Open Element List for nominated Package

[David OD]

We have a need to be able to have a link from a diagram to an element list.  However I can't see how to achieve this in the manner in which I want to use it.
 
Say I have a package that I am interested in.  The package can contain sub-packages, and both the parent and child packages contain elements, some of which themselves have embedded or child elements.
 
If I use the "Show Element List" menu option on the package, I get a great list that gives me the option to see the hierarchical structure of the package.  This is perfect.  However I can't work out how to create a hyperlink (or any other form of diagram element) that opens a specific package this way.
 
I can create a hyperlink that will open a diagram for that package, and I can set the diagram to automatically show as an element list.  However that approach doesn't provide the hierarchical view of the packages and elements, and hence doesn't provide the end user with the functionality we need.

I can see a whole bunch of options under the hyperlink, but none that meets our needs.  
 
Keep in mind I am effectively trying to create a diagram (or series of diagrams) as a user-facing directory of the content of the underlying model.  In many cases, diagrams of packages are unnecessary - we just need them to edit the content of those packages.
 
We are currently using 7.5.850.  We plan to update to v8, but are waiting for things to stabilise a bit before doing so.

If anyone has any idea how to do something like this, I would be very grateful.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi David,

I can't find the Show Element List menu option.

It would seem you don't mean the <browser context menu>|View Package as List menu option.

Can you show me where the menu item is?

Paolo

[David OD]

Paolo

If I right-click on a package in the Project Browser, the menu contains an item "Show Element List" a bit over half-way down.  I am running 7.5.850 (I'm not brave enough to run v8 just yet in production!).  

[Paolo F Cantoni]

In 855 that's missing... In the third section down there's View Package as List which, presumably, is the replacement (unless it's there on 850 - which I no longer have "on-line").

So if I understand your problem:  The hyperlink option doesn't work because the target diagram is "static".

The View Package as List option is dynamic and therefore can't be linked to.

Sort of a "Catch 22"...

Paolo

[David OD]

Okay, the terminology must have changed, because I don't have that option on 850.

You are correct when you describe it that way.  Also the static diagram view doesn't show the hierarchy - all elements within the diagram show at the "same level".

There is a third option I didn't mention earlier.  When creating a hyperlink, there is an option for "EA ommand", one of which is to display a package as an element list - so far so good.  But you can't specify the package in the hyperlink - it just shows whatever package is selected in the Proejct Browser.  

As you can see, all the functionality is available, but not in the combination I require - unless I am missing something (which I really hope is the case).

[Paolo F Cantoni]

On my 855 the View Package as List only shows the elements in the current package.  Any elements in child packages are NOT visible in the list.

I think this may be another casualty of the change in the collection behaviour mentioned elsewhere...  See: Package.Elements doesn't return all element

There doesn't seem to be any option to change that behaviour.

Paolo

[David OD]

Strange - there used to be a number of toolbar buttons on the Element List window.  I must download 855 to my notebook and have a look.  It woudl be a shame if these features have disappeared.

[Eve]

The toolbar buttons are still there and they still work for me at least.

[David OD]

Simon

That's good to hear!  

Do you have any suggestions on the issue I am trying to solve?  It is quite a conundrum from my point of view.  If I got a solution, it would make things work much easier for the users!

[Nizam Mohamed]

In 8.0 a couple of features were added to the Element List.. but it still holds all those toolbar buttons and functionality,

Element List can now be opened to show contents of root package.
Element List in non-recursive list of packages will now allow double click to navigate into child packages.

[David OD]

Hi Nizam

Sounds good (and yet more reasons to move to v8).  But can we open an element list for a package from a hyperlink, not just from the context menu?

[KP]

But can we open an element list for a package from a hyperlink, not just from the context menu?

Looks like it's almost possible but not quite. One of the 12 different types of hyperlink is "EA Command", and one of the 50 or more commands available is "ViewElementList" - this will open the element list for whatever item is selected in the project browser (in other words it does exactly what the context menu command does), but I don't think it's possible to automagically pre-select an item.

[David OD]

Damn!  That's what I thought.  Glad to know I didn't miss something obvious, but boy, I would have loved to have been wrong!

That EA Command would be absolutely perfect if it allowed you to specify a package!

My idea of providing a diagram that allowed the user to select from a directory of packages and have that package open as an element list appears to have died!  Any other ideas folks?

[Paolo F Cantoni]

The toolbar buttons are still there and they still work for me at least.

The buttons are there for me, but the hierarchy ones are disabled...  

Oh... Got it now... If you are looking at a diagram in list mode, they are disabled

If you look at the package as an element list they are enabled...

I would have expected that they would behave the same way???  Since they look pretty identical to me.

Paolo

[Paolo F Cantoni]

[size=18]...[/size]
Element List in non-recursive list of packages will now allow double click to navigate into child packages.

Hi Nizam,

How does one go back up the list?

Paolo