eaUtils - Sparx Enterprise Architect add-in

This page provides a collection of frequently asked questions about eaUtils Sparx EA add-in.

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Question 1: using the Sort By features don't match what I expected. e.g. sorting elements by name led to "class1, class2, class3, class1 - copy", whereas class1 - copy should have been after class1. What explains this result?

Answer: When using any eaUtils package browser sorting feature, such as Sort By Name, note that "Identify and sort integers within string values" setting is by default enabled. This setting will force eaUtils to look for integers values that are defined between matching prefix and/or suffix values, and sort these integer values accordingly. Consequently "Class1 - copy" is considered outside the group class1, class2, class3, hence put after.

Note that the interest to have this setting is to sort e.g. the list "ACTIVITY1, ACTIVITY10, ACTIVITY2, ACTIVITY21" (EA default) to "ACTIVITY1,ACTIVITY2, ACTIVITY10, ACTIVITY21".

Question 2: what is the impact of eaUtils features on an EA project i.e. what does it modify, create or delete?

Answer: eaUtils doesn't delete any element or diagram in your EA project.

1. eaUtils sorting features update elements "tree position" values (detailed information is available here). This field is solely used by EA to determine in what order it needs to be displayed in the containing package or element
2. eaUtils BreadCrumb Trail features can create hyperlinks objects on the active diagram
3. eaUtils Generate Alias feature can modify elements Alias field values
4. The Diagram breadcrumb trail generates hyperlinks on a diagram
5. The Find in all Diagrams doesn't update anything
6. The SysML stereotype mapping updates SysML parts stereotypes
7. The Image Asset support can create boundary elements on a diagram
8. The Update Notes changes specific elements notes
9. The Manage Visible Relations can change the relationships visibility on a diagram
10. The Compare Diagrams creates a new diagram with the results

Question 3: can you explain the following result? I sorted elements by name ; despite the fact that they have the same name, the stereotypes are mixed up so it's seems to be a random result.

Answer: eaUtils Sort by Name feature only uses the elements' name to define the new sorting order. When elements share the same name, the additional criteria that applies is the creation date (most recent to the oldest). This is exactly what Sparx EA uses by default.

Question 4: what versions of Sparx Enterprise Architect does eaUtils support?

Answer: eaUtils has been tested with Enterprise Architect versions 17, 16, 15.x, 14, 13.5, 13, 12.1, 12, 11 and 11.1 (some users successfully used it with EA 7.5).

Question 5: does eaUtils work with EA project stored in a shared database such as MySQL?

Answer: eaUtils has been designed to work with EA supported DBMSs. It has been tested with MySQL, SQL Server, Firebird and PostgreSQL, both on Windows and Linux OS. It should also be compatible with Oracle, although it hasn't been tested yet. Any feedback on running eaUtils with Oracle is welcome!

Important - a common issue with Sparx Enterprise Architect addins, extensions and scripts is that it can take longer to run, compared with a local EAP file. So please bear in mind to wait for a confirmation window to be displayed whilst eaUtils is running prior to continue using Enterprise Architect.

Question 6: I ran the diagram sorting feature to sort packages within the diagram's package but none of them have been updated? Why isn't it working as expected?

Answer: eaUtils doesn't support Package sorting as they're managed separately from Elements.

Question 7: When I open my EA project, I get the following error: "This model has been configured to require the following technologies which are not available: eautils".

Answer: Your EA project is configured to require eaUtils MDG which is not recommended. Open the Configure menu > Options, and select the MDG Technologies. Against "eaUtils MDG", untick the Required box. Note that eaUtils addin has an embedded MDG with an example of SysML profile, as well as custom searches.

Question 8: How much does eaUtils cost?

Answer: whilst the source code is not available as this is not an open source project, eaUtils add-in can be used for free. Should eaUtils helps you in modelling with Enterprise Architect, you are welcome to support the costs of hosting this site with a donation using PayPal.