Hyperlinked Model Elements

[robH]

I've already requested this a while back directly to Sparx but thought I'd post it here as I got no feedback before.

I put quite a lot textual description against elements in my models. Often the text refers to other model elements.

I'd like a feature that I can drag a model element onto a textual description and a hyperlink to the element is automatically created. The name of the link is the name of the element and can automatically be updated if the referenced model element changes.

[Bruno.Cossi]

Hi,

you can do much the same within EA already. Dragging and dropping an element onto a diagram (not onto an element) can create a hyperlink.

Hope this helps,
Bruno

I've already requested this a while back directly to Sparx but thought I'd post it here as I got no feedback before.

I put quite a lot textual description against elements in my models. Often the text refers to other model elements.

I'd like a feature that I can drag a model element onto a textual description and a hyperlink to the element is automatically created. The name of the link is the name of the element and can automatically be updated if the referenced model element changes.

[alexander]

I think he wants to create hiperlinks in the text section of elements, right?
Not the same effect as having a link to the element in the diagram...

[robH]

Thats right Alexander - I want to be able to put hyperlinks into the text. I find that diagrams are fine but, I still end up with quite a bit of text in the notes field for elements and often they refer to other model elements. Instead of having to manually enter the text adding a link to the other model element removes the chance for error (unless I select the wrong model element) and also give a nice link to the other model element so when you're reading the text you can automatically traverse to the element.

[sargasso]

This would be fantastic, but I wonder about the maintenance cost?  For example, include a interface method hyperlink in a note in an object.  Now change the inteface definition.  EA would have to search all text everywhere for a hyperlink to that method for a possible update?

Alternate suggestion - already implemented, albeit not intutive - use the Related Elements functionality.

hth
bruce

[Paolo F Cantoni]

This would be fantastic, but I wonder about the maintenance cost?  For example, include a interface method hyperlink in a note in an object.  Now change the interface definition.  EA would have to search all text everywhere for a hyperlink to that method for a possible update?

Alternate suggestion - already implemented, albeit not intuitive - use the Related Elements functionality.

hth
Bruce

Yes, indeed Bruce, the maintenance effort is "enormous" but it's there none the less, its just we humans who need to do it...

Since it's a well defined problem (essentially, hyperlinking to a bookmark and retrieving some aspect thereof) it's eminently suited to automation.  

MS Word seems to do it very well...  I currently have a Word document generated out of a Rose model that contains all the necessary hyperlinks and works fine.  The automation, developed locally, scans the texts and if it locates a text fragment that corresponds to a model element name, generates the appropriate hyperlink.

Maybe Fred could consider this as a suitable candidate for his Toolbox?

Paolo

[alexander]

I think this is closely related to the issue of having RTF text in element notes. This would allow hiperlinks, formatted text, objects inside the text, and so on...