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Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

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Define a Time Series Chart

Your model contains a great deal of information on both project design and project management, and a major benefit of the Chart feature is providing the facility to capture, summarize and present that information. Using the Time Series Chart you can record changes in multiple series of data over time. Each series corresponds to an SQL Query that you can either run manually or update automatically on a schedule run by the Cloud service. The value of each series is plotted on the line graph on the day or at the time it was collected.

As an example, you might generate the Chart manually on different days, running two Queries showing Issues created and Issues resolved, for comparison. The Chart might resemble this:

An example Time Series Chart using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

After defining the content of the Time Series Chart, you can modify its appearance on the 'Appearance' page of the element's 'Properties' dialog.

Access

Select a Time Series Chart element on a diagram or in the Browser window, then use any of the methods outlined here to open the Chart element's 'Properties' dialog.

If you do not have an appropriate Time Series Chart already, drag onto a diagram the general 'Time Series Chart' icon from the 'Charts' page of the Diagram Toolbox, or a specific icon from the 'Series Chart' page.

The Chart 'Properties' dialog, by default, displays the 'Source' tab.

Ribbon

Design > Element > Properties > General > Properties Dialog

Context Menu

Right-click on element | Properties | Properties

Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+Enter

Other

Double-click on element

Define Content

Field/Button

Action

See also

Model

Defaults to the current model as the source of the data for this Chart. If the data is held in a different model, click on the Browse. button and select the appropriate menu option to:

  • Open a .eap, .qea or .feap model in a local directory, through a file browser
  • Open a model on a DBMS through the Enterprise Architect Native Connection; the 'Open Server Connection' dialog displays
  • Open a model through the ODBC Connection Wizard; the Windows 'Data Link Connection' dialog displays
  • Open a model through the Cloud connection; the 'Cloud Connection' dialog displays
  • Open a model through a connection string; a prompt displays for you to enter the string

If you want to return to the current model as the data source, select the 'Current Model' menu option.

Server Based Repositories Pro Cloud Server Repositories File Based Projects

Element

If you have selected a different model as the source of data, you can link your current chart to an existing Time Series chart in that other model.

Click on the Browse. button at the end of this field; a search dialog displays listing all the Time Series elements in the specified model. Click on the required chart and on the OK button. The selected element name displays in the 'Element' field.

If there are too many Time Charts to review quickly, you can use the 'List Header' facilities to filter the list.

To cancel the selection of an element, click on the Browse. button and select the <none> item.

List Header

Details

When you have selected a different model or project to open, this field shows the connection path for that model.

Package

To generate the Chart on the entire project, leave this field blank or click on the Browse. button and select the '<none>' entry.

Otherwise, click on the Browse. button and select the specific Package to generate the Chart on.

This field is disabled if the 'Element' field has a value.

Select dialog

Include Child Packages

If you have specified a Package, select this checkbox to extract information from the child Packages of that Package.

Clear the checkbox to ignore any child Packages when extracting information from the parent Package.

Data Point Interval

Click on the down-arrow and select either:

  • 'Manual', to generate the Chart manually at any time or date you need; the Manual Record button is enabled
  • A time interval at which the Cloud Server will automatically regenerate the Chart

This field is disabled if a model other than the current model is selected in the 'Model' field.

Exclude Weekends

Enabled when the 'Data Point Interval' field is set to 'Daily'.

  • Select the checkbox to refresh the Chart on each week day except for Saturday and Sunday
  • Clear the checkbox to refresh the Chart on each week day including Saturday and Sunday

Run On

Enabled when the 'Data Point Interval' field is set to 'Weekly' or 'Monthly'. If that field is set to:

  • 'Weekly' - click on the down arrow and select the day of the week on which to refresh the Chart
  • 'Monthly' - click on the down arrow and select the date in the month on which to refresh the Chart

Series

Lists the SQL Queries that will be run whenever the Chart is regenerated. This panel also shows the date on which the Query was last executed, and the number of records displayed as a result.

Edit

Click on an SQL Query name in the 'Series' list and click on this button to edit the Query.

The 'Edit Series' dialog displays; see the Edit Series Dialog table.

Add

Click on this button to add a new SQL Query to the 'Series' list, to be executed when the Chart is regenerated.

The 'Edit Series' dialog displays; see the Edit Series Dialog table.

Remove

Click on an SQL Query in the 'Series' list and click on this button to delete the Query as a source of information for the Chart.

A confirmation prompt displays. Click on the Yes button to delete the Query.

Manual Record

If you have set the 'Data Point Interval' field to 'Manual', click on this button to regenerate the Chart.

The 'Results' column in the 'Series' list updates (if changes have occurred); the Chart itself does not change until you click on the OK button to close the dialog.

OK

Click on this button to scan the specified Packages, close the dialog and generate the Chart.

Cancel

Click on this button to abort the changes and close the dialog.

The aborted changes include updates to the 'Results' column if you have clicked on the Manual Record button.

Edit Series Dialog

Field/Button

Action

See also

Examples

(Optional) Click on the drop-down arrow and select an example SQL Query to use intact or to edit to suit your requirements.

Series Name

Type a name for the SQL Query, to use as a reference to the Query in the 'Series' list on the 'Source' page.

Query

Type the text of the SQL Query.

Create Search Definitions

Test Query

(Optional) Click on this button to test the Query you have written or updated.

A message displays to confirm that the Query was successful or to identify that problems exist.

OK

Click on this button to save the Query, close the dialog and add or update the Query in the 'Series' list on the 'Source' page.

Cancel

Click on this button to abort the changes, close the dialog and return to the 'Source' page.

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