Aggregations, Compositions, and the Toolbox

[Adam]

At my company we dont use the aggregation and composition connectors because they are not implemented correctly according to the UML spec. We use associations and manually set the required association properties, this has raised a few issues in 6.5 and 7.0.

Firstly, since we dont use those (and to prevent myself accidently using them) in 6.5 I was able to remove the buttons for Compose and Aggregate from my toolbox, in 7.0 alas this feature seems no more (unless I cant find it). Can we have it back? the ability to customise these new views.

Second, it would be a great time saver if the Aggregate and Compose buttons were implemented as associations, with the adornments put on automatically. (Ha! then I wouldnt need to remove them from the toolbox) For backwards compatability I suppose this could be a configuration option.

Third, a more minor one, when you show labels in the toolbox, then change diagrams then back (so the toolbox changes) the change doesnt seem to stick, not for relationships anyway.

[thomaskilian]

This definitely get more than one vote from me (if possible). (Ah! I had another shadow user I have to wake up again )

[«Midnight»]

Hi Adam,

AFAIK:

Your observation about aggregations is correct, and has been commented on and discussed at length elsewhere in the forum.

As to your suggestions:

First: This should be around somewhere in 7.0, so keep looking. Hopefully one of the other users or the Sparxians will point it out to us. If it has been lost, we need to issue a bug report (versus a feature request) to restore the ability.

Second: Yes, as per my comment above. Sparx has not as yet moved to resolve this issue.

Third: Issue a bug report to Sparx. You can do so with the Support link at the top of any forum page, then follow the Bug Report link in the left side margin. Or from the EA main menu choose Help | On-line Resources | Bug Report Page. Please post back here if you get a response from Sparx.

David

[KP]

Regarding customizing toolboxes, we have been working on a new "advanced" user guide to cover just such issues. You can find it here: EA Software Developers Kit. Some material has been lifted straight from the EA Users Guide, and will disappear from the User Guide in the coming weeks. The SDK isn't finished yet - specifically, it is missing step-by-step tutorials, so although the information is all there, grokking it might be a challenge initially. Feedback welcome (but support queries may not get immediate response).

[KP]

Second, it would be a great time saver if the Aggregate and Compose buttons were implemented as associations, with the adornments put on automatically.

If you need this, you can write an add-in that implements the EA_OnPostNewConnector function and explicitly change any new aggregations or compositions to associations.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

If you need this, you can write an add-in that implements the EA_OnPostNewConnector function and explicitly change any new aggregations or compositions to associations.

This is clearly understood, Neil.  As far as I can see, the clear message from the user base is why should we have to?  We view it as a defect rectification (with provision for backward compatibility).

Paolo

[glen_kidd]

I've checked EA 7.0 and the user documentation extensively, and I can confirm Adam's first observation that the toolbox can no longer be customised.

There used to be a feature (Perspectives) that was quite prominent in the EA chm, but as of v7.0 it is conspicuously absent, and only a basic section about "project roles" remains   . Additionally, several repository methods (xxxPerspective) have also been deprecated

Please bring it back. It used to be easy to use (being integrated into EA, and all); will the "advanced" user guide describe a similarly trivial process to customise toolboxes and perspectives?