Diagram/Toolbox Profile - Using Diagram to Define!

[wikitect]

The current mechanism for defining a diagram/toolbox profiles is clunky and not really linked to the use of diagrams for definition.

For example, defining the toolbox profile ought to be done my dropping the profile objects onto the toolbox profile that are to be displayed. The current method of defining attributes with the name of the profile element(s) risks error and there isn't any linkage in the model between the toolbox profile definition and the profile elements.

Similarly the linking the diagram type to the toolbox profile to be displayed should be able to be done by making a link between the toolboxPage element and the diagram element on the diagram.

Creating a profile is fraught enough with potential errors and a lot could be done through the UI to eliminate these.

[SpoonsJTD]

Very timely post. I am currently considering the creation of a 'UML Profile Profile' that would define stereotypes for creating a UML profile, then through the use of an add-in, generate an mdg XML file from a package creating using that profile. At some point, I'd be able to dog food the process. If Sparx has any plans to do something similar, though, I'd love to know about it, because my initial experimentation with this task is proving it to be non-trivial.

[wikitect]

Thanks!

I do feel as though I'm struggling on my own in an area where not many folks have done this sort of thing.

I've still not managed to get a toolbox profile to show and can't see what the problem is

Code: [Select]

<UIToolboxes><UMLProfile profiletype="uml2">
                  <Documentation id="D498131C-2" name="TRAK Toolbox - Definition" version="1.0" alias="TRAK Common" notes="Common elements for TRAK Diagrams"/>
                  <Content>
                        <Stereotypes>
                              <Stereotype name="tb_TRAKCommon" alias="TRAK Common Elements" notes="defines a toolbox palette for objects common to many TRAK diagram types i.e.&#xA;&lt;ul&gt;&#xA;      &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Requirement&lt;/b&gt; - can be attached to any object via&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;      &lt;li&gt;&lt;i&gt;traces to&lt;/i&gt; - relationship&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;      &lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Concern&lt;/b&gt; - a concern about the architecture - can be connected to any object via&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;      &lt;li&gt;&lt;i&gt;has concern about&lt;/i&gt; - relationship&lt;/li&gt;&#xA;&lt;/ul&gt;" bgcolor="16764159" fontcolor="-1" bordercolor="-1" borderwidth="1" hideicon="0">
                                    <AppliesTo>
                                          <Apply type="ToolboxPage"/>
                                    </AppliesTo>
                                    <TaggedValues>
                                          <Tag name="TRAK::ArchitecturalConcern(UML::Class)" type="string" description="Used to an architectural concern" unit="" values="" default="Concern"/>
                                          <Tag name="TRAK::Document(UML::Artefact)" type="string" description="Represents a document (an artefact)" unit="" values="" default="Document"/>
                                          <Tag name="TRAK::Requirement(UML::Requirement)" type="string" description="Used to represent an an atomic requirement" unit="" values="" default="Requirement"/>
                                          <Tag name="TRAK::concernAbout(UML::Dependency)" type="string" description="Used to establish a link between a (architecture) concern and any other object in the model." unit="" values="" default="concern about"/>
                                          <Tag name="TRAK::tracesTo(UML::Trace)" type="string" description="Used to establish a link between a Requirement or Document object and any other object in the model." unit="" values="" default="traces to"/>
                                    </TaggedValues>
                              </Stereotype>
                        </Stereotypes>
                        <TaggedValueTypes/>
                  </Content>
            </UMLProfile>
      </UIToolboxes>
Any pointers gratefully received!!

And if you have a pointer about how to cause a Quicklinker profile to be generated ... the online help seemed to stop short at this point

[KP]

The only thing that leaps out is that you have spelt "Artifact" the British way (UML uses American English).

So, quick check: you have a technology file that includes your toolbox profile, you have imported the technology using the "Settings > MDG Technologies" command NOT by loading it into the Resources tree, you click on the "More Tools" button in the toolbox and you don't see your toolbox?


EDIT: And (UML::Trace) needs to be (UML::TraceLink)

[wikitect]

It was the manner of loading the MDG Technology that did it. Thanks.

The incorrectly named classes doesn't stop it loading only produces objects with <<>> stereotype icons rather than the desired object type ones.

I still find it confusing / inconsistent wrt different naming of classes between the UML profile metaclasses and those used for the toolbox profile.