Generalised (non-UML) drawing

[Geoffrey_Phipps]

We recently bought EA and are really thrilled with it, but there is one feature we would really like to see: general drawing. We don't want to have to buy a copy of visio or similar for every developer just because there are non-UML diagrams we need to draw. Obviously EA has a genral drawing tool within it, but I can't find a diagram type where I can just draw lines and boxes and stuff.  Having a single drawing tool would be very powerful for us.

[Barry_Pearce]

?!?!
I hope this never happens - sparx focus should be on engineering solutions not drawing tools - if you dont like microsofts prices then try Dia for diagrams - its open source and free, and for graphics editing try GIMP.
Hope this helps.

[angel-o-sphere]

Well,

there are other case systems supporting general drawing: ArgoUML / Gentleware Posidon or MagigDraw for instance.

General drawing is oftne needed ... but I agree thatits not needed to transform EA into that. However a way to make slides from a set of diagrams, that would be usefull!! Now we have to export diagrams and import those into a slide tool like PowerPoint.

For the original question: Try using stereotypes and register .EMF or .WMF files for them.

You can configure EA to use for a certain type (class or usecase etc.) a defined meta file graphic in case you attach a certain stereotype to that type.

I for instance have exported some graphic images from PowerPoint as EMF Files and registered those in EA. Actors of stereotype <<database>> are now drawn in use case diagrams in the typical cylindric way.

Objects of stereotype <<file>> are drawn as paper sheets with one easels ear.

Hope that helps,
  angel'o'sphere

[Geoffrey_Phipps]

Thanks, I'll try going down the path of creating my own stereotypes and using those.  I was just wanted to be able to draw lines and boxes without going through a lot of start up cost, but it looks like I have to do it. And it beats having two drawing tools (whether I pay for the second one or not).