Select Property Dialog?

[Agecoat]

Folks,

This puzzles me for some time now, perhaps some of you know a solution.

The Help File (EA 8, build 863) holds a page about "Select Property Dialog" located in "Modeling Fundamentals | Elements | Select <Item> Dialog | Select Property Dialog".

This page shows an example class diagram in which several classes are connected using Associations, Generalizations, Aggregations, etc.

Below the class diagram, a screen shot of a part of a dialog is displayed in which the resulting hierarchy of the diagram is shown.

Whatever I try, I'm not able to invoke said dialog, in order to select a property like AssociationEnd.

Why should I want that, you'll probably ask?

I have two layers of modeling (semantical versus realisation) which I want to relate in detail.

I have created a profile in which some newly defined stereotypes exist. For a stereotype extending the attribute metaclass, I want to include tagged value to relate to attribute(s) and a tagged value to relate association role(s) in the other layer. That way, I can relate realization layer attributes to semantical definitions.

I'm able to create a tagged value that relates to attribute(s) alright, but I'm not able to create a tagged value that relates to the role of an association (often resulting in an attribute in programming languages).

Unless some of you know what to do to invoke the Select Property Dialog. I am able to select a port though, but that's not good enough.

Also, there is some uncertainty about AssociationEnd versus AssociationRole. The screen shot says AssociationEnd where the metaclass only has AssociationRole.

The omg.org documentation is not very elaborate on this. Some things have changed in UML 2.3 in this area though.

Thx'nAdv.

Regards,
Agecoat

[Geert Bellekens]

I think the Select Item Dialog can only be used to select something which is shown in the project browser.
AssociationEnds are not and therefore cannot be selected using this dialog.

Geert

[Agecoat]

Hi Geert,

Thanks for your response.

But if you're right, can you tell me what is shown in the specific Help Page?

For instance, the example shows a class diagram in which Class7 and Class6 are associated using role names like 'c6inst' and 'c7inst'. These role names are also shown in the dialogs browser part  as 'c7inst:Class7' for Class6 and 'c6inst:Class6' for Class7 using a specific symbol. I believe these to be AssociationEnd's.

Could you please check "Enterprise Architect User Guide | Modeling Fundamentals | Elements | Select <Item> Dialog | Select Property Dialog" and tell me how to create these things within the (model) browser?

Thx'nAdv!

Regards,
Agecoat.

[RoyC]

On the Select Property dialog you can only locate and select AssociationEnds as redefined or subsetted properties that are owned by the selected Class. (These are defined in UML and supported by EA.)

For further clarification please contact Sparx Support.

Geert might want to oblige you, and quite probably will (he's that kind of person) but just remember he is an EA user and not a Sparx employee, and has no responsibility for explaining... well, anything to anyone, really.

[Geert Bellekens]

So basically, they are like attributes with a "redefine" or "subsets" relation to an association end.

Roy is of course right, but I have to admit that I'm not entirely altruistic in trying to answer all the questions here. By doing so I get to learn more about EA, and it helps me in becoming an EA expert, which in its turn helps paying my bills  

Geert

[Agecoat]

Both,

Sorry for being straightforward in asking perhaps more from fellow EA-users than I should.

I value Geert's contributions to the forum to great extend and I can also imagine RoyC to step forward in order to safeguard this valuable source for this forum's future.

The reason I did not post this to Sparx Support is that I believe this to a more architectural matter than a specific EA-matter. Though I use EA for modeling purposes.

Currently I'm involved in creating a setup in which two parties (departments of one company) contribute to the whole (model and realization). There is a separation of ownership between the requirements (semantical) layer and the realization layer. Both levels concern class models. The mantra is for the realization party to follow the specs of the semantical party unless there is reason not to.

The aim is to provide for means to relate from realization to requirements layer in order to illustrate the origin of the realization and provide for a motivation of (technical) choices made. We want this to be specified on attribute level and therefore also on Association Role level.

I've tried a number of constructions.

- PIM/PSM seems to create automatically generated Transformation Dependencies (on Element level only) but other than showing up in the Traceability Window, they won't show up anywhere.
- Cross reference (Element level) works the other way around (you have to state for the referenced element which of the others are referencing this element). This probably result in a versioning issue. Also the "Comment" for such reference seems not persistent
- Tagged values (this subject) seems to work nice (also on Attribute level) and also provide room for motivation. However I can't seem to select a Role of an Association for a the value of tagg(e value). In most coding languages, the Association Role results in an Attribute.

So far none of these constructions satisfies my need.

Perhaps there is a solution I don't know of...

But if RoyC thinks this is Sparx Support material I'd be happy to send in this conversation...

Regards,
Agecoat.

[RoyC]

Yes, what it all boils down to is that you cannot acheive what you want using the Select Property dialog. I don't know how you can acheive it, but perhaps some of my more learned colleagues in Support can advise (if nobody else in the user community can help).

Now that was much shorter and more precise - you can inflict on me any virtual smack in the chops you like for not stating it sooner!