Topics

1

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / State Interpreted Simulation: sleep + triggers behaviour

« on: October 10, 2018, 10:27:15 pm »

Hi,

I defined a statemachine diagram to simulate in the interpreted mode.
When I entered a state, a variable value is set e.g. this.waitingTime = 10 and decreased until reaching 0, triggering another state and associated waiting time.

I initially wanted to run a "sleep" function but didn't find anything.
Currently this is a self transition that exits and enters the state with an effect: this.waitingTime--;
There's another outgoing transition when this.waitingTime reaches 0 to move to the next state.
Note: I tried to use operations (Do) with a Behavior code that also decreases the value but it's only executed once.

On one state I want to have a trigger that lets the user leave this state. Unfortunately this trigger is not available when executing the simulation. It seems that the simulation engine does not have time to provide this waiting trigger as it keeps changing the state.

Is there any workaround?

2

Bugs and Issues / State machine manual simulation and substates

« on: October 08, 2018, 11:56:45 pm »

Hi,

I'm reviewing EA state machine simulation functions, starting with the manual simulation.
I noticed that my system state machine didn't let me choose  the next trigger when more than one outgoing transition is defined on a state. I eventually figured out that using a transition out from a state that contains a state machine breaks the manual simulation.
Consider the following:
Initial -> OFF
OFF -> ON via the "on" trigger
ON -> OFF via the "off" trigger
ON has a state machine with STOP, PLAY, PAUSE. I have a 2 transitions from PLAY: Stop and Pause.

The manual simulation only prompts to choose between Stop & Pause to leave the "ON.PLAY" state if I delete the trigger to leave state ON to OFF.

Is there a way round to make this work, or is it a limitation in using the manual simulation?

Note: I found a solution in linking all ON substates to the OFF main state with the same trigger name (end states don't work). It doesn't look as clear as the original diagram but all scenarios work. It's similar to Sparx EA Example called "Nested Traces Example"

3

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / UML Profiles and same name stereotypes on different metaclasses

« on: October 04, 2018, 07:56:13 pm »

Hi,

I want to use let's say "MyType" stereotype on a number of elements e.g. a MyType SysML block and a MyType Part.
When I export the UML Profile, the resulting XML file is missing the parts' stereotypes definitions. It seems like EA doesn't like stereotype duplicates.

As a workaround I can create separate UML Profiles to embed in my MDG, but I was wondering if this is a known issue.

4

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / OnPreDeleteConnector + Reload diagram crashes

« on: September 27, 2018, 06:34:51 pm »

Hi,

With a script, I update an element on a diagram when a connector is deleted. I'd like to reload the diagram to see the changes.
However since the trigger event is caught before deleting the connector, doing this crashes EA.

When creating a new connector it works because the event is OnPostNewConnector.

It would have been nice to have a PostDeleteConnector with the diagram ID and some of the deleted connector's details like its type, stereotype, + source & target object ids so I can refresh the diagram.
The only way round I can think of is to create a fake element to trigger a reload but I don't really like that.

Any comments on addressing this scenario so the user doesn't have to save & reload manually?

5

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / SQL Update on Notes with Carriage Returns

« on: September 21, 2018, 12:53:21 am »

Hi,

I'm getting via  SQL query the t_connectortag.NOTES content that I need to copy to other records via a SQL update. I'm getting issues in the result as the Carriage Returns are not properly maintained.
I have a variable newNotes = node.selectSingleNode("./NOTES").Text that I use in
updateSQL = "update t_connectortag set notes = '"&newNotes&"' ....

Any idea on how to sort this out?

6

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / UML Profile stereotype, tag groups and tag order

« on: September 14, 2018, 01:14:54 am »

Hi,

I have 20 tagged values in a stereotype separated by Tag Groups.
The order you move a tag to a group defines the resulting order in the stereotyped elements.

I found the _tagGroupings attribute on the extended metaclass (Class for instance) with this list as the initial value. So I thought I could edit the order with the ; separated list. Unfortunately this list reverts back to where it was as soon as I open the Profile Helper.

I was wondering if there's an easier way to update the order of the tags under each group.

Thanks

7

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Change a Metaclass default colour via a UML profile?

« on: September 13, 2018, 01:01:43 am »

Hi,

I need to define a default colour via an MDG with a UML profile on my stereotypes + default UML elements: Enumerations & Data types (see UML class toolbox -> Enumeration, Data Type)
The UML Types options makes it possible to define a colour for a stereotyped class e.g. datatype stereotyped class. However it doesn't let me change an Enumeration colour. Furthermore I'd like this to be set in the MDG instead of the EA clients options.

Is there any way to do that?

I hope it makes sense

8

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / MDG Office Excel Import connectors : stereotype tagged values

« on: September 12, 2018, 09:21:43 pm »

Hi,

I use the MDG Integration for Office to import elements and connectors. With a connector profile, I can create an association that is stereotyped with my UML profile e.g. MyProfile::CustomAssociation.
When I map the Excel columns with the stereotyped association tagged values, I get tagged values that are not linked with my stereotype.
-> when opening the connector Tags tab, I see the list of tagged valued with the header "Association" instead of "MyProfile::CustomAssociation"
I tried to set the mapping with my stereotype e.g. CustomAssociation::tag1 but it is ignored.

Is there a way to have connectors tagged values linked with my profile's stereotype? It works fine when I import stereotype elements.

Note: when mapping Excel columns to a stereotyped connector's tagged values, I found that empty cells lead to deleted tagged values so I have to set a "-" to keep all tagged values (seems like a bug)

9

General Board / Stereotyped SysML blocks with Flow Properties and Ports

« on: August 31, 2018, 05:37:14 pm »

Hi,
I created a stereotype on a SysML block to manage blocks that type my system's blocks ports (e.g. have them shown in a chosen colour).
When I create a port on a block, EA doesn't recognize the "port type" stereotyped blocks to set the port's type.

I checked the "port type" stereotyped blocks and they are SysML Blocks with the additional stereotype from my MDG.

I use SysML 1.4 and EA 13.5 build 1352.

Is there a solution to this?

10

Bugs and Issues / Diagram element Align keyboard shortcut don't work

« on: August 21, 2018, 05:39:32 pm »

Hi,

I got a question during an EA training on the Align keyboard shortcuts e.g. Ctrl Alt Left doesn't work as it rotates the screen.
Hence I wonder if these shortcuts actually work (I never used them)

11

Bugs and Issues / SysML Parameter details missing in EA14 + lost details on the Actions

« on: July 12, 2018, 12:16:13 am »

Hi,

I have a SysML activity with mixed parameters that include one of the following :
- Continuous stereotype set with a selected rate under the tagged values
- Stream property set

In EA14, the parameters tab is missing so I cannot access the Stream and other details there -> looks like a bug
In EA13.5, when I create a CallBehavior action that invokes the activity, the action pins matching the parameters are created, yet they're missing full properties like Stream, Continuous, rate, etc.

12

Suggestions and Requests / SysML Activity BDD and Synchronize structural elements

« on: July 11, 2018, 11:58:40 pm »

I created a SysML BDD with SysML Activities with compositions.
You can actually get an example from EA14 Model Pattern > SysML 1.5 > Activity with Actions and Control Flows

Where this pattern has all actions on the activity diagram matching the BDD links and role names, this could be handled via the Synchronize structural elements, similarly to the IBD and BDD behaviour.
EA provides access to the Synchronize command, somehow it attempts to create "parts" instead of actions.
Is there a plan to create/update actions under an activity when composition to other activity elements are found?

For reference, see a post from Tim W here: https://model-based-systems-engineering.com/2012/09/10/hidden-feature-of-sysml-activity-trees/

13

Suggestions and Requests / SysML activity specifics - rate, continuous...

« on: July 11, 2018, 10:06:10 pm »

I'm trying to use SysML activity diagrams specific definitions on action pins.
Except Stream pins that are rendered in Grey, the following is not visible on the diagram:
-continuous or discrete stereotype
-rate (managed as a tagged value linking to an object)
The Feature/Compartment Visibility does not change anything.

When one reads the diagram, such information should be available. Is there any plan to show such details in the future?
At the moment I have to create annotations linked to the rate tag and manually add "continuous" in the action pin name which is not ideal.

Note -> this is related with a message submitted 2 years ago : http://www.sparxsystems.com/forums/smf/index.php/topic,30958.msg224570.html#msg224570

14

Suggestions and Requests / Reuse STM states as State invariants in SD

« on: July 06, 2018, 05:38:16 pm »

Hi,

I'd like to use state invariants on sequence diagrams that are binded with a state from an STM. So if I rename StateA in the STM to StateA2, it will be automatically updated in the sequence diagram.
I need to use the same state several times on the sequence diagram so I don't want to use a State element itself, but rather an "instance" of it.

Is there something to achieve that or does it need to be submitted as a feature request?

15

Bugs and Issues / Copy / paste a port from a block to another

« on: July 05, 2018, 08:12:26 pm »

Working on a diagram, I have a port on a SysML Block that I'd like to copy/paste on another Block.
I select the port from the diagram -> Ctrl + C
I select the target block and press Ctrl + Maj + V

I get the following error: Error: When pasting embedded elements, the parent element must first exist in the same diagram.