Messages

1

General Board / Re: How to setup a RAS (Reusable Asset Service)? [solved]

« on: October 11, 2018, 08:28:57 pm »

This is helpful Shegit. 
It would help even more if you posted further to this thread as you work through the practical use of RAS

2

General Board / Re: Show several instances of the same element on one diagram

« on: September 10, 2018, 06:57:16 pm »

<sigh>  I'll repeat myself.

In ArchiMate the most practical method of modelling can be to model an archetype and then elements that realise the archetype.

Thank you for making the effort, and clarifying what specifically you found strange (I'll forgive the dramatics).
My interpretation of your comment is: even though there are not classes and instances in Archimate, the pattern of using an archetype with elements that realise that archetype can still be used. Hopefully that is the right interpretation, or close to right.

If I have understood your point then I certainly agree that it is a valid modelling pattern and can be used. Whether I have understood your point or not, I'd still assert that pattern isn't appropriate for all scenarios, and not for the specific ones that I have provided (in this thread and others);  and that there are genuine use cases for modelling when the most practical approach is to have the same element visualised on a diagram multiple times.

For a concrete example:
- I have an element, type Archimate Application Component, let's call it "SAP ERP" (in this sense "SAP ERP" is an instance of Application Component, but as stated earlier this is not useful in this context as the archimate meta-types aren't part of the model)
- This element realises (directly or indirectly) a number of Archimate Application Services, Business Processes, Business Services and Capabilities (again this is a different sense, these are not archetypes being realised)
- It so happens that "SAP ERP" realises multiple Capabilities and I wish to illustrate this in a diagram
- I could show "SAP ERP" and all the relevant Capabilities on a diagram with the connectors between them, however there are in fact multiple other Application Components i wish to show on the same view, so lots of arrows all over the place and no insights from the diagram
- Instead I choose to use block style (box in box) diagram of the Capabilities (Capability Map) and overlay all the Application Components on each of the relevant Capabilities they realise
- But I can't because I can only have one "SAP ERP" on the diagram.

Yes, I could create multiple Application Components, one for each of the Capabilities.  I could call each of them "SAP ERP" (or some variant), I could even establish a formal relationship between these and the 'real' "SAP ERP". Then I could place these all on the same diagram.  But these elements genuinely represent the same thing, their sole purpose is to make the diagram work - there is no value having them in the model.

There is a workaround to this provided you are prepared to work bottom up and accept slightly more onerous maintenance and apply some extra structure to the project browser.

The approach is to create an individual capability-app component diagram for each capability and overlay the application components in the way you want on each of these diagrams.  Obviously this will work as you won't be trying to put an element on the same diagram twice. 

Then to present the consolidated diagram that you really want, create another diagram and insert/drag-drop the specific diagrams you've created as diagram frames.  Move them around to get the information where you want it.  This works quite well in my opinion, especially if you use the appearance options to remove the diagram frame borders.  The consolidated diagram then looks pretty much as if you've created it directly.  The consolidated diagram is also dynamic and so updates automatically should any of the lower level individual diagrams be changed. 

3

General Board / Re: Default element size

« on: July 09, 2018, 06:51:13 pm »

A template package is a good approach, but attributes defined there will only affect an element at the time it is created. 

4

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Package Indicator for Baselines

« on: June 18, 2018, 08:02:42 pm »

+1

5

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA14: Archimate shapescript / rendering issues

« on: June 18, 2018, 08:00:30 pm »

Confirmed there is a problem, although I just get a connector with a blank stereotype after using F3, but I don't have a special MDG loaded. 

That "spurious <MDG>::<Stereotype> entry in the local Stereotypes list.  Causing all manner of havoc."  has been an issue for a long time.  Time it was fixed for good.

6

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Diagram Filters stored on Diagram level!

« on: June 13, 2018, 08:03:36 pm »

Am I missing something, since at least v13 I experience the exact opposite - Diagram Filters that anybody creates is available for all others.  The problem I'm having is if Person A creates a Diagram Filter and Person B also uses that Diagram Filter but then modifies it, thus affecting Person A's diagram along with any other diagrams that may be using that Diagram Filter that Person B modified for everybody.

Yes, but if Person A applies a filter to a diagram, only person A sees the rendeing of the diagram with that filter.

7

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA14: Archimate shapescript / rendering issues

« on: June 13, 2018, 07:59:07 pm »

In build 1422

"ArchiMate 3

    - Quicklink behavior updated to set aggregation kind for Aggregation and Composition connectors
    - Connector validation rules updated:
        Specialization, Aggregation and Composition connectors now validate correctly
        Flow and Triggering connectors no longer report as not UML compliant"

8

General Board / "The Lite Edition of Enterprise Architect is still version 13.5"

« on: June 13, 2018, 07:54:39 pm »

Anyone any ideas why EA Lite hasn't been updated even though version 14 of EA has now been released for 6+ weeks?

Could it be that when EA Lite goes to version 14, it implies Sparx thinks that version is stable?

9

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA14: Diagram 'quick filter' contains not always working

« on: June 04, 2018, 09:50:33 pm »

Please report an official bug.

10

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA14: Archimate shapescript / rendering issues

« on: June 04, 2018, 09:48:36 pm »

+1  for getting these things fixed. 

One comment though, the help says "It is not possible to modify or override Shape Scripts for types that are defined in an MDG Technology",  so I don't think "I suspect that some of the above could be fixed with shapescripts" will work.

11

General Board / Re: Archimate requirement aggregation in EA 14

« on: June 04, 2018, 09:40:33 pm »

So I understand there will be a fix for the matter and I'll use your workaround meanwhile.

// Magnus

better to assume there may be a fix.  Also best to raise a formal bug report. 


Sparx has tinkered with Archimate in build 1421 as follows:

"ArchiMate quicklinker and connector validation updated:

- Missing inheritance relationships added to the metamodel[/li][/list]
- Association no longer suggested as relationships to use when creating new elements (Similar to UML Dependencies)
- Serving Relationship updated to allow all behavioral and active structural elements at either end
- Relationships to and from grouping elements added
- Suppressed UML quicklinks including common ones for being shown for ArchiMate elements"

12

General Board / Re: How to set page size in RTF templates (ver 14)

« on: June 04, 2018, 09:34:21 pm »

Sorry not sure,  may be a good idea to consult with support@sparxsystems.com

And let us know the outcome please.

13

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Fix the feature screen

« on: May 30, 2018, 07:13:00 pm »

Please raise this formally with Sparx.

14

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA 14 - Problems with Archimate

« on: May 30, 2018, 07:10:46 pm »

Well, Sparx has tinkered with this in build 1421

"ArchiMate quicklinker and connector validation updated:

    Missing inheritance relationships added to the metamodel
    Association no longer suggested as relationships to use when creating new elements (Similar to UML Dependencies)
    Serving Relationship updated to allow all behavioral and active structural elements at either end
    Relationships to and from grouping elements added
    Suppressed UML quicklinks including common ones for being shown for ArchiMate elements"

15

General Board / Re: EA v14 beta - The new Features window is awkward!

« on: May 25, 2018, 12:28:48 am »

It does make you wonder if Sparx has anyone looking at product usability and user productivity as two closely related goals when making this sort of change to the user interface.