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Tuesday, 13 September 2016 15:18

Custom searches on SysML Requirements in Sparx Enterprise Architect with UMLChannel MDG Technology

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This article is intended to introduce and share tailored searches for SysML Requirements in Sparx Enterprise Architect modelling tool.

Enterprise Architect built-in requirements have been customized by Sparx Systems according to the OMG SysML specifications by adding the following properties:

  • text: The textual representation or a reference to the textual representation of the requirement.
  • id: The unique id of the requirement.

Text and id are available as tagged values, illustrated below.

sysml requirement id text tagged values sparx enterprise architect

When standard (non-SysML) requirements are used, it is common practice to run searches on the title, alias (reference) and notes (description). When possible, a systems project team can choose to use these fields in SysML requirements as an alternative to the OMG "id" and "text" properties.

Instead if the id et text tagged values must be used, there can be issues in running searches based on Enterprise Architect default installation.

That's why I ended up defining the following SysML searches, available via the UMLChannel MDG Technology:

  • search SysML requirements based on the id tagged value
  • search SysML requirements based on the text tagged value
  • search SysML requirements based on the title or alias field

Results are limited to SysML requirements and provide details on the id and text tagged values (default searches cannot display the content of "memo" tagged values, such as "text").

sysml requirement search by id in sparx enterprise architect

Results also provide a useful context menu allowing to select a requirement within the Project Browser or to display it within an existing diagram.

sysml requirement search by text in sparxsystems enterprise architect

UMLChannel MDG Technology installation

The above search modules can be used once the UMLChannel MDG Technology has been installed.

  • Download the UMLChannel MDG Technology here, and unzip it to get the XML file
  • Open the target Enterprise Architect project
  • Open menu PROJECT | MDG Technology Import
  • Select the UMLChannel MDG XML file
  • Keep the option "Import to Model" enabled to apply it on the current SysML modelling project

The installed MDG is then visible from menu EXTENSIONS | MDG Technologies.

MDG Sparx Enterprise Architect

Try and use the UMLChannel MDG:

  • Open the model search (Edit | Search in Model)
  • Select umlchannel from the first drop down list
  • Use the next drop down list to open one of the custom searches i.e. search SysML requirements by ID, by name or alias, or by text
  • Use the Search Term field when needed e.g. to search SysML requirements which ID contains 1234

sysml requirement search by id in sparx enterprise architect

To uninstall the UMLChannel MDG, open menu EXTENSIONS | MDG Technologies, select umlchannel, and click on Remove.

MDG Technologies

MDG or Model-Driven Generation is a Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect feature that allow users to extend the tool's capabilities to specific domains, notations, or projects.

Once enabled an MDG Technology provides access to additional features and resources such as:

  • Stereotypes defined in UML profiles
  • Toolboxes and diagram types
  • Model wizard templates
  • Automation scripts
  • Custom model searches (shown in this article)
  • Images (e.g. company and project logos)
  • RTF document templates

Note: these searches are compatible with all current EA versions. They also work with a local project (EAP file) and most centralised database servers e.g. MySQL, Postgres...

Please feel free to contact me on guillaume [at] umlchannel.com for any query or comment.