2022, 06:33:07 am »

Thanks for the feedback. There's one thing that I don't understand however. I can add hyperlinks to element notes, which I heavily use. Are those not directly linked to the element, and not to the diagram where I finally will place the element?
Cheers, Martin

12

General Board / Hyperlinks in EA Custom tables

« on: August 14, 2022, 07:14:48 pm »

Hi all,
I wonder if there is any possibility to add hyperlinks to other model elements to EA custom tables. This might be very useful if one intends to add additional information to table cells.
Greetings,
Martin

13

General Board / Re: EA 16 and .eapx files

« on: April 26, 2022, 07:12:56 pm »

Thanks for all the hints. Given that I have a 32 bit Office package installed, I cannot add the 64 bit Access runtime. So I have to live with the 32 bit version of EA 16 for now on the particular system.
Martin

14

General Board / Re: EA 16 and .eapx files

« on: April 25, 2022, 05:59:18 am »

OK, with the 32 bit installation I can at least open the .eapx files. Will verify next weekend on my desktop, where I thought I could open them also with the 64 bit version.
Thanks, Martin

15

General Board / Re: EA 16 and .eapx files

« on: April 25, 2022, 05:31:19 am »

Hi Henrik,
thanks for the hint. If have to recheck, but I think on one on my Win 10 systems, I still could open an older .eapx file with the 64 bit version. On this system, I have however at 64 MS Office installation, whereas one my notebook, there's only a 32 bit version.
Thanks, Martin