Options / Links / Default Link Style

[neinc]

Dear support team,

why isn't it possible to select other default link styles than "Direct", "Routed" or "Custom" in "Options / Links / Default Style"?

We mostly use the Link Style "Orthogonal - Square" and thus have to change the style of any link during modeling - which is really annoying.

Best regards
Christian

[Geert Bellekens]

Christian,

I support your question.

Please make sure you also send in a feature request. Posting in this forum will only inform the other users.

Geert

PS. As a temporary workaround you could use a script to set your own defaults: Configure your own default line styles in Enterprise Architect with EA-Matic
If you don't want to use EA-Matic you can change the script to work on a diagram instead.

[qwerty]

IIRC this is already on skiwi's wish list (since many, many years).

q.

[neinc]

Sometimes, it seems to me that Sparx focusses on developing new features instead of completing the basic functions - like this one.
Of course: from the marketing view it sounds better to announce a new diagram type "Roadmap-Diagram" instead of a feature like "All available link types can now be selected as default". But I am not sure if this will always be the right strategy. One day EA will have a huge set of of features - but no consistent user experience any more. I am worried a little bit...  :-(

Christian

[qwerty]

Exactly.

q.

[Geert Bellekens]

One day EA will have a huge set of of features - but no consistent user experience any more.

One day Today

Geert

[skiwi]

IIRC this is already on skiwi's wish list (since many, many years)

Not sure I can claim credit for this, its a feature request that has appeared more than once
How to set default connector style
Default connector style
Set Default Line Style and Tree Routing
Project Template Package: Connector Line Style
Connector Alignment
and there may be issues
Orthogonal Square and Linked to element
Perhaps it will be in 12.1 where diagramming has had some attention!

[skiwi]

Not in 12.1, disappointing consider that diagrams have been given some attention.

[rty]

Sometimes, it seems to me that Sparx focusses on developing new features instead of completing the basic functions - like this one.

Of course: from the marketing view it sounds better to announce a new diagram type "Roadmap-Diagram" [...]

Right. That appears to be the traditional life cycle. About a decade ago, EA was the not too known but most awesome UML modelling tool around. That was apparently recognized by people who wanted to use it and therefor bought it (like me). That's nice, but at some point, the user base stops increasing at the desired rate. If business people take over, they do not want to maintain the current user base, but unveil new realms, bringing lots of new users. Therefor, new and sometimes weird features must be added, just to address this new community. Reapeat this until the product is big and clumsy. If it is clumsy enough, the user base starts to watch out for a new young and awesome tool.

Seen that several times. A pity. Maybe it's inevitable if not developing open source software?

I feel increasingly embarrassed when I introduce new users into the oddities of the EA user interface.

[qwerty]

Speaking right out of my mouth, rty.

q.

[Glassboy]

You guys and your frills.  I'd just like the basic bugs with editing links fixed! (where did that arrow head go?)

You should all rage quit announcing you're going to visual paradigm :-)

[skiwi]

Good things come to those who wait.
This has been added in v17