Author Topic: MDG technology deployment  (Read 5849 times)

bITs.EA

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MDG technology deployment
« on: November 01, 2013, 01:51:08 am »
Hi

I have created a new MDG technology and imported it via Settings > MDG technologies... > advanced. This works perfect for me and my team members can implement is in their EA too.

But if other teams want to have a look at our designs, they only see default elements without the layout defined in the new MDG. How can I import a MDG technology so that everyone can use it immediately, without manually importing it for every EA installation???

Greets

qwerty

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2013, 04:15:33 am »
You can add it to the registry via

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Sparx Systems\EA400\EA\OPTIONS\MDGTechnology PathList

q.

bITs.EA

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2013, 06:47:32 pm »
But I will have to change the registry on every pc on which EA is installed?? I'm looking for a solution in which I can change something in the EA-database, so everyone 'receives' the new MDG technology on loading EA.

But I'm afraid that the MDG technology info is not in the database... So probably it's wishful thinking...

Uffe

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2013, 07:39:59 pm »
The normal way of making an MDG Technology available to multiple users is to place it on a network drive and tell the users to set up their EA installation accordingly. The GUI function to do this is in Settings -- MDG Technologies -- Advanced -- Add. This makes the technologies stored in that location available to the user regardless of which projects they open.

The registry key option is simply a way of distributing the setting without having the users do it themselves. This makes sense if you are repackaging EA for distribution on your internal network, because it eliminates a configuration step for the users. (You would then also include the location of your shared license key store, and any other options you want set differently from the EA defaults.)

It makes no sense if you're not repackaging EA, because importing a registry key is no simpler than clicking through the GUI and, to a non-savvy user, feels a lot more like strange magic where they don't understand what they're doing.

However, there is another way. This is essentially obsolete and you shouldn't use it, but it's still there and will probably never go away. From the help file:

"A method of importing MDG Technologies into the Resources window is available (right-click on the MDG Technologies folder and select the Import Technology context menu option) but this method is Not Recommended.

If you use this method, the MDG Technology is available only in the model [read: project] it was imported into, and the Toolbox pages, Learning Center, Project Browser icons and model templates are not available."

So if your MDG Technology is a simple one which only contains stereotypes, tagged values, toolboxes and diagrams, you'll be OK. This sounds like what you say you want, although I'm pretty sure that what you actually want is to do it right and use network storage instead.

If you're absolutely sure what you're doing and of all the implications, the setting is in the Project Resources window, in the Project menu. If not, go with the network storage option.

(There is yet another way, which is to package the MDG Technology for local installation into the EA folder in Program Files. This is better for situations where people are often off-network and working in individual projects from which they then export stuff to be imported into a central repository.)

Cheers,


/Uffe
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bITs.EA

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2013, 12:40:45 am »
Thanks for your elaborate response.

I'm afraid I will have to ask every user to add the MDG via the GUI function.

But thanks for your help.

qwerty

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2013, 02:57:58 am »
Using the registry way is probably more comfortable as it can be done by your admin for all users.

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bITs.EA

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2013, 07:13:48 pm »
I know, but you clearly don't know our admins... :)

S.

Uffe

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2013, 08:27:55 pm »
Well on the bright side, if you develop another MDG Technology down the line, you just need to pop that in the same directory and hey presto - instantly available to all users in all projects. :)
My theories are always correct, just apply them to the right reality.

qwerty

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2013, 09:24:46 pm »
Finally I found that setting up the MDG link is just a part of the overall EA configuration (along with any add-ins if you have). If your admins are not worth the money there should be a solution. So long you need talented users. In the past I provided an installation script (simply in Perl) which did all the setup.

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bITs.EA

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2013, 09:17:26 pm »
I was already thinking about writing a script. Because if I look at the database model, there's a table which stores the scripts. So, I suppose it's possible to make a script, store it in the database and make it available for all users via the scripting tab in EA. That way the only thing they have to do is start up the script once...

Would it work this way? (I would like to know before I spend some time writing a script :))

qwerty

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Re: MDG technology deployment
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2013, 10:02:39 pm »
Speaking for me, we used an external script which was part of our config management and stored in a VC system.

q.