Hi my name's Scott Hebbard from Sparx Systems and today I look forward to
previewing the Enhanced Model Editing features in Enterprise Architect 14.
This presentation will showcase just a fraction of the overall Enterprise Architect 14 release.
We start by taking a look at the all-new Context Browser
Followed by the Diagram in-line Specification Manager
and finally the Enhanced Docked Properties Window
The Properties Window allows modelers to quickly and easily edit Relationships -
Structural and Behavioral Elements and the Diagrams themselves.
It also provides additional "sub-panes" to edit technologies
such as BPMN, SysML and ArcGIS to name but a few.
The Enhanced Model Editing in Enterprise Architect14 webinar will focus on three topics.
The Context Browser,
the Inline Specification Manager
and the Docked Properties Window
To begin let us take a closer look at the Context Browser.
The Context Browser is a new docked window in Enterprise Architect version 14,
that works in parallel with the Project Browser.
The main difference is the Context Browser reduces the noise of the Project Browser
by only showing the content in the currently selected package.
This greatly sharpens our focus on the current work set
and cuts away the information not currently necessary to modeling.
The Context Browser also works with the Navigation Bar
to quickly and easily find the Diagrams and Elements
you need, when you need them!
To illustrate how the Context Browser works...
Let's imagine you're a Business Analyst, that has been tasked with the job of
managing system requirements for a Shuttle Launch Program.
You do not particularly care about the class's, architectures, or system designs.
All you need to focus on is the requirements themselves.
The Context Browser can help you focus on your particular role
without getting overwhelmed by the entire project.
On screen we have a detailed set of requirements
for the management of a Shuttle Launch Console.
As a BA all I want to do is identify and rectify any gaps in the solution.
When I look for the "Manage User Accounts" in the Project Browser...
The first thing I notice is a large number of packages and elements not related to the task at hand.
I can see Organizational Charts Use Cases, System Designs and much much more.
However when I switch to the Context Browser
Using the Windows Option from the "Start" Ribbon.
It allows me to focus on the System Requirements
reducing project noise and allowing me to focus on the task at hand.
You can see that I now have a limited number
of Requirements listed on screen in the Context Browser.
Using the arrow I can easily navigate to other requirements.
For example, I can access a Traceability Diagram to understand the impact
Of any changed that I'll make to "Manage User Accounts"
I can easily add new packages, elements or diagrams using the Menu System.
I can generate out a report and a number of different document or web-based formats.
I can also select an element on the diagram and then instantly find it in the context browser.
To briefly review the webinar so far.
The Context Browser is an all-new dockable window,
that works in conjunction with the Project Browser.
The Context Browser helps navigate around a project,
and reduces noise by only showing elements in a given package.
This in turn sharpens focus on a given task.
Use the Navigation Bar to provide a seamless method
of finding the diagrams and elements you need
when you need them!
Now let's take a look at the Diagram in-line Specification Manager
or Spec Man for short.
the Inline Spec Man provides a document view of any diagram.
That allows you to quickly edit and review the contents of a diagram.
You only needs a Context Menu to easily rename, sort and elaborate on any diagram element.
One of the key advantages of such an approach is
that it helps you easily determine how well a model is documented.
At a glance you can identify gaps
and ensure that model elements are documented correctly.
Also help you visualize your report layout,
which may assist when you're trying to impact decision-makers or influence key stakeholders.
Finally whenever you select an item on the diagram,
it is automatically selected in the Specification Manager and vice-versa.
Access the Diagram Inline Specification Manager
using the two brackets found on the top right of any diagram.
Looking at the text on the right hand screen you can see an element
called "Identify Gaps", that is not currently documented.
you can edit "Element Notes" by pressing the spacebar or using the context menu.
Specification Manager makes it much simpler to scan a diagram
and identify gaps in the specification,
which may include; errors, undocumented requirements
or problems with the report structure.
Spelling errors are also highlighted to ensure that they can be easily corrected.
I can also use a Context Menu to sort
elements from top to bottom or left to right.
When an element is selected on the diagram,
the corresponding Notes are automatically selected
within the Inline Diagram Specification Manager.
When I rename an element in the Specification Manager,
those changes are instantly reflected on the diagram itself.
Every time I select a different element the "Highlight" on the right hand screen changes accordingly.
This is particularly helpful,
when a diagram may contain hundreds or thousands of elements,
that need to be documented.
Returning to our requirements example.
Let's see, how we might be able to use a
Specification Manager to identify gaps in our current solution.
Looking at the text describing each Requirement.
Someone has forgotten to document Requirement number 377...
entitled "Console Operator - must have security clearance".
We can press the spacebar and edit the node accordingly.
Hoping to ensure our requirements have no gaps and offer a complete model.
Enterprise Architect 14 has brought together all of the settings
and properties in a vastly improved docked Properties Window.
The docked Properties Window provides a
convenient method for editing and reviewing model information,
including the diagrams themselves.
On the diagrams there are options to clearly display Element Locks.
The Properties Window now includes a variety of new custom "sub-panes"
with detailed configuration settings for many
different kinds of elements and technologies supported by Enterprise Architect.
Technologies such as BPEL, SysML, ArcGIS and Wireframes all have
custom settings to choose from to improve model accuracy.
The Properties Window even works on Relationships and Connectors.
It can also be applied to Behavioral Elements.
Access the docked Properties Window by selecting "Windows"
followed by "Properties" from the "Start" Ribbon.
The docked Properties Window appears on the right of screen.
As we select different elements on the diagram or from the Project Browser
The Properties Window automatically updates the window contents accordingly.
If you want to make a change to a model element
simply edit the property value and press the "Save" button.
The Properties Window can be used to edit diagram properties.
Now let's take a look at how easy it is to edit Diagram Properties for our Mind Map.
Under the general settings section you can edit the "Name" of the diagram,
the "Author" and you can filter to a Meta-Model as has been shown in a previous webinar.
The 'Version" section allows you to use diagram filters
to only show elements of a given version number,
which is ideal for displaying "As Is" and "To Be" architecture's on a single diagram.
I can quickly ascertain which elements
on a diagram are marked as version 2 or version 3
and identify any, that a new to a particular version.
This is particularly helpful,
if you have a diagram with hundreds or thousands of elements.
Under the "Appearance" section,
I can easily alter a diagram to be "Hand Drawn" or apply a "Whiteboard View".
Whiteboard View provides a crisp view of a diagram.
Let's assume, that we lock one of the elements on a diagram.
Enterprise Architect 14 makes it much easier to see
which elements on a particular diagram are currently locked
and therefore can't be edited.
If I return to my diagram properties and select "Display Element Lock Status",
it makes it much easier to identify elements on screen
that are locked using the red mark.
It is also possible to rapidly switch diagram themes,
and observe how the different themes alter the appearance of the diagram
I'm going to use a high contrast design to ensure,
that all of my elements stand out on my diagram.
You can even change the look of elements using custom sub-panes
such as altering the outline of our mind map element from a rectangle to an ellipse.
Note that it appears under a separate mind mapping sub-pane.
Different technologies will have different sub-pains
some even capable of managing behavior.
Let us look at some example models to see how,
they will work in a real-world setting.
I've used Navigation Cells to link to a number of different examples,
that showcase different technologies in Enterprise Architect 14.
The first being ArcGIS.
The special sub-pane allows me to alter specialized geospatial properties,
that may not be seen in other data modelling examples.
Such as CanVersion and HasZ.
This helps to improve model accuracy and avoids entering incorrect property values,
that may violate technology specific rules.
The Properties Window can also be used on connectors and relationships,
which can help save time, when editing models.
When selecting a relationship -
the "Source" and "Target" are listed as separate sub-panes.
With just a few button clicks I can change a
multiplicity to "0" to Many" or "1 to Many"
I can also change many other
properties related to connectors
Some technologies such as a Kanban diagram may not have a separate sub-pane
but altering a property such as a "Stereotype" will alter the appearance of the diagram
based on the technology standard.
The Properties Window can also be used on behavioral elements such as a State Machine
The State Machine on screen has a loop,
and I'd like to count how many times the loop is executed.
Using the Properties Window it is very easy to add a variable called "Counter"
and add a corresponding value.
When I save changes the diagram is automatically updated.
The next example is an ArchiMate Diagram.
Under the ArchiMate tab I can set the icon style to be false,
which will impact the appearance of the diagram.
It also makes it easy to compare and contrast the settings of different elements
on a single diagram to spot mistakes such as this.
Wireframes can be built for Win32 Android and Apple phones and tablets.
Each of these Wireframes allow you to alter technology specific options.
They can enable buttons or use default styling options.
This can be very convenient when building wireframes for your Enterprise Architect models
When you build "systems". You can ensure that all settings are compliant to
SysML using the custom sub-pane
I find the tabs also help to easily identify,
what version of SysML is currently being modeled.
So if the Properties Window we showed
how to bring up the dockable window indicated,
how you could use it for editing diagrams applying "Element Locks".
We have looked at a number of different technologies -
seen how it can be applied to Relationships and Connectors
and finally Behavioral Elements.
In this webinar we examined Enhanced Model Editing in Enterprise Architect 14
The webinar examined; the Context Browser,
The Diagram in-line Specification Manager,
and finally the docked Properties Window
The first topic was the Context Browser.
We had a look at this docked window,
that works in parallel with the Project Browser
to help reduce noise, sharpen focus, and make it easier to work on a given task.
We used a Business Analysis example to show how the Context Browser works.
Indeed we saw, how it works with the Navigation Bar to find,
what you need, when you need it.
We showed how the Context Browser allowed us to focus on just requirements.
Removing the distractions of Use Cases, Classes, Org Charts,
and many other elements to focus on a singular BA task.
The next topic was the Inline Specification Manager.
It produces a document view,
that allows us to easily "rename", "sort" and "elaborate" on any element.
We can scan the text and how well-documented the diagram is.
We can easily identify "gaps" in any specification.
We can also visualize the report layout
prior to submission to management or key stakeholders.
We also detailed, how selecting an element on the diagram
automatically selected the corresponding element in the Specification Manager.
The last segment of the webinar was diverted to the Properties Window.
This whole new dockable window makes it much easier to edit diagrams.
New features make it easier to identify "Element Locks" on a diagram.
We saw how technologies,
such as BPEL, SysML, ArcGIS and wireframes all now have custom panes
ensuring the correct values are always provided for each element.
Properties Window now also works on Relationships and Connectors
and can even work on Behavioral Elements.
I hope you enjoyed the webinar and look forward
to many more in the Enterprise Architect 14 preview series.
For more information about Enterprise Architect please visit:
www.sparxsystems.com