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71

Bugs and Issues / Re: Moving up/down class attributes does not work?

« Last post by Geert Bellekens on January 21, 2026, 12:23:18 am »

Are you using the features window?

That is where I do it using ctrl-up or ctrl-down

Geert

72

Bugs and Issues / Moving up/down class attributes does not work?

« Last post by ea0425 on January 21, 2026, 12:00:53 am »

EA version 17.1.1713
I want to reorder UML class element attributes. There should be Move Up and Move Down options when the attribute has been selected but there is none and Ctrl+ Up/Down Arrow does nothing. "Sort Features Alphabetically" has been deselected (and the attributes are not in alphabetical order but in the order I created them).
In  the earlier EA versions I have used it was very easy to move the attributes up and down but how do you do it now? Or is this a bug?

73

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Geert Bellekens on January 20, 2026, 06:26:30 pm »

I think the term "composite diagram" is a bit unfortunate as it has connotations that it probably shouldn't have.

When explaining the concept to EA users I often use "linked diagram". I explain to them that this works like a hyperlink. It is the diagram that is opened when doubleclicking on the element.
For me it does not have any other meaning, and it only exists to help us humans navigate the model.

Geert

74

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Eve on January 20, 2026, 11:44:10 am »

• Tool-Specific Features: In tools such as Sparx Enterprise Architect, a “Composite Diagram” is a child diagram nested beneath a parent element.  For example, if you double-click a Class and it opens a sub-diagram, that sub-diagram is called a “composite diagram,” regardless of whether it is a state machine, activity, or structure diagram.

Even the fact that Gemini is using the phrase "Sparx Enterprise Architect" is enough to say that it's pulling from sources that shouldn't be trusted. It's equivalent to "International Business Rhapsody". It may not be hallucinating, but drawing from unreliable sources is just as bad.

Unless this is a hallucination, then a UML Composite Structure Diagram is an EA Composite Diagram; but not vice-versa!

Another problem is that EA sometimes conflates Composition with Nesting (I’ve spoken about the difference many times in the past).  You’ll see Gemini did not make that conflation.  What EA calls a Composite diagram is, in fact, a Nested diagram.

I disagree with both the Gemini interpretation of what a Composite diagram is as well as your assertion that it is actually a Nested Diagram.

The UML Composite Structure Diagram is a particular type of diagram that shows the internal structure of a particular namespace. EA generalizes that to include Composite behavior and allows new types of Composite diagrams to be defined in a profile. Neither requires actually being nested within in the Namespace it is documenting. EA defaults to that behavior but allows the diagram to be in another namespace, while UML doesn't have anything to say on it.

And yes, Gemini did conflate the two terms and you used that conflation to argue your point.

75

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Viking on January 19, 2026, 05:04:36 pm »

Many thanks, Paolo.

There should be at least a possibility to retrieve this information, regardless of the theory behind it.

76

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Paolo F Cantoni on January 19, 2026, 01:46:03 pm »

Would a user care whether it is an owned or an other-referenced diagram?  I think only one of the two can be added to an element.  And both are diagrams.

Or just adding composite to get_element_information?

I asked Google Gemini what the difference was between Composite and Composite Structure Diagrams:
While the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a technical distinction in how they are defined in the UML specification versus how they are used in industry jargon and modelling tools.
1.  The Official Term: Composite Structure Diagram.  The UML Composite Structure Diagram is the formal name for the diagram type introduced in UML 2.0.  It is a structural diagram that lets you “peek inside” a complex classifier (such as a Class or Component) to see how its internal parts work together.

• Focus: It shows the internal structure of a single class or component at runtime.
• Key Elements: It uses Parts, Ports, Connectors, and Collaborations.
• Use Case: You would use this to model how a “Car” class is internally composed of an “Engine”, “Wheels,” and “Transmission,” and how those parts are wired together via specific ports.

2.  The Shorthand: Composite Diagram.  In most conversations, “Composite Diagram” is simply a shorthand for “Composite Structure Diagram.” There is no official diagram type in the UML 2.5 standard named just “Composite Diagram.”
However, there are three common ways this term is used that can confuse:

• Tool-Specific Features: In tools such as Sparx Enterprise Architect, a “Composite Diagram” is a child diagram nested beneath a parent element.  For example, if you double-click a Class and it opens a sub-diagram, that sub-diagram is called a “composite diagram,” regardless of whether it is a state machine, activity, or structure diagram.
• Composition in Class Diagrams: Some beginners use “composite diagram” to describe a standard Class Diagram that heavily uses the Composition relationship (indicated by the solid black diamond line).
• Design Patterns: It is occasionally confused with a diagram illustrating the Composite Design Pattern, which is a specific way of organising objects into tree structures to represent part-whole hierarchies.

So, everybody is confused...

Unless this is a hallucination, then a UML Composite Structure Diagram is an EA Composite Diagram; but not vice-versa!

Another problem is that EA sometimes conflates Composition with Nesting (I’ve spoken about the difference many times in the past).  You’ll see Gemini did not make that conflation.  What EA calls a Composite diagram is, in fact, a Nested diagram.

These days, of course, language isn’t important.  It’s the “vibe” that counts...

HTH,
Paolo

77

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Viking on January 16, 2026, 08:58:56 pm »

Would a user care, if it is an owned or other referenced diagram? I think, only one or the other can be added to an element. And both are diagrams.

Or just adding composite to get_element_information?

78

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Takeshi K on January 16, 2026, 07:47:25 pm »

The 'Composite Diagrams' and 'Composite Structure Diagrams' are terms in the context menu. I don't understand exactly what these terms refer to.

But my current implementation of the MCP is 'owned diagrams', not 'Composite Diagrams' nor 'Composite Structure Diagrams', nor linked diagram. And this 'owned' means that diagrams under the target element in the Browser.

I think that there could be an option to add 'linked diagram' or 'related diagram' to return the  'Composite Diagrams' in the menu item. Anyway, the linked diagram (i.e., the  'Composite Diagrams' in the menu item) is not owned, so I think it is not correct to include the diagram to 'owned diagrams'. Please wait the next release:-)

79

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Viking on January 16, 2026, 05:12:58 pm »

Yes, you are right. We we are "just" using Composite Diagrams only, not Composite Structure Diagrams.

But even my agent is confused about this distinction. Copilot using your mcp says, that "Elements with Composite Diagrams: 0". It does not say "Elements with Composite Structure Diagrams: 0".

Can your mcp be extended to also return Composite Diagrams? This feature is part of Enterprise Architect, that's why it should be also supported by your mcp. Our child diagrams cannot be moved into the structure of the parent diagram, because many parent diagrams are using these Composite Diagrams. Otherwise, this restriction would dominate our complete repository and we could not order it accoring our standards.

80

General Board / Re: MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Enterprise Architect has been released

« Last post by Takeshi K on January 16, 2026, 10:15:44 am »

Hi Takeshi, the command seems to have a bug. 'get_element_information' always returns 'empty' for 'Owned Diagrams'. Goal is to find out the composite diagram / child diagram of elements.

Hi Viking,
I have checked the above issue, but I cannot reproduce it. This means that the MCP returns child diagrams when you create a diagram by 'New Child Diagram' | 'Composite Structure Diagram' from the context menu, or when you add or move a diagram in the Browser window.

However, if you 'link' a diagram from the 'New Child Diagram' |  'Select Composite Diagram' context menu option, the linked diagram is not included in the 'Owned Diagrams' information because it is not owned by an element, just linked.

If you can easily reproduce the issue with the newly created project file, please send me the file. ([email protected])