Model validation from an add-in

[MeryemAdb]

Hello,

I am trying to add my own validation rules from my add-in. However, I would also like to be able to select the rules to use individually and not on a category basis, and I have my own window to display the errors.

So I intend to catch the events EA_OnStartValidation and EA_OnEndValidation and only fire my code if my own category (I only define one category at EA level) is in the parameter array.  The thing is, no matter what categories I select in the model validation configuration, the parameter array contains my custom category, and my category only.

Is it the expected behaviour? In that case, how can I know that my category has been selected?

By the way, is there a way to configure the validation from an add-in? I mean that if the user clicks in one of my custom menus, the validation will be launched only on my category of rules.

[Helmut Ortmann]

Hi,

in the Online Help you find an example if you search for:
Model Validation Example

Some years ago I developed a complex and configurable validation. I just started with the above example. If I remember correct configuration of categories works find.

For (de)selecting and parameterizing rules I used a little Access DB with default values.

It's no rocket science but it's some work of course.

Helmut

[Sorno]

When writing these rules do you use the API or SQL-queries?

I was wondering about the efficiency of validation if you need to do alot of looping through elements? I tried to do a check with Repository.SQLQuery but if used during validation it throws this error in EA:

Error:
Code = 0x0
Source = Line : 0; Char: 0
Error description = (null)

I get a reply from the SQL query so it works. It seems that the mere present of Repository.SQLQuery throws an error.

Using EA 10.0.1010

[Tehila1]

When writing these rules do you use the API or SQL-queries?

I was wondering about the efficiency of validation if you need to do alot of looping through elements? I tried to do a check with Repository.SQLQuery but if used during validation it throws this error in EA:

Error:
Code = 0x0
Source = Line : 0; Char: 0
Error description = (null)

I get a reply from the SQL query so it works. It seems that the mere present of Repository.SQLQuery throws an error.

Using EA 10.0.1010

Please post the SQL query that fails.

[Sorno]

Ah.. the error was in the SQL query. I tried to use SELECT COUNT (*) - I guess the API doesn't like that.

The Repository.SQLQuery still returned an answer so I thought it was OK:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<EADATA version="1.0" exporter="Enterprise Architect">
      <Dataset_0><Data><Row/></Data></Dataset_0></EADATA>

But I see now that its empty, which it should not be.
 

The query:
"SELECT COUNT(*) " +
                        "FROM t_connector " +
                        "WHERE t_connector.End_Object_ID=\'" + Element.ElementID + "\' " +
                        "AND t_connector.Stereotype = 'Architecture'";

[Tehila1]

The COUNT(*) is not problematic.
The query throws error since something else is wrong.
I tried to run it in the built-in builder and it fails.

Why do you add '/' before the End Object ID?

I tried the following query and it works:  

Code: [Select]

string query = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM  t_connector
WHERE  t_connector.Stereotype LIKE 'Architecture'  
AND t_connector.End_Object_ID =" +  Element.ElementID.ToString();

[Sorno]

Did you run it as part of a model validation ? My query is executed as part of a model validation rule.

Why I ask is that I get the same error with your query as with mine, when executed this way. The /' before the Object ID is to add ' before and after the ID. I reckon objectID.tostring() works equally, or better.

The exact query during runtime is:
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM  t_connector WHERE  t_connector.Stereotype LIKE 'Architecture' AND t_connector.End_Object_ID =19

And it throws the same strange error dialog as before. It only throws this if I use count (*),  the following query works:
SELECT * FROM  t_connector WHERE  t_connector.Stereotype LIKE 'Architecture' AND t_connector.End_Object_ID =19

[qwerty]

The query:
"SELECT COUNT(*) " +
                        "FROM t_connector " +
                        "WHERE t_connector.End_Object_ID=\'" + Element.ElementID + "\' " +
                        "AND t_connector.Stereotype = 'Architecture'";

Your above query compares End_Object_ID as being a string. But it is an integer. So the query will fail with a type mismatch.

q.

[Sorno]

I appreciate the help you're giving, but I don't think the problem is the SQL query per se.

The query works fine when it's "SELECT *", but it does not work when it's "SELECT Count(*)". EA usually throws an nice error explaining that there is an error with a SQL query if this is the case. One way or the other the problem is not in regards to the ObjectID. I get the same results with Element.ElementID.ToString() or even if I hardcode an ID.

The error I'm getting is this:


Are you sure it's possible to do a SELECT COUNT(*) with repository.SQLQuery? By the way, I tried to do a Count outside validation with the same error as result.

[qwerty]

Those errors are connected to XMI processing.

q.

P.S. The SQLQuery returned the following in my test:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<EADATA version="1.0" exporter="Enterprise Architect">

      <Dataset_0><Data><Row><Expr1000>1</Expr1000></Row></Data></Dataset_0></EADATA>

[Sorno]

Ah, now we're talking.

Thanks for the info. Yes, that would be the output I would expect. But for some reason my EA don't return that, but:

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<EADATA version="1.0" exporter="Enterprise Architect">
      <Dataset_0><Data><Row/></Data></Dataset_0></EADATA>
Using EA 10.0.1010

[qwerty]

That's maybe because the query is failing for some reason. Please try to supply a "handmade" query and see what that returns.

q.

P.S. I tried with a bad SQL and got this:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<EADATA version="1.0" exporter="Enterprise Architect">

</EADATA>

[Sorno]

Still the same error  :-/

Code: [Select]

                 string myQuery = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM t_object";
                  string queryResult = Repository.SQLQuery(myQuery);


[qwerty]

Strange indeed. I just ran the same query (but with Perl) and it returned the right result. Which language is it you're using?

q.

[Sorno]

C#