Topic: How to import updated data from external reference model?

[ea0522]

For the business area I'm currently working in, there are some reference models supported by an external party.
About once a year, a new version of the reference model is released.
In the mean time, I have made references from my own elements to elements in the reference model.
Can anyone point me into the direction on how to replace the old version with the new model without losing my own references?

A similar question is asked about two years ago but it didn't get any answer.
See https://sparxsystems.com/forums/smf/index.php/topic,47038.msg274764.html#msg274764.

Thanks!

[Geert Bellekens]

Depends on the format of your external reference model.

If it's an EA xmi file, with the same GUID's as the previous version, you can simply import it and be done.

If not, then you'll have to figure out a way to migrate from one version to another; possibly with the help of a little script.

Geert

[ea0522]

Hai Geert,
Thanks for the quick reply.
However, I don't think it will be that simple.

For both versions I have an ArchiMate file which I can transform to a QEA file. So far so good.
But I'm afraid the GUIDs are different from the last import although I can use an ArchiMate guid to match elements.

Even then, when I just import the new version, what will happen with the elements that are removed from the model?
And what will happen with the diagrams? Could they have the same GUID and thus be replaced with new versions?
Could it be an option to split diagrams and elements?

[Geert Bellekens]

So you'll end up with option two (not an EA xmi file)

That means you'll have to somehow merge the new version with the old one.

A script could:

- Loop elements in the the new version
- Find the equivalent element in the old version
- Replace all references to the old version with the new version (relations, diagrams, ...)

Then you could query your old version for any references that have been left behind.
Those could either be because of rename (A is now AB), or because the element was actually deleted from your reference model.

Geert

[DeBAAT]

Imported the new version next to the previous one and used the Deduplicator functionality of the IDEA addin.
Had to do it in batches because of the large number of elements in the reference model.
And had to do a manual check for those elements that had their name changed...