Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
eadocX Support
ParticipantGood idea! And you’re not the first to ask for it!
Our challenge is that there is no API in EA to get a diagram in a form which we can manipulate – it’s just a big bitmap. We can’t even tell how big.
BUT
I have asked the Sparx dev team to make their re-size and page-split function available via the API, and, for once, they were quite encouraging.
I’ve looked at manipulating the diagram objects directly, but this is a HUGE task, as we’d be replicating loads of EA diagram function, so we’re all going to have to wait for Sparx to produce new APIs.ParticipantI’d like to revise my previous post: I just remembered some stuff I built for another customer, but which has yet to make it into the online help (i’ll fix this for 3.3) – it’s available in 3.2.
This is only available in eaDocX Corporate Version, as it uses eaDocX Document Management.
When you put a document under eaDocX DM, it will create an <
>Artifact element in your model for each document, with children for each of the versions of that document which you then create. If you add Tagged Values to that <
>Artifact, then those TaggedValues are automatically made into Word Custom Properties next time you re-generate your document, and populated with the value of the TV.
To add them to the document, select Word | Insert | QuickParts | Field | DocProperty, and your new TaggedValues will be there in the list.So, you can create a 100% customised Word table in you header, using the values of these TVs. Bit of a fiddle first time around, but save the document as a Word template, and each new document will look the same.
It doesn’t pull the data from exactly where you wanted, but the document data is stored in your EA model, and in a fairly logical place.
I take the point about the reliability of v3.2: we’re going to be doing much more testing of 3.3, but we rely on customers telling us about problems, as there are a infinite number of models out there, and about the same number of possible documents.
You also mention Word styles: was that just an example, or have you yet to use the eaDocX feature which makes use of your Word style definitions? And Word Table styles as well!
As for the price we’re charging, I reckon it’s less than 1/2 a days work for a good IT professional. and if it doesn’t pay you back inside the first month, let me know, and I’ll refund the licence fee!
ParticipantHi Joe.
Not sure eaDocX can print what you need, at least not starting from Initial Values of attributes.
We have, however, spent quite a bit if time thinking about how to make header pages easier to automate.
Have you looked at adding a ‘Document Information section? This gives to 20+ attributes which you can add, some from the Word document, others from eaDocX e.g. Author, date/time. Where there aren’t fields you need, you could hijack them for ones which you do need.
I suggest displaying the Document Information section as ‘Inline’ but with two horizontal inline tables: just click the check-box next to the attribute, and fiddle around to get tables which run across the page.
This probably won’t give you exactly what you want, at least not sourcing it from Initial Values on your model, but should get you quite close. It’s one of the things which we’ve had to get used to with eaDocX: we can’t deliver 100% customisation AND a sensible user experience: the Sparx RTF has gone the other way : 100& customisable, poor Ux.
You’ll have an alternative in eaDocX 3.3, where you can define you own custom fixed-value attributes, but these are kept in the document, not in the model.Thanks
IanParticipantFound it! Trying to go a bit too fast.
Fixed in 3.2.9.10 on the website – sorry!ParticipantWhoops – looks like I broke something!
ParticipantIf I understand correctly, you are adding an Element Report, of type ‘Cross Reference Report’ to a document which has no other content.
I haven’t tried this, but I can believe it will throw an error (should be a warning , not an exception) there’s nothing to cross-reference!
The idea of the cross-ref report is that it will look for un-resolved hyperlinks within the rest of the document, and document the elements they should point to.ParticipantWow – another tricky one, and another test case to add to the growing pile!
Fixed this one in 3.2.9.9, now available on the website.ParticipantOK – problem found and fixed in v 3.2.9.8 now on the website.
Problem was a combination of three test cases, all happening together: (1)Element report, (2)with inline output, also with (3) Linked Documents. I test for each one, and even some pairs, but not all 3 at the same time!
ParticipantThanks for all the detail.
Would it be possible to mail your sample (doc and XMI) to support@eadocx.com? then I can look at it.
Also, what eaDocX version are you using ?Thanks
Ian
ParticipantGood question!
Because of how EA saves data about States and their sub-states, this is slightly more complicated than we’d like, but we have to work with what EA provides. Or, adopt a different modelling style. (see (2) below)1 – Using the EA Default Style.
——————————————-
If you want to document the sub-states of a state done EA-style, then the ‘parent’ State isn’t saved in EA as a simple ‘State’ element: EA makes it a ‘StateMachine’ element (looks like a blue oval with some sort of dumbbell shape inside it).
So, the key to getting eaDocX to document it correctly is to define profiles for:- StateMachine: if you want to make it document its child states, then make the StateMachine document ‘Inline’, and also have document its Children – the ‘Sub-elements’ tab has a drop-down which has ‘Children’. I usually call this ‘Sub-States’ or something like that
- Then the individual States can then be documented e.g. in a table.
IF you want to get all the super-states and sub-states together into one table, then you can create an eaDocX Element Report which will collect up all the states into one flat list, but it will miss-out the StateMachine 🙁 .
2 – Using a simpler Modelling style
————————————————
You can get around this, by using a more straightforward modelling style, which is different from the EA default.I don’t normally use the ‘StateMachine’ element at all – I don’t see the point.
A State is a State, which may or may not have sub-states, so I generally drag/drop the sub-states under their ‘real’ parent states. The parent state can then have a diagram of it’s sub-states, but the model overall looks simpler. I then give the states which have sub-states a different stereotype (e.g. <>), so that eaDocX can be configured to document < >State elements as Inline, documenting their diagrams and children, but normal States as document as simple Tables.
Then, you CAN have the option of a flat list of all the states, large and small. The StateMachine Element isn’t needed.About the only problem I can see with the second approach is that whilst the EA model looks more ‘normal’ a UML reader, it isn’t what an EA novice will create, so you’ll have to get your fellow-modelers to adopt the same approach.
..told you it was a good question.
ParticipantGood question!
Because of how EA saves data about States and their sub-states, this is slightly more complicated than we’d like, but we have to work with what EA provides. Or, adopt a different modelling style. (see (2) below)1 – Using the EA Default Style.
——————————————-
If you want to document the sub-states of a state done EA-style, then the ‘parent’ State isn’t saved in EA as a simple ‘State’ element: EA makes it a ‘StateMachine’ element (looks like a blue oval with some sort of dumbbell shape inside it).
So, the key to getting eaDocX to document it correctly is to define profiles for:- StateMachine: if you want to make it document its child states, then make the StateMachine document ‘Inline’, and also have document its Children – the ‘Sub-elements’ tab has a drop-down which has ‘Children’. I usually call this ‘Sub-States’ or something like that
- Then the individual States can then be documented e.g. in a table.
IF you want to get all the super-states and sub-states together into one table, then you can create an eaDocX Element Report which will collect up all the states into one flat list, but it will miss-out the StateMachine 🙁 .
2 – Using a simpler Modelling style
————————————————
You can get around this, by usning a more straightforward modelling style, which is different from the EA default.I don’t normally use the ‘StateMachine’ element at all – I don’t see the point.
A State is a State, which may or may not have sub-states, so I generally drag/drop the sub-states under their ‘real’ parent states. The parent state can then have a diagram of it’s sub-states, but the model overall looks simpler. I then give the states which have sub-states a different stereotype (e.g. <>), so that eaDocX can be configured to document < >State elements as Inline, documenting their diagrams and children, but normal States as document as simple Tables.
Then, you CAN have the option of a flat list of all the states, large and small. The StateMachine Element isn’t needed.About the only problem I can see with the second approach is that whilst the EA model looks more ‘normal’ a UML reader, it isn’t what an EA novice will create, so you’ll have to get your fellow-modelers to adopt the same approach.
..told you it was a good question.
Participantyes.
ParticipantYes. It is compatible with windows 7
ParticipantYes – eaDocX is fully compatible with Office 2007 – both Excel and Word, and Office 2010.
As of V3.2, we’re testing with Office 2013, which looks OK for Word, but Excel still has a few differences.The problem you’re probably seeing with editing of Excel spreadsheets is one which is described in the eaDocX Help for Excel.
Briefly, just hit ‘F2’ in Excel to edit – see the eaDocX help for why, if you’re interested.ParticipantIf you add some Confitional Formatting rules to the Matrix Report (on the ‘Options’ tab of the report definition) then these will allow you to add new text to each cell, based on attributes of the connector for that cell.
-
AuthorPosts
Download a free trial
Download eaTeamWorks today for several free for life features, plus no obligation, 30-day trials of all the products: eaDocX, ea Revision Manager, eaSheets, Model Expert and PortfolioManager. Discover for yourself why we sell the world’s best-selling Enterprise Architect extension.
Download