Author Topic: Linking Parent and child Activity diagrams (Read 10513 times)

SamJolly · « **on:** June 17, 2005, 03:59:46 am »

Basic question. How do you link an Activity element from a parent Activity diagram to a child activity diagram so that when you click on the parent element the child diagram opens up. The child process is really is adecomposition of the master activity.

I am using EA5

Thanks,

Sam

SamJolly · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2005, 04:34:32 am »

Is it through the use of a 'SubActivity' element?

Sam

Paolo F Cantoni · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2005, 05:39:57 am »

Right click on the activity, Advanced settings | Set as composite element. This (misnamed option) actually will create a diagram if one doesn't already exist and when you double click on the activity, it will open the first diagram found under that element.

Not quite the most effective functionality, but for your purposes should be fine.

HTH,

Paolo

SamJolly · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2005, 08:29:31 am »

How can you see/modify the linkage for a subActivity. I would expect to see the child diagram link in 'Properties', but it is not there. The only way to find the child diagram is to click on the parent element, but obviously not change it.

I have found that I can determine the child diagram by dragging a child diagram onto a parent diagram which prompts EA to ask me whether I need a hyperlink which I choose. However this is 'up the tree' , not down.

So I am after how to speficy the child diagram if one exists already.

Thanks for your help. Greatly appreciated.

Sam

Paolo F Cantoni · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2005, 03:36:29 pm »

Sam,

This is the reason I said it was "not quite effective functionality". There is NO (I think - because I personally gave up on this until the Sparxians fix it - more experienced people may - gleefully will correct me) formal method through the UI of linking the child diagram to the parent element except via the mechanism I said.

Since the child already exists, move it (temporarily) under the parent element and make the parent composite. It should open the child diagram. If it opens a blank diagram, delete the blank and leave the existing under the element. Now you can get there via the element. Now move the child diagram back. It should still be "connected".

HTH,
Paolo

Egbert · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2005, 08:00:58 pm »

Hi Guys,

Thanks for this discussion - you helped me to work around quite a frustrating limitation. Currently I follow these steps to link an existing diagram to an activity

1. Drop a Subactivity elemnt on my current diagram I'm working with
2. Delete the empty diagram under the activity in the Project View
3. Drag and drop the existing diagram on to the activity in the Project View
4. Right click on the activity in the working diagram and choose the "Composite Element" option on the Advance Settings menu
5. Do that again - it now reads "Set as Composite Element"

Now, when double clicking on the activity, it will open up the diagram - linked!

Cheers

Egbert

Paolo F Cantoni · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2005, 12:56:21 am »

Glad to have been of help...

Now what you really wanted to be able to do was....

Right-Click on the Activity - select Link to Diagram - select Subordinate diagram from list... (filtered by type)

Paolo

SamJolly · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2005, 01:38:56 am »

Thanks for the comments.

I have developed 2 linked questions.

a) How do you go back. Currently I put an isolated subactivity hyperlink which points to the parent diagram. The problem with this is that each time you do it, it creates a fresh element in project view. So I have about 8 'Overview' elements now which are all links back to the 'Overview' parent diagram from 8 seperate child diagrams.

b) Is it possible for EA to highlight the relevant element in Project view when you click on it in the Diagram. Currently I cannot do this, and you are left to find the relevant element in Project View manually, which can be a pain especially when you have more than one of the same name. Obviously under the bonnet there is some unique numbering mechanism, but not in the UI.

Thanks,

Sam

thomaskilian · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2005, 01:55:56 am »

If have only an answer to b) Ctrl-G jumps to the browser location of the selected element.

SamJolly · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2005, 02:12:35 am »

Thanks, I think you meant ALT-G

Sam

SamJolly · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2005, 02:56:22 am »

With regard to b) can one hightlight the diagram as opposed to ALT-G for the element, and how would you do this.

Thanks,

Sam

thomaskilian · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2005, 03:04:55 am »

Ctrl-U shows the usage. Double click one of the entries and you are in the diagram.

SamJolly · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2005, 03:17:30 am »

Thanks, but while I can get the usage to come up, I cannot get the related diagram to select/highlight in the project browser.

Thanks again,

Sam

mbc · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2005, 03:55:05 am »

There is no keyboard shortcut, but there is a menu item in the Diagram menu: Locate in Browser.

Mikkel

SamJolly · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2005, 04:06:16 am »

Mikkel,

Thanks for this. Shame about the lack of a short cut.

Sam

Sparx Systems Forum

News: