Heading Levels and List Numbering

[Paul W]

I'm getting confused over what is happening in my RTF documents with Heading level numbering.

First off I want to start from a number other than 1, and I want level 2 to start at 1 not 0, can't seem to work out how to do this.

Secondly, if I have nested packages and the document has the package name as the Heading it automatically increments the Heading level, however it does not use the next level formatting, how do I correct this?

[Eve]

[split] [link=http://www.sparxsystems.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1211980532][splithere][/link][splithere_end]

[Dermot]

Hello Paul,

I would suggest you have a look at the whitepaper on RTF report generation - see the section on "Numbering" - see: "user definable numbering".  The paper is available from:
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/resources/whitepapers/index.html

Regarding the second point - I am not sure I understand what you are referring to with next level formating?

[Paul W]

Basic structure is

Package1
    Package 1a
         Diagram
         Element

The RTF report has a Pacakge Name as HL1 with numbering, Element as HL with numbering.
Child packages are set to be reported.

Package 1 shows as HL1, level 1 numbering
Package 2 shows as HL2 with formatting, level 2 numbering
Element shows as HL3 with HL2 formatting and level 3 numbering???


Sorry about the misplacing but could have sworn the title for the section included RTF reporting

[Dermot]

Hello Paul,
I would suggest  you send in a copy of the RTF template and the output generated to the sparxsupport email.  I would reccomend you generate it from the EAExample.eap model - so that it can be re-produced on our end.

[Damo]

Paul

Just to let you know you are not on your own.  I have tried on many occasions to figure out why the numbering for level 2 starts, n.0, or why the formatting of level 2 or 3 is not the same as I've specified in the template.  Usualy blue and in new times roman even after I've gone through everything single item and changed to black and ariel.

I'm now experimenting with editing in word and copying and pasting back into the RTF generator but just when I think I'm getting somewhere, it does another crazy reformat.

As for the RTF generator whitepaper, then I'm afraid I've given up on it.  You get close, but it doesn't work like the whitepaper suggests, similar to the master and virtual document RTF help.  After being an advocate for so long of EA, and having just intorduced it to yet another company, I'm starting to get slightly disheartened.  It is generally the poor document management that is letting it down.

Can somebody please provide a good resource to help with RTF generation?  Or suggest a method of bypassing it, i.e. using Word and copy and paste back in?

Thanks

Damian

[Ian Mitchell]

For what it's worth, I'd like to echo everything in these posts: I'm a massive EA fan, for >5 years, and with R7.1 I was hoping that the documentation problem had been fixed. I'm suffering exactly the same problems as the author: getting EA to produce acceptable-quality output is still impossible, without a copy/paste into Word, then manual re-formatting. The whitepaper is hard work, and not very helpful. Like the other contributors, I'm trying to get my large organisation to use EA, and I know the doc problem will put them right off. C'mon chaps: you have the best CASE tool on the planet: fix this, and world domination awaits!

[Dermot]

In terms of clarifying the numbering:

User defined numbering can be set up using the menu items under Edit | List and Overrides.

With RTF reporting there is a general need to set the List Numbering format for the different levels of indentation in a generated document.
For example:
1. Package level 1
    1.1 Package level 2 (child package)
      1.1.1 Element Level 1
        1.1.1.1 Element (child element)

To do this a numbering “List” must be set up and a set of “List Overrides” defined for this “List”. The List overrides also need to have the 1.0.0.0 initial setting on the formatting altered to 1.1.1.  These Numbering Lists can then be applied using Paragraph Numbering to the Headings set for Packages and Elements.

The steps to do this are as follows:

To create a specific list numbering, perform the following steps.
1)      Select Edit | List Overrides | Create List item.
•      Define the name of a new listing in the List Name field i.e MyList.
•      Select OK.

2)      Create the List Override using: Edit | List Overrides | Create List Override.
•      Select the List to Override just created (MyList).
•      Press OK.
3)      To set the Style of each level you need to set the List Level Properties for each level using Edit | List and Overrides | Edit List Level.
To set the first level numbering (used in the Package Section):
1)      From the List Override drop-down, select the List Item just created (i.e. MyList).
2)      Set the level numbering :
a.      List Level:             1
b.      Number Text:      ~1~.
3)      Select OK to save changes.

To set the second level numbering (MyList):
1)      In List Level  - Set this to: 2 (maybe for nested Packages or Elements)
2)      Set the Start At:  change from 0 to 1 (change from 1.0 to 1.1 formatting)
3)      Select OK to save changes.

Do this for level 3, Level 4  etc. to cover adjusted headings.

Note: As the heading fonts are incremented for nested packages, if a 1.1.1 starter is required rather than 1.0.0, then the: List Levels properties | Start At - needs to be set for or all list levels.

To use the new numbering created:
1.      In the Content window select the text to be numbered
package >
 Package: {Pkg.Name}
element >

2.      Set the font heading level

The newly created numbering should then be accessible under Paragraph | List Numbering.
•      Select the new numbering (i.e. List MyList, Override# 001)
•      Set your level to 1.
•      Select OK to set your numbering

3.      Select the Element section:
element >
 Element {Element.Name}.
child elements >
< child elements
< element

4.      Set the Heading style (i.e. Heading 2) :
5.      Set the numbering to MyList - Level 2 - using:
                  Paragraph | List Numbering.
                Select OK

Let me know if this covers what you are asking.
I will get this added to the help file.

[Oliver F.]

In terms of clarifying the numbering:

User defined numbering can be set up using the menu items under Edit | List and Overrides.

I believe the most  confusing part here is the fact that one *has* to create an override (which is a construct derived from the RTF terminology). Even MS Office does not care about list overrides (at least not visibly).
From a users perspective this is an artificial step which has never been explained, especially not why one has to do so. I still have to see the reason for this. In most cases it should be sufficient to have one or more numbering schemes of which I just modify the depth settings and then apply it to the heading.

BTW, build 830 fixes a numbering issue which was rather annoying and often lead to apply the wrong heading after notes (eg. 1.1.1.1 after 1.1, etc.)

Oliver

[Paul W]

Ok it works when I go through the List Numbering editing, and I can get it to at least start at the right number. Now I've got to get the merge with Word working better

I come from a background of using Rational Tools and I think I prefer the way that SODA works. It's basically a programmed wrap around Word that embeds the model fields directly into the word document, none of this messing around with link, bookmarks separate RTF document generation just to be able to update the master document.

[Oliver F.]

I come from a background of using Rational Tools and I think I prefer the way that SODA works. It's basically a programmed wrap around Word that embeds the model fields directly into the word document

You can do that by using bookmarks in EA and import the bookmarked sections into the RTF document.
However this requires to have generated the document as RTF before.
So the basic steps are:
Initial (once):
Create a master document in Word/OpenOffice once and let it comply to your styleguides.
Then generate the RTF document. After that you will be able to import the bookmarked sections from your model as references (list numbering is a bit strange sometimes, though). As a result you are set for daily usage.

Daily usage: Change something in the model, regenerate the model RTF document. Having used references for the sections in Word it is sufficient to just update the document fields in Word to be up to date.

This is of course not that convenient as SODA but it comes a bit closer.

Oliver

[Damo]

A similar problem, just as annoying as the many others with regards RTF generation; I've added a Gloassry to the end of my template with a style heading 1, which I've fixed the font, numbering and everything else discussed so far in the topic.

It all looks fine until I generate the output and the Glossary, which should be at heading 1, drops to heading 2 and I've tried all sorts of combinations of moving things around.

Got a fix for this one?

[Paul W]

OK, thought I'd post this regarding my exploits:

I have created a Master document in Word with all the styles set correctly.
In order to get the right information from EA in the (almost) right formatting I have created 'section' documents in EA. The Master document has the HL1 for the section, the RTF documents start at HL2.
However in order to get the correct numbering consistently I have turned off numbering in the RTF template.
Secondly on those documents where I want a package reported but it consists of just sub-packages I need to set the 'skip root' option within the document template (Edit template->File->Document options).

You can limit the depth of nested sub-packages by using the Heading Level override, there is very little documentation of how this works so this is what I've found.
If the highest level (sub)package is say HL2 and you have sub-packages to HL5, when override is set to HL2 all packages and sub-packages will report at HL2. If the override is set to HL3 then you will get HL2 level and all others at HL3 etc etc.

This is why the override is set at HL9.


Hope this is of use. Do we need a section on How To's:?

[«Midnight»]

OK, thought I'd post this regarding my exploits:
...
Hope this is of use. Do we need a section on How To's:?

Thanks Paul,

Sharing experience like this helps a great deal.

As to the How To section, we certainly do. Right along with the FAQ list. These two things have been often requested over the years. I think the old guard is simply getting tired of doing so, since there's been no response (even a refusal).

Sigh...

David

[DanG83616]

I am getting off topic but How To would be great and I would contribute. I'm not an expert and it is likely any How To I post will get edited significantly. That would be awesome!

I also wish for a sort of repository of goodies. There are lots of customizations that can be made and shared.

Back on topic... The white paper didn't help me much either. I've had the best luck with cut and paste. I check out the master document, highlight the entire section I'm updating and paste in the new generated content. I choose match destination formatting. As long as I have a mapping from styles in my RTF to Word, it works pretty well. I think I'll stick with that crude process.

Dan