Messages

1

Suggestions and Requests / Predefined tagged value sort order for stereotypes

« on: September 15, 2010, 02:33:34 am »

LS.

The sort order of the tagged values of a user defined stereotype seems according to the sort order of the attributes in the stereotype definition making up the tagged values of the stereotyped elements.

Unfortunately, there is no strong relation between stereotype definition and usage on this point; tagged value order seems to fluctuate over time and is not consistent for all elements sharing the same stereotype.

For the sake of consistency; please let the order of attributes in the stereotype definition ALWAYS reflect the order of tagged values for existing and newly created elements using that stereotype!

Thx'nAdv.
Agecoat

2

General Board / How to control 'browser hidden' elements

« on: November 11, 2013, 08:47:05 pm »

Hi all,

A quick search in this forum did not produce any answers on  this one, therefor this question:

In the repository, we want elements to be defined only once and used (on diagrams) many times. This also holds true for elements not shown in the project browser like Boundary and Note and perhaps other toolbox items that won't appear in the project browser when instantiated on a diagram.

Now as in any development effort of some magnitude, not only the model content but also the model structure is subject to change over time. In such case, the elements are explicitly moved from the old to the new structure and when applicable, also the diagrams they appear in.

When all its model contents is moved out or deleted, the old model structure is to be removed from the repository as well. But what about the elements created and shown in diagrams that are not shown in the project browser? Where are they located and how is their location to be altered?

A quick test seems to reveal that these 'browser hidden' elements are created in the package of the diagram they are instantiated in. When used in diagrams outside this package (by copy pasting its diagram appearance) we benefit of the single point of definition like for all 'browser visible' elements.

When deleting the package in which the 'browser hidden' element was originally created (being part of the old structure), the element seems to be deleted from the model as well, since all occurances on diagrams in the new structure are gone.

The ALt-G command does not seems to work for boundaries. Though the Properties of such an element reveal an attribute called "Package" stating the package in which the element is created (only shown on diagram occurance other than the package in which created), there is no known way of relocating the element, since it is not shown in the browser.

Question:

Is it possible to show 'browser hidden' elements (like Boundary, Note) in the browser in order manipulate their location in the same way as for 'browser shown' elements? If not possible, in what way can 'browser hidden' elements be managed (relocated)?

Thanx in advance!

Agecoat.

3

General Board / Re: Select Property Dialog?

« on: November 25, 2010, 09:32:39 am »

Both,

Sorry for being straightforward in asking perhaps more from fellow EA-users than I should.

I value Geert's contributions to the forum to great extend and I can also imagine RoyC to step forward in order to safeguard this valuable source for this forum's future.

The reason I did not post this to Sparx Support is that I believe this to a more architectural matter than a specific EA-matter. Though I use EA for modeling purposes.

Currently I'm involved in creating a setup in which two parties (departments of one company) contribute to the whole (model and realization). There is a separation of ownership between the requirements (semantical) layer and the realization layer. Both levels concern class models. The mantra is for the realization party to follow the specs of the semantical party unless there is reason not to.

The aim is to provide for means to relate from realization to requirements layer in order to illustrate the origin of the realization and provide for a motivation of (technical) choices made. We want this to be specified on attribute level and therefore also on Association Role level.

I've tried a number of constructions.

- PIM/PSM seems to create automatically generated Transformation Dependencies (on Element level only) but other than showing up in the Traceability Window, they won't show up anywhere.
- Cross reference (Element level) works the other way around (you have to state for the referenced element which of the others are referencing this element). This probably result in a versioning issue. Also the "Comment" for such reference seems not persistent
- Tagged values (this subject) seems to work nice (also on Attribute level) and also provide room for motivation. However I can't seem to select a Role of an Association for a the value of tagg(e value). In most coding languages, the Association Role results in an Attribute.

So far none of these constructions satisfies my need.

Perhaps there is a solution I don't know of...

But if RoyC thinks this is Sparx Support material I'd be happy to send in this conversation...

Regards,
Agecoat.

4

General Board / Re: Select Property Dialog?

« on: November 23, 2010, 10:01:24 am »

Hi Geert,

Thanks for your response.

But if you're right, can you tell me what is shown in the specific Help Page?

For instance, the example shows a class diagram in which Class7 and Class6 are associated using role names like 'c6inst' and 'c7inst'. These role names are also shown in the dialogs browser part  as 'c7inst:Class7' for Class6 and 'c6inst:Class6' for Class7 using a specific symbol. I believe these to be AssociationEnd's.

Could you please check "Enterprise Architect User Guide | Modeling Fundamentals | Elements | Select <Item> Dialog | Select Property Dialog" and tell me how to create these things within the (model) browser?

Thx'nAdv!

Regards,
Agecoat.

5

General Board / Select Property Dialog?

« on: November 22, 2010, 10:31:46 am »

Folks,

This puzzles me for some time now, perhaps some of you know a solution.

The Help File (EA 8, build 863) holds a page about "Select Property Dialog" located in "Modeling Fundamentals | Elements | Select <Item> Dialog | Select Property Dialog".

This page shows an example class diagram in which several classes are connected using Associations, Generalizations, Aggregations, etc.

Below the class diagram, a screen shot of a part of a dialog is displayed in which the resulting hierarchy of the diagram is shown.

Whatever I try, I'm not able to invoke said dialog, in order to select a property like AssociationEnd.

Why should I want that, you'll probably ask?

I have two layers of modeling (semantical versus realisation) which I want to relate in detail.

I have created a profile in which some newly defined stereotypes exist. For a stereotype extending the attribute metaclass, I want to include tagged value to relate to attribute(s) and a tagged value to relate association role(s) in the other layer. That way, I can relate realization layer attributes to semantical definitions.

I'm able to create a tagged value that relates to attribute(s) alright, but I'm not able to create a tagged value that relates to the role of an association (often resulting in an attribute in programming languages).

Unless some of you know what to do to invoke the Select Property Dialog. I am able to select a port though, but that's not good enough.

Also, there is some uncertainty about AssociationEnd versus AssociationRole. The screen shot says AssociationEnd where the metaclass only has AssociationRole.

The omg.org documentation is not very elaborate on this. Some things have changed in UML 2.3 in this area though.

Thx'nAdv.

Regards,
Agecoat

6

General Board / Re: Video tutorial with Audio

« on: November 22, 2010, 11:02:04 am »

Sobe,

Some of the demo's do have actual spoken audio. The other demo's also have audio, in the form of mouse clicks and key presses.

This is just to make sure to others in your room think you are not just staring to your screen.  

These demo's use text balloons to illustrate things.

I found them useful at the time. So lean back and enjoy, I'd say...

Regards,
Agecoat.

7

General Board / Re: Link attribute to Business Rule

« on: September 28, 2010, 12:07:24 am »

Geert,

Could you be a bit more specific about the constructions?

Although not entirely the same construction, I want to create traces between a realization level element and a semantical level element.

In general:

- I want to free the semantical level from realization details; attributes will have business names.
- I want to be flexible in realization details; atributes will have technical names
- I want to trace realization level to semantical level

In particular:

- A class in semantical level with attributes in it
   - Attributes named according to business
- A class in realization level with attributes in it
   - Attributes named according to particular XML-tag naming convention
- A trace between realization level attribute and semantical level attribute

The problems:

- EA (8.0.858) is not consistent in connecting the attributes with a trace. Often the, selection of element feature results in linking the name of the element itself i.s.o. the specified element attribute
- The element links are very hard to alter; getting the context menu for the right trace seems cumbersome.
- This level of detail seems only a visual aid.

The questions:

- are we talking EA-bug here or is it a feature I don't know of?
- is there another way to alter the element links than by context menu on a trace end?
- how do I get to change the type of a tagged value? Only through stereotyping the element?
- is there a favourable way of doing traceability between said layers and this level of detail?

Thx'nAdv.

Agecoat

8

General Board / Re: UML Profile - Enumeration - Allow Multiple

« on: September 15, 2010, 01:04:08 am »

Mvinca,

I don't think that a enumeration is appropiate for creating a 'multiple select' tagged value.

What you can do is create a tagged value that references one or more attributes of a class.

To do so, within the tool guide you mention;

-------

Preparation

- create a new <<metaclass>> stereotyped "Attribute" element
      - get 'Metaclass' element from 'Profile' toolbox
      - select 'Attribute' element within 'Create New Metaclass' dialog

- create a new <<taggedValue>> stereotyped association from "myStereotype" to "Attribute"
      - select "myStereotype"
      - use the black arrow to draw a line to "Attribute"
      - select 'Tagged Value' in the available stereotypes pop up

- set the target properties of the <<taggedValue>> stereotyped association
      - double click the association line
      - select the 'Target Role' tab within the 'Association Properties' dialog
      - enter the desired tagged value name "myTag" in the 'Attribute Role' field
      - select '*' in the 'Multiplicity' drop down
      - close the dialog

- generate the profile from the <<profile>> stereotyped package

Usage

- create a new <<myStereotype>> stereotyped element
- select the element to view the tagged values for it
- select the tagged value "myTag"
- select the '...' button appearing at the right side of the right tagged value column
- within the appearing "Tagged Values..." dialog, select one or more attributes of the class you want to use for multiple selection

-------

That's it. I do not yet know how to, on meta level, bind the tagged value to attributes of a particular class.

Perhaps this suits you needs. Let me know.

Regards,
Agecoat.

9

Bugs and Issues / Re: Connector Middle labels visibility problem

« on: October 26, 2010, 11:34:40 am »

Hi Paolo,

Thanx. I did.

Five years is a long time, even if not that important. My worry, and perhaps the reason why this is not solved, is the appearant structural/conceptual base problem underneath, like no clear separation between model logic and diagram logic.

The only difference between said relation 'types' is the creation of visual appearance; the reflexive type should be implemented using a 'normal' association in the model and some script like <Ctrl-Q><Ctrl-Q><Ctrl-Q>-sequence in the diagram.

There are more problems with such a structural mixup as root cause.

But let's wait and see.

Edit: Sparx says a feature request is submitted for implementation in a future release.

Regards,
Agecoat.

10

Bugs and Issues / Connector Middle labels visibility problem

« on: October 21, 2010, 09:29:03 pm »

Folks,

I believe the Middle Top and Bottom labels of a connector to be at fault in certain situations.

There seems to be a behavioral difference between a connector pointing from one to another class and a connector pointing from and to the same class. I can't imagine why this should be the case. I think there should be no difference.

For a connector between classes, there is a separation between connector name and connector stereotype:

- Middle Top Label: connector name
- Middle Bottom Label: connector stereotype

For a connector pointing to itself there is no such separation:

- Middle Top Label: concatenation of connector stereotype and connector name
- Middle Bottom Label: not used (at least not for stereotype)

The problem with this is that in diagrams, you can't hide the connector stereotype while showing the connnector name. This applies to connectors pointing to itself only.

I hoped for a workaround in creating a connector between two classes and altering source and destination afterwards but the label behavior seems consistent.

Any clues how to show connector name but hide connector stereotype for connector to itself?

Thx'nAdv.

Regards,
Agecoat.
(using Corporate 8.0.858)

11

Bugs and Issues / Tagged value sets: blessing or curse?

« on: September 29, 2010, 12:52:14 am »

Folks,

Not sure what the answer to this question is right now. Painted myself in a corner I think.

Created a <<profile>> package with a number of stereotypes extending metaclasses like class, attribute and association.

Each stereotype holding a set of attributes that will result in predefined tagged values for stereotyped elements.

Created several 100th of stereotyped elements with predefined tagged value set.

Findings:

Tagged value cannot be renamed in set and reapplied to existing stereotyped elements; no knowledge of previous situation results in new tagged value next to the old one.

Tagged value cannot be retyped (for instance to <memo*>) in a set and reapplied on exiting stereotyped elements; the type of existing tagged values remains unchanged.

No individual type setting possible, the user interface does not provide means for it.

You can reapply stereotype on existing individual stereotyped elements but you will loose all values.

How does one reapply the stereotype on an association?

The tagged value set does not maintain predefined order of appearance as specified in the metaclass extending stereotype. Alterations to the order of appearance cannot be applied to existing stereotyped elements.

Question:

Do I want too much here? Need to revert to modifying EAP-tables by hand? Overlooked something in the User Interface?

Regards,
Agecoat.