Messages

1

Suggestions and Requests / Re: UAF MDG Request

« on: December 19, 2024, 08:32:14 pm »

This is a useful response, thank you.  Having some sight of the roadmap, not of the tools development specifically, but of its support for changes such as standards is really key.

The point about KerML isnt really about hopes - it is about options as an architect.  Business modeller tools will have issues trying to adapt, as well as visually biased tool vendors as notations move towards textual biased systems.  To be honest, in analysis and governance, we rarely look at the diagrams anyway - running queries and reports against the model is usually a better option, as that is where the monsters lie.  EA is pretty good at enabling this of course.  That is the underlying concern as we dont want to 'throw the baby out with the bath water'.

If we get comms on where things are going (the OMG roadmaps etc let us know where we may require to prepare for change - essential in multinational, multi-partner efforts with less flexible tools than EA is).  we know that a couple of vendors are planning (for example) SysML v2 support in 2025, so we can plan against that notion.  Not looking for hard and fast drop dead dates, just something like a developer coffee pot or water cooler set of comms.  If that is already available, please do point us at it.

2

Suggestions and Requests / Re: UAF MDG Request

« on: December 12, 2024, 08:18:52 pm »

This is becoming a problem.  Although we can create an MDG from the standard (NATO did this for NAFv4 I believe) it is problematic as there is no guarantee that other teams, orgs, etc will follow the same rules (compliance, compatibility, etc) and do not put their own juice into the patterns/stereotypes etc.  Not unless you are a NATO and as such can dictate or mandate use of a particular freely available MDG (or third party paid at worst).

With SysML going to V2, and UML, BPMN and UAF rolling into the same KerML basis, there is a real and growing movement towards tools that do support these up-to-date and changing standards, which 'traditionally' Sparx doesn't speak on, until a grand reveal.  Personally I have been in the position twice this year of including tools in recommendations to clients that would ordinarily not be there, and having to point out this shortcoming in standards support within the Sparx eco-system

its a real shame.

3

Suggestions and Requests / Re: UAF MDG Request

« on: May 17, 2024, 04:25:28 pm »

We are seeing support for standards slipping within the tooling - principally amongst the MDG elements.  UAF 1.2 is out, SysML is 1.6/1.7 with v2 in Beta, TOGAF is at V10, and so forth.  is there a published strategy for uplifting the support for these standards?  Having to do more and  more work in tools other than EA and as a consequence, having to direct clients to other tools for these capabilities, is a shame.
Things will be even more of an issue with the move of sysml (and soon uml and bpmn) to a KerML based representation, so I guess I am asking - should i/we 'keep the faith', or cut and run?

4

General Board / Re: Archimate 3.2?

« on: April 26, 2023, 05:28:26 pm »

Archimate 3.2 was released in October last year, when do we expect to see that available in EA?

Still not seeing 3.2 on the platform.  This is becoming an issue for where I work as we have a multi-organisational structure with users of Archi and BizzDesign who are working at 3.2, however when we import to sparx, we lose a bit.

Any advice on when this is roadmapped to be delivered?

5

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / System Requirements/supported on for MDG for Office

« on: April 20, 2022, 07:07:06 pm »

Even though the MDG for office has been 'updated' recently, the systems requirements do not go much beyond Server 2008.  Can Sparx update the sys reqs and testing to state whether it is supported on (in my particular case we are using RDSH onto a Server 2019 environment) modern platforms?

6

PCS Bugs and Issues / WebEA relationship matrix not showing ArchiMate Realise connections in the grid

« on: April 08, 2021, 05:23:43 pm »

It is known (and may well be related) that the expression of MDG models including ArchiMate are not properly described through WebEA, which appears to revert to the base element that has been profiled/stereotyped as part of the MDG.  One of our principal problems however is that creating a relationship matrix profile in the EA client showing say capability realizing another capability will cause the app to generate the requisite image for webEA to show the axes, but will not create the arrows in the grid.  It works for other relationships that we have looked at (association being the simplest).

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?  Is there a workaround/fix?

Raising it as a bug in the appropriate place also.

7

PCS Suggestions and Requests / WebEA access to model Glossary

« on: May 15, 2020, 08:27:53 pm »

There is no mechanism at present to expose the Glossary through webEA as it is presented inside the full tool.  The context based browser also reduces the chance that there is a glossary package at the top level which can be accessed wherever in the models context the user happens to be.
It is suggested that one of two things is looked at (there will be other and probably better ideas, I am sure):

• Create a 'button' that shows the glossary on the web page - tabbed for initial letters, rather than a huge list
• Some web development done to allow the same tool-tipping revelation of glossary linked words on mouse over or hyperlinking to a glossary entry definition

I imagine that it will already be in a backlog somewhere, however we are looking at publishing architecture to a wide audience with a mixed degree of capability, so simpler (in their view) is better.

Regards
A

8

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA 15.0 - No Dynamic Document tab in Document window

« on: May 13, 2020, 05:38:55 pm »

This had me scratching my head as well.  The current version of the user guide still describes the previous route to find DD's.  That will have to be changed clearly.

9

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: New Archimate Standard (3.1) published and Generally MDG Update Processes

« on: November 06, 2019, 08:47:50 pm »

Geert,

  I expected much of what you say, however the point I am getting at is that the change is not on the actual EA client, but rather on one of the MDG plugins.  If the new installer is the only vehicle for these plugins to be updated (when they are largely separate [admittedly they have to be assured to work]) then the cadence of delivery and close adherence to standards (which is a great point in Sparx favour) is diminished.

Sadly I don't know the internal structures and working practices of Sparx, so I don't know if the MDG work is carried on in parallel, feeds into the main EA deployment streams etc.  Hence the question.

While I am immediately interested in the Archimate case, the general approach is of wider interest I think for the whole community.

Apologies if I have missed any previous post outlining this.

kind regards.

10

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / New Archimate Standard (3.1) published and Generally MDG Update Processes

« on: November 06, 2019, 06:36:47 pm »

All,
 As you will be aware, 5th November 2019 saw the release of the Archimate 3.1 Standard.  There are a couple of relationship changes and the introduction of a new element in the Strategy Layer -the View Point.  All well and good.  Bearing in mind that most of the MDG plugins are bundled into the same installer now, I have a couple of questions:

• Why is the new Archimate plugin not available yet for EA?  It has been HOURS for crying out loud
• What is the process for getting it in the future - a download of the plugin to replace what is already in the install path, a full download of a new EA version/release, etc?
• Who is responsible for creating the new version of this or any other addin that is shipped with the install binaries?

Of course I realise that this will take some time to address - there are other things happening, the correct team/supplier has to be engaged, do the work, deliver, pass QA, be scheduled for integration, etc etc.  Is there a commonly deployed pattern to deal with this sort of activity, as I am sure it comes up a fair amount, with the number of standards that EA conforms or complies with?

p.s.  If it does require a new EA release, please, please, please try to resist the attraction of changing the menus again!  Nothing more embarrassing when trying to extol the virtues of the application to new users in a new environment when I cant find the commands because it is a newer or older installation.  You guys are crazy

11

PCS General Board / WebConfig sees most recent SQL drivers as '(old)'

« on: May 02, 2019, 03:50:41 pm »

in the process of migrating our services and when recreating the database connection managers, I get SSL errors when trying to use the ODBC for SQL Server drivers (most recent possible, with SQL Server 2017 SSMS on a SQL Server 2016 Std platform).  I can use the native SQL client to set up the connection, however when I try to save the manager settings, i get an invalid connection string error.  I can manually change the string then to the old style SQLOLEDB and it lets me save (and doesn't flag as '(old)').

Can anyone explain what is happening under the hood?  I am at a loss really.  Ideally we would use the webconfig client (less logging onto the servers themselves), however this behaviour seems a bit inconsistent.

any ideas appreciated.

12

PCS Bugs and Issues / Re: Prolaborate diagrams opening and then navigating back to previous image

« on: May 01, 2019, 04:02:04 pm »

that would do it:)

I will get the upgrade installed as part of our server move.

as always, very many thanks!

kind regards

13

PCS Bugs and Issues / Prolaborate diagrams opening and then navigating back to previous image

« on: April 30, 2019, 06:32:42 pm »

Clumsy title, however...

we have Prolaborate looking at various models and in all of the repositories when we click on a diagram navigation element to open the diagram it references, the system does a fetch, opens the requested diagram, pauses for a couple of seconds, then reloads the previous (launching) diagram.  This happens in Firefox and Chrome, but not on MS Edge.  IE of course doesn't play well at all.

Has anyone else come across this, and if so is there a simple fix, rather than bugging the support team with a ticket .

Did you solve the Prolab diagram bouncing, and if so, how?

regards

14

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Generating a Document fragment targeted at a specific diagram in the model

« 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

15

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Generating a Document fragment targeted at a specific diagram in the model

« 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!