Messages

1

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Structured Auto numbering

« on: October 24, 2004, 07:08:03 am »

I find that I strongly sympathize with Mike's request for hierarchical numbering. The need in Requirements documents to be reference via a hierarchy (outline) is important.

However, I rely on the the Unique Identifier assigned to a Requirement to enable me to track it regardless of where is logically positions.

It seems to me that this feature request would be better served if we could somehow produce the Package Prefix to be prepended during output/report generation.

Dan

2

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Printing relationship matrix

« on: October 29, 2004, 10:31:29 am »

I am using release 739, and it appears the answer is No. It prints horizontally just fine, but the vertical is lacking.

However, I changed to a different *profile* and sure enough vertical printing looks like it works.

I wish I had a definitive answer other than: sometimes!

3

Suggestions and Requests / Re: A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 26, 2004, 07:29:22 am »

I am convinced.

I read through the referenced UML2 specification and tested the use of (Activity)Partitions in my own tests models. They work well and are more flexible and usable then simple swimlanes.

Thanks to all of you for guiding me to the light!

4

Suggestions and Requests / Re: A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 25, 2004, 12:20:16 pm »

A quick correction: The ALIGN menu commands do work - that is ONE of them will. If you select two or more Partitions, then use one of the ALIGN commands - it will work. However, it will fail on subsequent requests. This requires you to deselect then select the Partitions again - and pick the next ALIGN command.

5

Suggestions and Requests / Re: A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 25, 2004, 10:48:52 am »

Thanks Bruce for pointing out this odd behavior of Partitions. When zoomed out, it is entirely too easy to *pick up* the odd activity or element here and there.

I would think that Partitions are my ultimate answer. However, as of release 739 - it appears that none of the ALIGN commands work on Partitions. This leaves one with the task of lining up the Partitions, making sure they are the right size, etc. In addition, one is still left with the multiple move problem when reorganizing the diagram.

Correct me if I read too much into your post, but are Partitions the semantic/visual replacement for swimlanes in UML2 - or are they just an addition? I will look through the current OMG UML2 documents - but I could be saved some grief here!

6

Suggestions and Requests / Re: A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 24, 2004, 05:34:26 pm »

KP, a very good suggestion, thank you! It certainly spares me the pain of manhandling the fork/join bars and works with grouping. However the relative unfun of lining up partitions to act as swimlanes (horizontal and vertical alignment next to each other is a particular exercise in nojoy) serves to remind one that they really aren't swimlanes. Still, it is better than my practice with bars.

Yet, the need to manipulate a swimlane and its contents remains the real goal. I realize there is some additional levels of complexity here as the contents of swimlanes, by their very nature, have connections to the contents of other swimlanes. One wonders if the OMG considered the practicalities of this kind of manipulation when defining the specification. Regardless, the usefulness of swimlanes begs for enhanced support in EA.

7

Suggestions and Requests / Re: A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 24, 2004, 02:30:22 pm »

Thanks Bruno!

While at first glance, the ability to multi-select and move would seem sufficient, the problem becomes much more complex in diagrams that contain 3 or more swimlanes. In order to move elements around, you have to move the first set out of the way. Then you have to select the second group and move that set to its new location.  Then you have to move the first set into its new location. This is a three move operation that gets even worse as the number of swimlanes increases.

In the diagrams of one of our projects, it is not uncommon for the Analysts to create diagrams - typically Happy Path schematics - that have 7 or more swimlanes in various stages of completion.  As demonstrated above, moving these elements around becomes an exercise in frustration, if admittedly not an impossibility. It is further complicated by the requirement that the swimlanes, which do not behave as first class diagram elements, must be reorded via the dialog - which can lead to confusion as to what moves where.

Of course, I am emphasizing the pain - since when the need to reorder occur, painful it is - in extremis.

I have bastardized the use of fork/join elements to create pseudo-swimlanes that can be grouped and moved. However, this is not a satisfactory solution.

If EA could automate this, I echo your comment: This would be GREAT!

8

Suggestions and Requests / A need to reposition Swimlanes

« on: October 24, 2004, 06:55:25 am »

Problem: Swimlanes can be reordered through use of the related dialog. However, using this feature does not result in the CONTENTS of the swimlane being moved as well.

Swimlanes are used to a great extent in Analysis activities (as well as other SDLC tasks). This process, not suprisingly, is iterative and discovery of further detail occurs all the time. Consequently, the NEED to move the swimlanes and their contents around is essential.

I have requested a Feature to support moving swimlanes and their contents.

I would appreciate any help or comment from Sparx and this community if they are aware of a workaround.

Dan Lundy

9

Suggestions and Requests / Re: Forum extensions

« on: October 24, 2004, 08:07:23 am »

I second this request. I WISH I could hit the forums more often than I do, but - work calls!

An ability to sort and filter would be a godsend.

10

General Board / Re: I'm Definitely Not God

« on: November 02, 2004, 07:57:46 am »

Thomas!

One can't help but bow in your general direction!!

11

General Board / Re: Hiding tags after reverse engineering

« on: October 25, 2004, 11:43:56 am »

Hmm. Okay. Try this.

Select the class. Right-click to bring up its context menu. Select the option: Element Features then Specify Feature Visibility...

In the subsequent dialog, in the Show Element Compartments: turn off Tags and the Inherited Tags option boxes. Select OK. That should do it.

12

General Board / Re: Hiding tags after reverse engineering

« on: October 24, 2004, 02:43:34 pm »

One mechanism for this:

Double click on the Diagram to bring up the Diagram Properties dialog. Find the Show Tags option button and deselect it. That should do it.

Sometimes you have to refresh the diagram or move away from it and come back to ensure this works.

13

General Board / Re: How to set the string datatype for VB.net?

« on: October 24, 2004, 02:56:53 pm »

I checked that out and you are right, it doesn't show it.

One simple path is to type in the name: String and then save the Attribute. Not what you want, but it yields the same result.

Another bit of a hack: Create your own String class in a package. Then when you Select Attribute type, select the namespace that is the name of your package. The list will then display your newly defined String class as an attribute type.

I don't know why String in VBNet does not show up - I always considered a simple oversight in the C# profile - never checked VBNet.

Unless someone has an explanation of this behavior, I would report it as a bug to Sparx.

14

General Board / Re: How to set the string datatype for VB.net?

« on: October 24, 2004, 02:38:07 pm »

The string type must be referenced as String (capital S) for it to be referenced in the language datatype profile.

C# profile lacks the string datatype definition completely and must be added through the Configuration|Language Datatypes dialog.

If this does not work, check that dialog to ensure that String is properly defined in the VBnet profile.

15

General Board / Re: Declaration of non-standard data types

« on: October 24, 2004, 02:47:20 pm »

You can add datatypes into the language profile through the Configuration | Language Datatypes dialog.