Topics

1

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / How use JavaScript to filter Compartments as part of Diagram Properties?

« on: November 26, 2024, 11:14:29 pm »

Using a JavaScript, I can create a diagram showing the elements I'm interested in.
However, by default, the diagram shows some compartments of the elements resulting in a rather messy diagram with elements of different sized (large) object boxes.

I can make the diagram look nicer using a property of the diagram using "Diagram Properties => Elements => Show Compartments" and then ticking or unticking the desired compartments, e.g. do not tick the Attributes compartment.

Now I would like to know how to set this diagram property using my JavaScript.
Thanks.

2

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Memory leaks in JavaScript

« on: November 11, 2024, 11:56:30 pm »

At the moment, I'm writing a JavaScript to read attributes from a CSV file to add them to table objects.
Running EA v16.1 on a local pc using a local QEA file for development.
Importing the first hundreds is no problem, it takes about 23 sec for the first 500.
The next 500 take already 50 secs while 3500 - 4000 take 14 mins.
Looking at the memory consumption of the EA process shows an increasing use of memory accumulating from 500 MB to 2-3 GB together with a high energy consumption level.

I've already tried some 'tricks' to minimize / optimize the memory usage:

• Release the objects used (e.g. curElement = null;)
• Implement SQL result parsing using string manipulation instead of using an XML COM Object from EAScriptLib
• Generate string for logging instead of using object references
• Release the objects used by the CSV import module from EAScriptLib
• Only show progress for every 500 imports instead of every import row

These 'tricks' have already improved the import of 8000 lines from 4.5 hours to 1 hour but I still think this is too much.
One last option I have is to split the CSV files into smaller chunks, but this still doesn't really solve the issue as it will increase the manual processing load.

Any suggestions on how to tackle this issue?
Maybe a tool to analyse the memory usage of the JavaScript?

3

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / How to parse YAML using JavaScript?

« on: August 28, 2024, 08:57:08 pm »

Would it be possible to parse a YAML file using JavaScript?

I can read the file contents, that's easy.
I know how to parse JSON using the built-in JSON library.
Just wondering whether there is a similar library for YAML?

Alternatively, is there an option to include a Node.js library which is capable of doing what I need?

4

General Board / Filtering elements on diagram?

« on: August 01, 2024, 04:07:17 pm »

In our repository, we have diagrams showing process descriptions using ArchiMate Business Layer elements.
The same diagram also shows how the Business Layer elements are related to Application Layer elements.
I.e. a Business Process is serviced by an Application Service which is realised by an Application Component.
For most of our users, the Business Layer will be sufficient.
Some of our users are interested in both layers.

Would it be possible to have a user (not the creator) of the diagram to filter on the type of elements to be shown in the diagram?
I.e. do not show all elements belonging to the Application Layer. (Or only show elements belonging to the Business Layer).

The brute force option is to duplicate the complete diagram and remove the Application Layer elements.
This however does not have my preference as it will be hard to maintain the diagrams.

5

PCS Frequently Asked Questions / Prolaborate Diagram view scale image to screenwidth?

« on: July 15, 2024, 10:05:16 pm »

Is it possible to have Prolaborate automatically scal the diagram image such that the image will fit on the screen?
I'm aware that for most large diagrams the text might not be readable anymore because the image is scaled down too much.
That's not a problem as long as it is possible to zoom in to the image shown.
I would prefer the all overview for an image rather than make the text always readable.
Preferably, this would be a setting within Prolaborate to enable the option while no others have a problem with the installation as it is now.

Used versions:
+ Prolaborate V5.2.0.71
EA SaaS: V16.1 - Build 1628

6

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Export information to file on Sharepoint or OneDrive

« on: July 10, 2024, 11:00:56 pm »

Using JavaScript I'm writing some code to export information to an excel file.
This works as long as the file is stored in a local file system.
However, the company is moving to MS365 using Teams, Sharepoint and OneDrive.
So now I would like to store the file on Sharepoint.
I cannot find any suggestions on how to do this.
Not even in the example script libs as provided by "JavaScript - CSV" or "JavaScript - XML".
Any help appreciated.

7

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / How to import model information into repository using REST API calls?

« on: June 04, 2024, 08:50:17 pm »

From several sources, I have information on models used in or by that source.
This model information (like elements, connectors, meta-information) is available via one or more REST APIs.
One example of this is PowerBI which opens its model information via the Power BI Scanner REST API (see e.g. https://powerbi.microsoft.com/nl-nl/blog/announcing-new-admin-apis-and-service-principal-authentication-to-make-for-better-tenant-metadata-scanning/).

I managed to find a blog which explained on how to model and generate REST APIs from an EA repository.
I cannot find however a way to use a REST API to import information into an EA repository.

Any suggestions on how to import elements and connectors directly into EA from a REST API?
TIA

8

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / How to use Fetch() for JSON REST API calls?

« on: May 30, 2024, 09:13:15 pm »

Hai, I'm trying to import data in Enterprise Architect using a REST API call.
The REST API returns a nicely formatted JSON string.
In another javascript, I've managed to parse a valid JSON string.
However, when I try to use Fetch() to get the information from an URL, I get an error: "fetch is not defined".
Anyone has an example javascript I can adapt to test the fetch function?
Thanks.

9

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / How to reverse engineer SQL definition file using Database Builder?

« on: May 22, 2024, 04:03:16 pm »

For some projects, we have a SQL definition file.
This is a file similar to the "EASchema_1558_SQLServer.sql" file from the EA download section which can be used to define the SQL Server tables (schema) for a new, empty EA repository.

AFAIK Database Builder is capable to reverse engineer a SQL Server database by connecting to the server directly.
Do we now first need to use the SQL definition file to create a 'dummy' database schema on an other server before it can be analysed using Database Builder?
Or is Database Builder capable of directly interpreting the SQL definition file?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

10

PCS Frequently Asked Questions / Prolaborate Dashboard sorting List View widget?

« on: April 03, 2024, 08:46:23 pm »

In Prolaborate, we can create dashboards showing lots of information of our repository.
One of the options is a List View widget showing information in an Escel like fashion.
It shows elements with attributes in columns. It is possible to filter the elements as one would in Excel.

Is it also possible to sort the elements in this list?

Sorting would be possible when building the list by adding that to the query to generate the list view.
However, I would like to be able to sort it as part of the analysis I would like to perform on this information.
Any suggestions welcome.

11

General Board / EA SaaS Usage Report - Meaning of status Hibernated?

« on: March 14, 2024, 11:22:21 pm »

When using the EA SaaS option in the cloud, we have a management option to view an "EA SaaS Usage Report".
This report shows an overview of who logged on at what time, as might be expected.
It also shows a "Status", in our overview limited to "Active" and "Hibernated".
Next to the column "Session Start Time", it shows "Logout / Disconnect Time".
The latter one is always filled, exept for the most recent sessions of each user.

The question I have is that I can't find the meaning of the status "Hibernated".
Obviously, the sessions without "Logout / Disconnect Time" have status "Active".
But the same status "Active" is shown for sessions disconnected long ago.

Can anyone explain the difference between statuses "Active" and "Hibernated"?

12

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Difference between StrContent or BinContent in t_document table?

« on: February 28, 2024, 06:48:20 pm »

The t_document table contains two columns "StrContent" and "BinContent".
In some rows, e.g. when the table contains information on diagram images, both columns contain information.

Can someone elaborate on the difference between both columns?
Do they contain the same information in different formats?

13

PCS Bugs and Issues / Diagram Image regeneration when only Notes changed

« on: February 22, 2024, 06:30:10 pm »

The EA client has an option "Auto create Diagram Image and Image Map (each time a Diagram is saved)".
This is available via the menu "Settings => Option => Cloud".

With this option set, and a diagram is changed, I have the option to save the new version of the diagram.
Thus leading to a newly generated Diagram Image, i.e. shown in WebEA or Prolaborate.

However, this doesn't work when I have a Notes object on the diagram and the only change is the text shown by this note.
In that situation, the EA client thinks the diagram is not changed and thus no need to save and regenerate the Diagram Image.

Anyone have this same issue? And maybe a workaround, other than forcing the Save Diagram by moving an element or connector?

14

PCS Frequently Asked Questions / Prolaborate Lifecycle Configuration with ArchiMate stereotypes

« on: February 15, 2024, 09:25:29 pm »

Prolaborate has a promising Lifecycle feature (see https://prolaborate.sparxsystems.com/resources/v5/documentation/lifecycle-roadmap).
In that documentation is mentioned as a prerequisite that pre-defined date type tagged values must be included for the required stereotype when defining the modeling language.

Now I have a number of ArchiMate 3.1 WorkPackages containing the information on the projects we are working on.
And I would like to use those default stereotypes for showing a Lifecycle Roadmap.
For that I have defined some date type defined tagged values assigned to the elements but they are not recognised when defining the Lifecycle within Prolaborate.

Is it really necessary to define a custom stereotype for using the Lifecycle feature?

15

General Board / Topic: How to import updated data from external reference model?

« on: January 16, 2024, 10:55:49 pm »

For the business area I'm currently working in, there are some reference models supported by an external party.
About once a year, a new version of the reference model is released.
In the mean time, I have made references from my own elements to elements in the reference model.
Can anyone point me into the direction on how to replace the old version with the new model without losing my own references?

A similar question is asked about two years ago but it didn't get any answer.
See https://sparxsystems.com/forums/smf/index.php/topic,47038.msg274764.html#msg274764.

Thanks!