Messages

1

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: ArchiMate Grouping and Alternatives

« on: March 30, 2025, 09:22:52 pm »

After investigating I think I should stay with Grouping, because the grouped elements / components spread over different layers of an application architecture.

Better ideas are still welcome.

2

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / ArchiMate Grouping and Alternatives

« on: March 27, 2025, 08:29:42 pm »

Hi, I am afraid that I asked a similar question before decided for Grouping. But I cannot find it anymore.

Currently I use ArchiMate Grouping to group several independent components that could potentially even run on different computers, so that it can be easier managed in Enterprise Architecture Management (see also https://www.archimetric.com/exploring-composite-elements-in-archimate-unveiling-grouping-and-location). In my case these components are frontend, server, and database. I like Grouping, but I am having trouble to use it with EA. For example, Time Aware Modelling does not support Grouping. So, following alternatives come into my mind:

• Composite Element: for EA, this is Grouping, see https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/17.0/modeling_languages/composite_elements.html
  
• Application Collaboration: a collaboration is as an aggregate. The collaboration has normally aggregation relationships to its aggregated components. The database has been modelled as a system component and does not support aggregation between Collaboration and Database. But that does not really matter. I would leave the relationships away. The Collaboration still “groups” the elements, meaning if I put them inside the component, they are all moved together.
  
• Application Component Stereotyped: an additional element as a stereotype that inherits from Application Component and maybe has no color (like grouping) and a symbol like grouping. Rem.: Application Component supports the same realtionships as Application Collaboration.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches? What do you recommend?

3

Bugs and Issues / Re: Timeaware Modeling TMA - bug in version 17 ?

« on: March 20, 2025, 05:34:35 pm »

Thank you, Viking.
So the issue with V17 is that it is no longer possible to bring cloned elements into the same diagram as their clones using the "Insert Related Elements" option. Conceptually, I can see why that is not desirable. But Practically, I am not that sure. Ultimately, I would like to have a time aware gap modelling diagram, something possibly very similar to what Paolo is referring to.

"Clone Element as New Version" does not create a trace-relationship in version 17 (1). The consequence is also, that "Insert Related Elements" cannot be used, because the trace-relationship is not there (2). So, (1) is the root cause.

4

Bugs and Issues / Re: Timeaware Modeling TMA - bug in version 17 ?

« on: March 20, 2025, 03:36:52 am »

Reading through this, I also have a couple of question:

• When upgrading to V17, what happens to the <<trace>> relationships created by any TMA done in previous version of Sparx EA?
• If these legacy traces are not upgraded, how does V17 identify and present these old TMA traces to users?

Version 17 keeps and shows the trace-relationship. Trace is a stereotype based on Dependency.

5

Bugs and Issues / Timeaware Modeling TMA does not support Grouping

« on: March 20, 2025, 03:29:15 am »

I followed the TMA approach and created a "Clone a New Structure" of a package.

If I right-click on Grouping, “Clone Element as New Version” is enabled, but cannot be executed. Nothing happens.

Regarding ArchiMate, Grouping can aggregate or composes an arbitrary group of concepts, which can be elements and / or relationships of the same or of different types, based on some common characteristic. So, it is an element like the other elements.

I was using version 16, because I learned, that version 17 does not support TMA as before.

6

Bugs and Issues / Re: Timeaware Modeling TMA - bug in version 17 ?

« on: March 19, 2025, 05:13:39 pm »

As my other post for your post, EA now does not create a Trace connector between the TAM objects. At least, I am sure that this is not a bug.

I followed the instructions in the manual.

For the TAM feature, I think this behaviour (we cannot add the TAM objects by the Insert Related Elements feature) is reasonable since the 'same' TAM objects in the different timeframe should not be in the same diagram.

Without that feature, does TAM still make sense at all?

7

Bugs and Issues / Timeaware Modeling TMA - bug in version 17 ?

« on: March 18, 2025, 09:28:53 pm »

Hi,

I created a new package, a new diagram in it, a new element and a second element with a composition-relation between them on the diagram.
I created a clone of the package and changed the version to 2.0. The cloned diagram shows the first and second element with its composition (as expected).
In the cloned diagram, I cloned the original element and changed the version to 2.0.

As a result I expected that the built-in traceability window, "insert Related Elements" and the own traceability diagram show the trace relation.
• works as expected: :
  - in version 16.1.1628 64-bit with qeax.
  - in version 15.2.1560 32-bit with eapx.
• does NOT work as expected in version 17.0.1704 32 bit and 64 bit with MariaDB, qeax, or feap. The built-in traceability window does not show the trace relation. The "insert Related Elements" does not show the trace relation (rem.: the composition is shown).

I verified the steps several times.

8

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Time Aware Modeling - just copying?

« on: March 18, 2025, 07:24:36 pm »

I do not know from when it was changed, but now EA does not create a Trace relationships between the TAM objects.
Maybe it is impossible to create these TAM virtual relationships without using the TAM related features.

Traceability shows "depends on / needed by" and now "replaces / replaced by". "Insert Related Element" showed "Trace" and now "Abstraction". In a own created Traceability-Diagram the relationship is shown as "«trace»". Hopefully I remember this correctly.

Why is this "trace" or "replaced by" a "Virtual Connection"? What is the behavior of a virtual connection? My understanding is, that EA does not support virtual connections.

9

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Time Aware Modeling - just copying?

« on: March 17, 2025, 10:54:51 pm »

Hi,

I tried Time Aware Modeling, but I am not sure if I understood TAM completely.

I reference the tutorial in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o47uZYgSgDE. If I follow the tutorial and clone the package and the element, I get:

• a new package,
• a new diagram,
• a new element,
• a trace-relationship between old and new element, useful for the traceability diagram, and
• the relationships are also copied.

The cloned element is in fact just a new element with a new GUID. But there is nothing what a cannot achieve without “cloning” or following the wizard. I am afraid that I missed something. What is it?

Many thanks in advance, V.

10

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: virtualize connector end - change shape of dublicated element

« on: March 06, 2025, 05:54:04 pm »

EAM-tools normally provide the ability to duplicate elements. For good reasons. EAM diagrams are used for communication, mainly on management level. And a better understandable diagram is better than the "only 1 element on a diagram" restriction. In my case, that I cannot use the Icon Notation and the same representation as the original element, the diagram is confusing and thus useless.

11

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / virtualize connector end - change shape of dublicated element

« on: March 05, 2025, 08:05:31 pm »

Hi, I am using an Archimate "Interface" with "Icon Notation" (hopefully this is the correct name. The command is: right-click > appearance > use rectangle notation, with turns the check off, if the icon is used).

I dublicated this Interface with "virtualize connector end". But the dublicated element is shown as "Rectangle Notation".

Questions are:

• Is there a way to change the appearance (shape) of the dublicated element to Icon Notation or reuse the notation of the orginal one?
• Why is it implemented that way at all and does not just copy the notation of the original element?

12

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Assign Color to Tab

« on: February 07, 2025, 11:49:01 pm »

You can't control the tabpages from EA.

Thanks @Geert

13

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Assign Color to Tab

« on: February 07, 2025, 08:37:03 pm »

Hi,

(1)
can I assign colors via Add-In to Tabs in the TabPages EA uses to show the diagrams?

(2)
can I assign colors to a Custom Tab I insert via Add-In in the TabPages?

I tried this, but it does not work:

var customView1 = new <myUI>();
var tab1 = new TabPage("<myUIName>");
tab1.ForeColor = Color.LightYellow;
tab1.Controls.Add(customView1);
tabControl1.TabPages.Add(tab1);

V.

14

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Extend a Menu

« on: January 30, 2025, 06:14:31 pm »

My question was not precise enough. I did not know that the menu item “Specialize” appears in each context menu. In each of the context menus appear the custom add-in with its name (and not "extensions") as part of "Specialize". The menu of the custom add-in is on demand, it is created by each click. So, the menu could reflect for what it is needed currently for the respective
-   Diagram.
-   Element.
-   Each entry in the Project Browser.
-   Menu bar.
-   Relationship.
-   Something else?

15

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Extend a Menu

« on: January 29, 2025, 06:09:50 pm »

Many thanks, @Eve.