Topics

1

General Board / Using DataBase Builder with MS Dataverse repository (any success doing so ?)

« on: July 09, 2025, 12:00:22 am »

Hi all,

We would like Enterprise Architect to connect to an external database in a MS Dataverse repository and explore the Dataverse DB using the Database Builder or some other Enterprise Architect tool.

Is it possible ?
Does anyone had any success in doing so ?

2

General Board / Availability of the french version of Enterprise Architect 17.1

« on: June 07, 2025, 07:19:04 am »

HI,
Is there any target date for the availability of the French version of Enterprise Architect 17.1
Thank you

3

General Board / Modeling using BPMN 2.0 in EA is much slower that modeling in UML or ArchiMate

« on: March 09, 2024, 06:48:01 am »

Hi,
Why modeling using BPMN 2.0 notation in Enterprise Architect is much slower that modeling in UML or ArchiMate?
Most of the time, while modeling a process in BPMN and using the quick connector to add a sequence flow and a new Activity connected to an existing activity (or other BPMN element) takes so many seconds (> 6) whereas it is much faster doing so in UML or other notation.
Are there some testing or debugging code still lurking inside Enterprise Architect v16.1.1627 (64 bits) for the BPMN notation?
It is much slower than UML or ArchiMate.

4

General Board / Enhancing the Virtual Connector feature in EA

« on: November 17, 2023, 10:09:07 am »

Hi forum, on behalf of my organization, I am posting a feature proposal to see if there are interest in such a functionality and or other ideas you may see valuable in this context. The feature is about enhancing or replacing the not so user friendly “Virtual connector” trick.

We have encountered a challenge in the current version of Enterprise Architect (as of November 2023): there is no direct functionality that allows for the multiple visual representation of a class (or element) within the same diagram (except for the virtual connector trick). Such functionality would be crucial for simplifying diagrams where central classes are connected to many others, creating a visually complex network of links that can reduce clarity and hinder understanding.

I propose the addition of a feature that would enable users to create multiple visual representations of a class within the same diagram. These multiple representations would act as alternate views of the same element and would not be treated as distinct elements within the model. The primary aim here is to enhance diagram readability and the traceability of class/element relationships without altering the integrity of the underlying data model (or any other types of models or diagrams).

Ideally, each representation of the same element on a diagram could also have it own set of visual properties (color, font, size, visible compartments, etc.).
It also means that we can select each occurrence individually on the diagram. Whereas this is not possible with the current implementation of the not so friendly virtual connector trick. And may be a set of ctrl keys combined with the element selection click could select all representations of the same element on the diagram.

Adding a new relationship to one of those visual representations element on the diagram will add the connector to the real elements but the new link will only appear between the two element representations at both ends of the new relationship (source and target elements).

We have now to think about what will happen on other diagrams where the same elements are present.
There are 2 cases:

1. There are no multiple representations of the corresponding elements
As usual, the link is visually added on the diagram between the elements accordingly to the connector’s properties of the diagram: Show Relationships, Freeze Visible

2. There are multiple representations of the corresponding elements on the diagram
The link is added between only one of the multiple representations producing the shortest path or the path that cross the least number of relationships. 
With the additional possibility to manually reassign the link to another representation element if desired.


In order to maintain clarity with these multiple representations, we suggest an intuitive labeling system: if a class, let's say "Class A", is represented 3 times on the same diagram, the occurrences could be labeled as "Class A ^(1/3)", "Class A ^(2/3)", and "Class A ^(3/3)" respectively. This would indicate that they are visual copies and would show the total number of instances displayed in the diagram.

This approach ensures that users can quickly discern that these are not different and unique classes but different representations of the same class, thereby maintaining model integrity while improving understandability.

What do you think of this proposition ?
Should I send a feature request to Sparx ?

5

General Board / Having Process Guidance from Model Wizard in a MDG Technology

« on: July 19, 2022, 06:31:13 am »

Hi all,

There was a post long time ago asking for guidance for integrating guidance diagram in a MDG technology that could be accessed from tab "Process Guidance" of the Model Wizard.
At that time (EA v14.x), the answer was "It is not possible yet".

Now with EA v16 (or v15), is it possible to integrate guidance diagrams in a MDG technology that could be accessed from tab "Process Guidance" of the Model Wizard.
How, is it done?  I have seen nothing in the EA v16 documentation related to that for MDG technology.

If not possible, what is the best alternative to do something similar?
I am thinking of including the Process Guidance Diagram within the “Create Diagram” in the Model wizard.
Any better solution or advice?

Thanks

6

General Board / HTML Report adaptation

« on: July 29, 2015, 08:12:00 am »

HI all,

Is there a way to change the look and content of the HTML report generated by Enterprise Architect?

I would like to simplify the property page that is displayed when I click on an element in a diagram.  
I would like to limit the number of properties that are displayed.
Ideally, I would like something similar to the property dialog with the general properties displayed first (name, note, alias, keywords, …) and may be some tabs to get to the other properties.

Thanks

7

General Board / MDG Integ. for MS-Office requires Visual Studio

« on: June 03, 2015, 12:21:15 am »

Hi,
While trying to install the MDG Integration for MS-Office for evaluation, I get the following error message:
The Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime is not installed.  Please download and install from  … a suggested URL …

Is this normal?
This requirement was not listed with the systems requirements for the product.

Thanks

8

General Board / Simple report EA Packages hiearchy

« on: May 14, 2015, 05:19:08 am »

Hi everyone,

I need some help. I had some success defining templates to generate documents, some simple ones, some more complexes. I understand the basic of Master documents and Virtual documents, but for some reason I am not able to do a very simple report.

I am trying to generate a document that presents the hierarchy of packages structure from a subset of an EA project.  I do not need anything more that the Packages Names and Notes in a hierarchical structure. My model structure may have up to 10 levels deep but all I need are packages from the first 3 levels but not all of them, only those that have a specific keyword, say "MainStructure".

I just need something like this:

Package 1 name
    the package 1 notes
    Package 1.1 name
        the package 1.1 notes
    Package 1.2 name
        the package 1.2 notes
       Package 1.2.1 name
            the package 1.2.1 notes
    Package 1.3 name
        the package 1.3 notes
Package 2 name
    the package 2 notes
Package 3 name
    the package 3 notes
    Package 3.1 name
        the package 3.1 notes
...etc...

Ideally, the Package names are Table of content entries (TOC) with the proper level of indentation.
I can easily have all the packages hierarchy down to level 10 but I was never successful in restricting the list of packages included in the report with a selection criterion on the keywords properties. In the report definition I can specify selection criteria on ELEMENTS but I can’t do the same for PACKAGES.
Any ideas.