MDG installation

[Guillaume]

Hi,

I'm defining for a client an MDG that includes a UML profile, custom searches, and a model template (model wizard).
I'm getting 2 XML files: the MDG and the model template XMI export. I found that the latter must be copied to C:\Program Files (x86)\Sparx Systems\EA\ModelPatterns so it can be picked up.

As a result, it appears more suitable to provide this MDG via a Windows Installation file. I noticed that some MDG are available with an installation file (e.g. CORBA from Sparx). Is there any documentation on this on Sparx or anywhere else?

thanks

[Uffe]

Hi Guillaume,


I think that the location attribute of the Model tag that you specify in the MTS file can be an absolute path. It's only if it's relative that EA prepends it with {InstallDir}\ModelPatterns (meaning that if you only specify a file name, that's where EA will look for it).

If this holds true, you can specify the same directory where you deploy your MDG Technologies (or some subdirectory thereof).

So I'd look into that before going to WiX, but if you do take that route it should be pretty straightforward. I wouldn't drop my stuff into the EA installation directory, but creating your own is easily done, and if you want to get really fancy you can add it to HKCU\Software\Sparx Systems\EA400\EA\OPTIONS\MDGTechnologyPathList.

HTH,


/Uffe

[Guillaume]

Hi Uffe,

I confirm that an absolute path provides an alternative to the ModelPatterns EA folder.
I played with WiX before for my addin so I'll create a new installation project if I need to provide an installation file.

Thanks
Guillaume

[Glassboy]

I always distribute the MDG and the associated models into the same directory to keep it simple.

[qwerty]

Just want to pop up this one too. WHERE IS THE DOCUMENTATION OF THAT RTF-STUFF?

q.

[Geert Bellekens]

here: https://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.1/modeling/model_templates2.html it says:

If you want your template to have supporting documentation displayed in the right-hand panel of the Model Wizard, create a .rtf file containing this documentation in the same directory location as the XML file. The .rtf file should also have the same filename as the XML file. You could also create the .rtf file within a Document Artifact element in the model, and then export the file (the 'Document-Edit > File > Save as (Export to File)' ribbon option) to the location of the Pattern XML file. This keeps the documentation within your development model.

Geert

[qwerty]

Thanks, Geert. In that case the documentation is wrong since it does NOT show the rtf in the wizard preview.

A word to the documenter "should also have the same filename" does not seem to make sense. Is this a recommendation? Shouldn't that be "must"? Just asking.

q.

[PeteEA]

Same filename means without the extension. E.g. if the wizard pattern is ABC.xml then the RTF description needs to be ABC.rtf. It's probably also a MUST - how otherwise would EA know which RTF to associate with with pattern XML, in the absence of any means to specify?

My experience is that the RTF also had to be in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Sparx Systems\EA\ModelPatterns folder along with the pattern XML file, otherwise the RTF doesn't get displayed. The RTF file doesn't get displayed if the XML and RTF file are located using an absolute path - this is obviously a bug as the XML pattern can be accessed from an absolute path and a shame as it makes it harder to share as individual users need to put the file within their installation directory and repeat that each time changes are released.

[qwerty]

I just sent a support request to Sparx. Will let you know what the outcome will be.

q.

P.S. I tried putting the patterns in the EA program folder but it does not show the rtf. Well, I'll wait what will come. Hope dies at last. It's already in the state of coma, so I would not be astonished if it won't survive.

[qwerty]

As I expected:

Unfortunately it is currently only possible to display an RTF file in the Model Wizard when the XMI and RTF files are both in the default location (i.e. under the EA installation folder in Program Files). We consider this a bug and will fix it for a future release.

The issue has been confirmed and will be investigated further by our development team. The reference number for this issue is 20064987.

q.