Hi again,
there are few things I don't like with this feature. The feature I would like to have the more is described in the third point solution. But the other points are good to solve too...
The first point is related to the fact that EA seems to remember only one directory location, regardless of the operation performed to get this directory.
- I look for a directory to generate my RTF report. I generate a report under "Reports".
- Then I want to open a source file for generating a sequence diagram and set breakpoints. EA proposes me to look in "Reports". Ok... I navigate to "Source Code".
- Then I want to export a package to XMI. EA proposes me "Source Code". boring... !
solution 1 : things could be better if EA could remember more than one directory depending on the context. It's not really related with the sequence diagram feature but it would be nice.
Solution 2 : the point is that I would prefer a lot that EA could find by itself the appropriate source file using the project browser. It's possible since when one link a package to a external Visual Studio C# project for example, EA is able to open the appropriate source file inside Visual Studio. But this is useless since EA does not recognize breakpoints in Visual Studio. What I want is EA to open the source file inside EA so that I can set break points ! Because if I use the "open source file" feature EA will bring me to a "Report" or "XMI" directory or what else !
Solution 3 : let EA open the files in Visual Studio but use breakpoints inside Visual Studio and not EA.
The second point is related to the fact it's not possible to choose the depth of the capture. Using record breakpoints is good but most of the time useless because too much calls are recorded. The alternate solution is to use step through, in or over by hand but it can be really boring and a long task to perform.
solution : if one could set the depth of calls on a record break point it would be great.
The third point is related to the fact that EA does not remember it has already captured a sequence for the same call. If it would, it would be able to arrange sequence diagrams using diagram references and it would be great to get more usefull diagrams and easier to read. Because doing it by hand is really boring, especially because EA does not link it's sequences fragment with the calls made inside.
solution : once a sequence is captured, during the diagram layout, for each call encountered in the sequence EA would check for diagrams already sequenced for this call, and would propose us to render a diagram reference to the previously recorded call or to let it render in the new diagram.
Ok, The trouble is that sometimes for the same call the sequence is not the same, depending on the logic and parameters values. But EA would know that, of course, and would compare the sequence achieved on the existing diagram to the sequence already recorded. If it would match, EA would do nothing more than asking us to include a reference to it or not, but if it wouldn't, EA would ask us if we want to generate a separate sequence diagram for this call before including a reference to it in the current diagram being recorded.
