Advanced Features - Guidance - Documents, Diagram Generation, Sequence

[Tim Twe]

Hi Guys,

I've been using Sparx for a good 15 years now but I'm needing to scale a few items.  I've never used prolaborate so I may need guidance.

1. I need to generate block diagrams showing capabilities and their composition from business services, business functions, etc, and ideally get these projected into a defined pattern.  My understanding is that other tools like LeanIX and BOCgroups tools can do this.  I'd prefer to use Sparx.

2. I want to have scripts generate sequence diagrams using a common script/input format for other tools.

3.1. I need to store documentation and catalog vendor roadmaps, generally 10 PDFs or 10 PPTX files.  Ideally they're cataloged and stored in the DB or synchronized to sharepoint.

3.2. I need to manage and organize interface specifications.  Ideally the documents themselves provided from vendors.


How do you achieve these? Do you use other tools?  I'll log these as feature requests for Sparx.

Thanks,

[Geert Bellekens]

I think most of your requirements can be met with docuement generation templates.

For the parts that can't you can write some scripts.

Generally Sparx will not be implementing customer specific requests. I'm guessing they'll point you to these features that you can use to build it yourself.

For the license price difference between those other tools and Sparx, you can afford a whole lot of specialized consulting to build the templates and scripts for you.

Geert

[Tim Twe]

Thanks but that is still a bit awkward and as I expected considering my current understanding.

1. Reporting is not really my approach to diagram generation.  I would want to select some sort of classification scheme/model/pattern which gets it projected over a view/model doing a a hierarchy search based on connectors and composition.  Then use the result set to populate a a block diagram based on the initial pattern.  Then sort/layout the block diagram.  E.g. I want all my actors here. I want all my business services here. Put all my functions here. All my components here.  Put Use Cases here.  Etc.

2. I would want sparx to just implement the plantuml script for sequence diagrams.  Its not even difficult. Doesnt change the core of the sequence diagram.

3. Documentation is my biggest bugbear. I'd want much better support for this. Preferably showing each document in the package hierarchy and linking where necessary.  If this could be backed off to sharepoint or some folder structure and kept in sync with the model structure - this would be amazing.


Generally, every requirement (at least 5) I've requested of Sparx they've implemented.  I provided a detailed breakdown of the requirement on how it could be practically be implemented which makes it more than just a one-liner.

[ea0522]

For the block diagramming, you might want to check the Layout Tool. I sometimes use the Box option to organise a bunch of elements.

For interface specifications, I came across a blog which looks promising: https://mikgenalg.medium.com/designing-rest-apis-with-sparx-enterprise-architect-c1c5bb4e26fa.

HTH