SysML IBD block names - the colon prefix

[avi10000]

Hi,
   re: SysML IBD block names - the colon prefix
Is there any way of hiding the colon prefix? (I know it's part of the SysML language.)

I am the modeler and I give diagram outputs to engineers but the engineering staff do not need the colon.
To get UML/SysML accepted by all the engineering staff -- who do not know UML/SysML --  they must see UML/SysML as being never less good than Visio in any area.

Thank
Avi

[wikitect]

Do you mean :: as a Namespace denoting containment - 2 colons or,
 : single colon as an identifier of a usage (instance) of a Block (Class) i.e. 'ccb1:Mains CCB'
or all of them?

[Eve]

To get UML/SysML accepted by all the engineering staff -- who do not know UML/SysML --  they must see UML/SysML as being never less good than Visio in any area.

If all those people want is a pretty diagram then that's your problem.

Teach them what the meaning of the syntax is, maybe an actual course on the topic.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

To get UML/SysML accepted by all the engineering staff -- who do not know UML/SysML --  they must see UML/SysML as being never less good than Visio in any area.

If all those people want is a pretty diagram, then that's your problem.

Teach them what the meaning of the syntax is, maybe an actual course on the topic.

Would that it was that easy...

Most of the time, the "business" doesn't WANT to know.  They have more important things to do than understanding their own business by means of a formal model.  This is especially true when conceptual models are involved.  In my experience over decades, many ^[1]"business" people are (only) concrete thinkers.  Abstraction can be quite difficult for them.  So you have to present models and diagrams in a way that is familiar to them.  If they have to "think", you've lost them.

Paolo

^[1] Obviously, not all! But it initially surprised me how many.  Over the decades, I've grown used to it.

[Geert Bellekens]

So what you are basically saying is:

- I create output in French
- The engineers only speak German

How can I disguise my French as German? (see "Allo Allo" for what happens if you actually try that)

I'm afraid the only options are:

- Teach your engineers French (as suggested by Eve)
- Translate your French into German

The latter will probably require either an own profile with shapescripts that translate UML/SysML into whatever your engineers are expecting, or using a script of some kind to translate your UML/SysML model into the target model engineers kan understand.

Geert

[Paolo F Cantoni]

So what you are basically saying is:

- I create output in French
- The engineers only speak German

How can I disguise my French as German? (see "Allo Allo" for what happens if you actually try that)

I'm afraid the only options are:

- Teach your engineers French (as suggested by Eve)
- Translate your French into German

The latter will probably require either an own profile with shapescripts that translate UML/SysML into whatever your engineers are expecting or using a script of some kind to translate your UML/SysML model into the target model engineers can understand.

Geert

We don't use SysML (hopefully, yet), but we have a similar problem in our repository.
We have complex, structured Normative names (held in the Name property) and more user-friendly names in the Alias property.

Example:
Normative name: Technology [Replication, Database]
Alias: Database Replication Technology

We even have a script that converts the Normative name into the correct Alias - so the modeller doesn't have to do it.

For diagrams for end-users, use the [X] Use Alias if Available to display the user-friendly names, which works well.

I don't know if this can be done with a SysML element.

Paolo

[avi10000]

Hi wikitect,
Thanks for your response.
> Do you mean <SNIP>
I mean the second that you list, i.e., a single colon ( as an identifier of a usage (instance) of a Block (Class) e.g., ':Mains CCB'.

Important: I should have mentioned I am talking about situations of single usage (instance) of a Block (Class), and thus I do not assign a usage name.

Thus, in your example, EA displays ':Mains CCB'. I do not want to see the colon.

And to repeat, my customers must always see UML/SysML as being at least as good as Visio in all areas. (Improved on my earlier phrasing.)

Do you mean :: as a Namespace denoting containment - 2 colons or,
 : single colon as an identifier of a usage (instance) of a Block (Class) i.e. 'ccb1:Mains CCB'
or all of them?

[avi10000]

Hi Paolo,
Thank you for answering "straight".

> We don't use SysML
I guess the same thing would/could occur with UML classes, as somebody  pointed out. Which modeling language are you using?

As you say, would that it was that easy...

 - Avi



 

To get UML/SysML accepted by all the engineering staff -- who do not know UML/SysML --  they must see UML/SysML as being never less good than Visio in any area.

If all those people want is a pretty diagram, then that's your problem.

Teach them what the meaning of the syntax is, maybe an actual course on the topic.

Would that it was that easy...

Most of the time, the "business" doesn't WANT to know.  They have more important things to do than understanding their own business by means of a formal model.  This is especially true when conceptual models are involved.  In my experience over decades, many ^[1]"business" people are (only) concrete thinkers.  Abstraction can be quite difficult for them.  So you have to present models and diagrams in a way that is familiar to them.  If they have to "think", you've lost them.

Paolo

^[1] Obviously, not all! But it initially surprised me how many.  Over the decades, I've grown used to it.

[avi10000]

Hi again wikitect,


Actually I indeed have the same issue if I create Activity Diagram actions by dragging operations (aka functions) that are declared in a block. 

The actions appear with a :: prefix.

So it's sort of "both".

Do you mean :: as a Namespace denoting containment - 2 colons or,
 : single colon as an identifier of a usage (instance) of a Block (Class) i.e. 'ccb1:Mains CCB'
or all of them?

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Paolo,
Thank you for answering "straight".

> We don't use SysML
I guess the same thing would/could occur with UML classes, as somebody pointed out. Which modelling language are you using?

As you say, would that it was that easy...

 - Avi

Hi Avi,
we have built our own modelling technology that can accommodate concepts from as many formal methodologies as we need.  It mostly resembles ArchiMate, but there are a number of differences.  In addition, we have shapescripts that allow for flexible rendering.

Paolo

[avi10000]

> we have built our own modelling technology

Interesting. What have you built it from? I.e., from what bits and pieces? EA bits and pieces, I assume ? A UML profile? Other?

[wivel]

> we have built our own modelling technology

Interesting. What have you built it from? I.e., from what bits and pieces? EA bits and pieces, I assume ? A UML profile? Other?

I think you need to ask yourself if building your own technology is worth the effort, if all you are achieving is getting rid of the colon prefix?

Perhaps education and just accepting that this is how the notation is will be a better way to go.

Henrik