Enterprise Architect 7.1 – Build 831 now available!

With over 150 improvements, updates and changes since the first release of version 7.1, this new build provides the best-ever Enterprise Architect experience. Some stand out features help you:

• Get up to speed quickly with new tooltips on Enterprise Architect's main menu and context menus
• Improve your presentations with better text rendering and a new capability to generate hi-res bitmaps
• Track changes more accurately with updates to the Baseline compare and merge functions
• Streamline your impact analysis and traceability with the upgraded Relationship Matrix
• Share your models and create great looking reports with enhanced RTF and HTML reporting
• Boost your productivity with Database engineering and Code engineering tweaks and so much more...

Keep up to date with the latest build of Enterprise Architect:

Download: www.sparxsystems.com/registered/reg_ea_down.html
Change log and free trial: www.sparxsystems.com/products/ea/history.html

Enterprise Architect 7.1 achieves TOGAF 8 Certification!

Having recently released integrated support for The Open Group's TOGAF 8 framework, Sparx Systems has now successfully achieved TOGAF 8 Tool Certification for Enterprise Architect 7.1. Details of the certification, including Enterprise Architect's conformance statement, can be found on The Open Group's online register.

If you're considering, or already using TOGAF 8 in your enterprise, MDG Technology for TOGAF is available immediately for evaluation and purchase from Sparx Systems: www.sparxsystems.com/togaf

New Eclipse integration connects your Adobe Flex projects

Adobe Flex (ActionScript 3.0) projects are now supported with the release of MDG Integration for Eclipse, version 3.0. This latest release of the Eclipse integration, which brings Enterprise Architect's advanced modeling capabilities right inside Eclipse, also includes many enhancements and performance improvements.

Download and get the latest release details here: www.sparxsystems.com/products/mdg/int/eclipse/3.0

Key defense frameworks now supported by Enterprise Architect

Sparx Systems is proud to announce its support of the Department of Defense and Ministry of Defense architectural frameworks. Tightly integrated with Enterprise Architect, MDG Technology for DoDAF-MODAF provides you with a model-based framework for planning, designing and implementing DoDAF and MODAF architectures.

More information and trial download available now: www.sparxsystems.com/products/mdg/tech/updm/

Tips and Tricks

Tip 1: Need to export presentation-quality images from your models?

Enterprise Architect allows you to save images in a variety of standard graphics formats. If you are publishing a PDF document, use a vector based format (like wmf or emf) so that your images scale without becoming “jagged”. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the diagram of interest
2. Use the menu: Diagram | Save Image
3. Select one of the file formats, using the "Save as type" drop list
   (If using wmf or emf formats set this option first: Tools | Options | General | Clipboard Format = Metafile)

Note: With the release of Build 831, you can also increase the resolution of bitmap images via:
Tools | Options | General | Clipboard Format = Metafile

Tip 2: How to export images without Diagram Frames:

To control whether diagram frames are included in exported images, reports, etc, simply set the appropriate options under: Tools | Options | Diagram | Diagram Frames

Upcoming Events

Come and see Sparx Systems at the following events!

OMG Real-time and Embedded Systems Workshop: July 14-16, Arlington, VA

Enterprise Architecture Practitioners Conference: July 21-23, InterContinential, Chicago, IL

For more information see: www.sparxsystems.com/press/events.html

Messages From Our Partners

ObjektDev launches EA-centric expert training and consulting services
ObjektDev Ltd is pleased to announce the launch of its EA-centric services. These expert services comprise training, consulting and plug-in development, and draw on the experience gained by applying Enterprise Architect on live, software-intensive projects:

• EA Training:
• UML2.1 for Business Analysts with EA, OOA/D for Developers with EA and Understanding Design Patterns with EA
• EA Consulting:
• Getting started with EA, Integrating EA into your project and Exploiting EA to improve ALM efficiency
• EA Plug-Ins:
• Code Generation and Object Relational Mapping

For more information on how ObjektDev can assist you in maximizing your efficiency with this highly-acclaimed toolset see www.objektdev.com

ICONIX Business Modeling Roadmap available free with Enterprise Architect
ICONIX is pleased to announce the availability of the "ICONIX Business Modeling Roadmap" in EA 7.1 as an installable option when creating a new project and choosing ICONIX. The Business Modeling Roadmap joins the "ICONIX Process Roadmap for Software Development" along with an "ICONIX Project Template" as installable options when creating a new project. The capability is available to all users of EA 7.1 at no charge.

Both "roadmaps" from ICONIX define step-by-step processes as a set of UML Activity Diagrams which are available to EA users for process guidance while modeling. More info is available at www.iconixsw.com/BPRoadmap.html

Tassc releases Circa – integrated planning and estimation for Enterprise Architect
Circa – New for 2008: Tassc is celebrating the release of Circa – a complete visual solution for planning, estimating and controlling your software projects, allowing you to import software artifacts from Enterprise Architect to rapidly produce accurate estimates of effort, duration and cost. Tassc is offering a 40% discount on both fixed and floating licenses and a 50% discount to existing Enterprise Architect users until 30th November 2008.

More Information: www.tassc-solutions.com/software-pages/software.htm

BPMN Training: Tassc has added a BPMN training module to their extensive suite of Enterprise Architect and UML training modules. Tassc now offers extra flexibility – pick one of the standard courses or design your own by selecting modules that best fit your needs.

More Information: www.tassc-solutions.com/training-pages/training.htm

Canonic releases integration for HP's Quality Center and Enterprise Architect
Canonic has announced the General Availability Release of Cadeo® For Enterprise Architect/Quality Center which enables companies to synchronize information between Sparx Systems' Enterprise Architect and Hewlett Packard’s (formerly Mercury) Quality Center. Cadeo® for EA/QC provides companies with a bidirectional integration solution for managing requirements, tests and traceability.

Canonic is also seeking beta testers for their new product: Scrum For EA. Manage the backlog, plan sprints, conduct standups, review charts and ensure traceability in Enterprise Architect. Visit their website for a FREE XMI download of the Business Archetype Patterns developed by Prof. Jim Arlow and Ila Neustadt and featured in their book Enterprise Patterns and MDA.

SOA Implementation and Service-Oriented Development – Methodology, Framework and Training
Business Abstraction has developed a methodology for SOA implementation and Service-Oriented Solution Development Projects that takes full advantage of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect capabilities.

The EA-based Framework delivers traceability, validation and reporting required for SOA, and integrates SOA-specific models like Business Component Model, Common Information Model, Service Choreography and Orchestration. The detailed development process model integrated with the Framework provides step-by-step guidance for all project roles.

Business Abstraction offers a full range of training, including “train-the-trainer” course for SOA/EA Adoption Champions, as well as more detailed training for Business Analysts, SOA Architects and Service Components Designers.

For more information, visit www.businessabstraction.com

PTS partners with major training company in the Netherlands
PTS Software (https://altenpts.nl), based in the Netherlands, has offered in-house customizable EA courses since 2006.
As of September, PTS will partner with Twice IT training (www.twice.nl), one of the largest IT training companies in the Netherlands, to provide a one day EA training for individual participants.
The training, intended for experienced software developers, forms a practical introduction to the everyday use of Enterprise Architect and will be held on a regular basis. In-house and customized courses continue to be given by PTS.

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