Messages

46

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Transformation Templates - Can we do this?

« on: October 22, 2018, 06:08:51 pm »

I once used transformation (in similar hopes like you). However, I was not convinced. The transformation used obscure links in t_xref which are not accessible. When re-transforming it does not really synch so you have to create a new transformation. In the end, I dropped it and scripted it to my needs.

q.

Hi q,

I've been "poking, prodding, stretching and twisting" the Schema Composer and the Transformations - trying quickly to find the limits of the "Envelope".  I'm rapidly coming to the same conclusion.  Things appear to be much more fragile than I had hoped after a decade of usage (presumably by other users).  Some of the "issues" I'm finding, I suspect, won't be amenable to a quick fix.

I'll await any input from Schema Composer and Transformation Gurus, but if there's no significant breakthrough overnight, I'll take the route you propose.  That way we can control things better and have a more robust mechanism.

Paolo

47

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Transformation Templates - Can we do this?

« on: October 22, 2018, 06:00:00 pm »

[SNIP]

The Message Composer copies the stereotypes from the source to the subset model.

Then depending on what you wanted to generate you'll have to
- generate it using your own script/add-in
- transform it to a PSM for the technology you are generating to (XML Schema model in case of XSD target) and then use the standard XSD generation tool.

Geert

Hi again Geert,
I just wanted to clarify your usage above with what I saw on the website for EA Message Composer.

As I understand it, the Message Composer is used to create the subset model and then the Schema Composer is used to generate the payloads.  When you mention "standard XSD generation tool" do you mean marking the [X] XML Schema (XSD) checkbox in the Schema Export dialog of the Schema Composer? If that's not the case, what function does the Schema Composer perform?

Paolo

48

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Diagram Pixels by Size t_diagram.cx & cy

« on: October 22, 2018, 03:45:42 pm »

Printing ever since has been black magic since Gutenberg invented it. It just got more black over time.

q.

So is there a standardised value I can use to "signal" an A3 vs A4 page?

Paolo

49

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Transformation Templates - Can we do this?

« on: October 22, 2018, 03:17:30 pm »

Paolo,

I'm not that versed in Transformation templates, but I do have a lot of experience with the Schema Composer.

The way a lot of my clients use it is to first generate a subset model using my add-in EA Message Composer and then generate whatever they need (usually XSD) from that subset model.

The Message Composer copies the stereotypes from the source to the subset model.

Then depending on what you wanted to generate you'll have to
- generate it using you own script/add-in
- transform it to a PSM for the technology you are generating to (XML Schema model in case of XSD target) and then use the standard XSD generation tool.

Geert

Thanks, Geert,

I was hoping to avoid a lot of that complication.  It's not clear to me why the base class has to be an unstereotyped Class.  I NOTE that when I open the transform templates, EA IGNORES the stereotype and just says our MDG items are Classes.

The Message Composer seems very comprehensive and flexible, but we're not quite ready for that.  I was hoping for a simpler approach since, as Maxwell Smart would say: "We're that close!"

Still, the Message Composer is something to keep in our "back pocket".

Is anyone able to assist with the Transform Templates?

Paolo

50

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Transformation Templates - Can we do this?

« on: October 22, 2018, 02:36:14 pm »

We've been experimenting with the Schema Composer to allow us to generate multiple payload forms from one model.

We've established that the source (base) model (from which the payloads are to be generated) HAS to be a SIMPLE Class Model.  We were hoping to be able to use some of our MDG specific items as the source.  However, it seems that as soon as you stereotype the class, the generated output is changed in a significant way!
(If that should NOT be the case can someone let me know?)
So we appear to have that limitation.  So we then said, OK, let's run a transform to allow us to automatically generate the simple class model from our MDG specific items (initially, just strip the stereotype and see what happens).

It's over a decade since I last used model transform templates and as I recall even then they were a bit problematic.

So, before I waste a LOT of time trying to do the impossible. I thought I'd check here.

• Can I create a transform to change one class-based model into a similar class-based model?
• If I just wanted to strip the stereotype from the class to generate the transformed class, what templates should I change?
• We already have payloads defined as XSDs -which we can reverse engineer.  Can we also use this type of transform to transform from the XSD to a Simple Class (or even our MDG based items)?

Paolo

51

Bugs and Issues / Re: EA14: Swimlanes line width not working ?

« on: October 19, 2018, 05:51:30 pm »

[SNIP]

Unfortunately, the Sparx backlog of bug fixes is not published so it is not possible to tell whether a bug has been reported or not, nor any information on a likelihood of a fix anytime soon (although perhaps seeing the backlog of known bugs would be a depressing sight ...)

That's why we "oldies" and "ancients" copy the report here into the forum.   

Paolo

52

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Diagram Pixels by Size t_diagram.cx & cy

« on: October 19, 2018, 05:16:27 pm »

Code: [Select]

[ 16.5,11.5 ] x 96 = [ 1584,1123 ]Although those page sizes are only accurate to one decimal place.

ISO 216 which defines those sizes was updated in 2007, so you could be right. But I expect the page size didn't change.

Thanks,

But why am I getting 1622x1138?  From vague memory, we were using HP printers then and that's where we got the 1600x1100 from (other printers gave different values).  That's why I think it may be driver specific.

Paolo

53

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Diagram Pixels by Size t_diagram.cx & cy

« on: October 19, 2018, 10:45:09 am »

We autogenerate our Neighborhood diagrams.  We settled on a default of A3 Landscape and determined that the cx and cy values were 1600x1100.  It's been thus for almost a decade.

However, in investigating the Persistent Zoom functionality, I found that creating an A3 landscape diagram manually created a 1622x1138 diagram.  That got us wondering, is the value entered into those fields driver related?

Is there any impact of printing a 1600x1100 onto a printer that expects 1622x1138?

Is there a standard value for A3 Landscape that may have changed over the years?

TIA,
Paolo

54

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Can we get to a specific repository item from outside EA (particularly EA-Lite)?

« on: October 19, 2018, 10:27:18 am »

Doesn't WebEA require a separate licence?

It doesn't necessarily cost you more. Last I knew you could get a license for Pro Cloud Express that provides access to WebEA. The only requirement was a minimum of 5 corporate licenses.

The advantage of WebEA over the lite version is that the user doesn't need to install a copy of EA to view it. They can even view it, contribute to discussions and make some changes from a mobile device. Like your idea of the first free heroin shot, WebEA aims to lower the boundary of getting involved even further.

Thanks, Simon,

Do Academic licences count?

Paolo

55

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Where is Persistent Zoom stored?

« on: October 18, 2018, 06:05:04 pm »

FYI It will be stored in the column SCALE in t_diagram table.

Can this be altered?

Yes, you need to access Scale property from the Diagram Class.


HTH
Arshad

Thanks, Arshad, I just figured it out myself.  Its location implies that setting this makes it common for all viewers.

I guess, if there are specific diagrams that need to be set as a specific zoom/Scale level, we need to be able to discourage the users from altering it via the UI.

Paolo

56

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Where is Persistent Zoom stored?

« on: October 18, 2018, 05:17:09 pm »

Anyone know (and is prepared to share) where the Persistent Zoom is stored?  We're experimenting with this and for some diagrams, it looks like we'd need something smaller than 50%.

Can this be altered?

Paolo

57

Bugs and Issues / Re: How to "Publish Diagram as Pattern"?

« on: October 18, 2018, 02:59:30 pm »

What have the CIA drowned another one?

... is that a service they offer ... ? Rate card ?

I think these days you contact the Saudis.

Paolo

58

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Re: Can we get to a specific repository item from outside EA (particularly EA-Lite)?

« on: October 18, 2018, 11:12:15 am »

Quite some time ago someone in the community wrote something that implemented a protocol handler to do that, but there's nothing in EA itself.

Generally, I'd be recommending WebEA for that purpose now,

Doesn't WebEA require a separate licence?

One thing I like about the shortcut file is that you can open an entire ecosystem for a particular view of the repository.

Can something similar be done with WebEA?

Also, as I understand it, if all you want to do is view (as opposed to reviewing) the viewpoints in the repository, EA-Lite provides the richest experience.  We want to provide users with the richest read-only experience (like your first free heroin shot) to get them hooked on the repository to become a full user.

Paolo

59

Bugs and Issues / Re: How to "Publish Diagram as Pattern"?

« on: October 18, 2018, 10:38:30 am »

[SNIP]

The Sparxians need to be stuck into a large corporate for a couple of weeks to learn the difficulties of working in large managed IT environments.  It's not all thongs, budgie smugglers and Fosters.

You might well think that...  I couldn't possibly say that.

BTW: Fosters is essentially an export brand.  Just about nobody drinks Fosters in Oz.
Also, our 2nd Budgie Smuggling PM is now long gone, although he doesn't seem to realise it.

Paolo

60

Automation Interface, Add-Ins and Tools / Can we get to a specific repository item from outside EA (particularly EA-Lite)?

« on: October 17, 2018, 04:28:19 pm »

If we generate an HTML report, we are able to get to specific diagrams from outside the browser by the documented means.

However, we can't do this with EA (whether Full or Lite).  Can anyone confirm that?

We'd like to provide users with the richer EA-Lite experience rather than simple HTML.  But we'd like to be able to provide an external reference (similar to the HTML mechanism).

I guess we could distribute shortcut files, but that seems a bit clumsy and will "pepper" the storage with transient files.

Thoughts?

TIA,
Paolo