import models to architect

Switch to using Enterprise Architect. Roundtripping with EA 7.0 was demonstrated at Exchange in Anthony Swindells presentation.

Where can I find this presentation?

Is it possible to generate an EA DataModel into a Progress database?

TIA.

Not sure if it's possible to generate a model into a Progress DB, but here are the links to the presentation:

http://www.psdn.com/library/entry!default.jspa?categoryID=1380&externalID=3317

http://download.psdn.com/media/webinars/101807_OEA_Experience/index.htm

Mike

See http://www.oehive.org/EA and http://www.oehive.org/node/989 The latter has the link to the original page on PSDN which has the presentation.

Here's the link on using an OpenEdge database as a repository http://www.oehive.org/node/952

Has anyone tried integration with the EA? I've seen presentation but I just can't find how to enable code generation for ABL. Anthony mentioned a supplement that should be installed to enable this but I don't know where to find it. It supposed to be available on PSDN but I just can't find it... Can anyone help me?

The code for the roundtripping example has not yet been released, but it is being worked on. Don't expect this to be a complete solution for generating ABL from models, though ... just a start for keeping a model and the code in sync when you edit the code outside the model. For a project which will eventually provide a more complete system and one which will work with legacy code, see http://www.oehive.org/UMLFromABL . I have just published a new Profile for ABL.

http://www.psdn.com/library/servlet/KbServlet/download/3778-102-8171/OEADemoSetup.doc

This seems to be the whitepaper Anthony refers to in his presentation.

Page 15 of this document describes how to configure OEA for UML Modeling and ABL code generation.

Ariel is correct. There is also now a webex recording of what the demo setup gives you, i.e. me using it for real. Part of the demo shows the modeling, generating code, updating the model from the code, etc. It is indexed so you can play it in bits - no way you want to listen to me for 90 minutes in one go - right!

The missing piece to get all this working is the sample code / model templates / uml profile. This is being worked on by Phil Magnay and is complimentary to the material I have posted. It focuses more on EA, how to use that, and provides the templates you need to get started. As pointed out however, they are just examples to get you started.

I expect this context to be posted to the site within the next few weeks - look out for new material from Phil Magnay. He will likely link it up to my documents too when he posts it - so watches on these may be a good idea if you are interested.

Regards, Anthony

I understand that it's not "out-of-the-box-extra-super" solution that will enable me to do everything with few clicks. I attended Anthony's presentation on Exchange and I read his whitepaper. I DON'T understand the following paragraph:

"You also need to install the OpenEdge MDG Addin via the installation file: OpenEdgeMDGSetup.msi available from PSDN. This adds OpenEdge support specifically for EA and fixes issues with generating ABL code. This file is a reference only file and is not supported."

The part I don't understand is underlined. I guess having this installed enables generating ABL code because the full installation od EA doesn't give me ability to generate it. Or am I missing the point?

There are a couple separate pieces here. The first piece is the MDG integration which Phil Magnay published a while ago, to which you have both the PSDN and OE Hive links above. This piece does some basic setup for supporting OpenEdge, including the ability to read a .df. The .msi file referred to is part of this.

The second piece is the additional material necessary to do roundtripping between EA and OEA. That piece is in Anthony's recent talk in terms of showing it to you, but the detailed guides and code have not yet been published.

Let me pipe in and clarify some of this...

Enterprise Architect does not include any OpenEdge-specific functionality by default.

OpenEdge-specific functionality is provided by an add-in component that is installed separately. This add-in is installed via the OpenEdgeMDGSetup.msi file.

This OpenEdgeMDGSetup.msi includes:

- OpenEdge ABL data types

- OpenEdge ABL (procedural & OO) code generation templates

- OpenEdge ABL grammar for reverse engineering and code-to-model synchronization

- some MDA transforms to create PSMs from PIMs and vice-versa

- OpenEdge-specific stereotypes

- .df import to UML data model

- UML data model export to .df

- some additional items such as OpenEdge-specific tagged values, package diagram utilities, etc

This OpenEdge MDG addin provides *all* of the underlying functionality for forward / reverse / roundtrip engineering of both ABL and DB schema that has been demonstrated at previous Exchanges and PTWs. There are a few gaps and bugs here and there but it is quite functional and reasonably complete. That said, it is really only a slice of what we have been doing with EA over the last 3 or 4 years. It is made available on PSDN under the PSDN code share license which means it comes with no support, warranties, guarantees, etc.

In addition, this addin also provides all of the above functionality when using Enterprise Architect via the MDG Integration plugin for Eclipse. In turn, the EA Eclipse plugin and the OpenEdge add-in can also be configured to work inside the OpenEdge Architect IDE by just tweaking a few additional configuration parameters in your OE Architect/Eclipse environment.

The material that is yet to posted includes a configuration checklist for all of the software components (EA, MDG Integration for Eclipse, OpenEdge MDG for EA,...) required to run the demo that Anthony delivered at Exchange including: an example OEA project (and supporting database), an example EA project (which includes the base and example classes), and all the steps to perform modeling necessary to demonstrate roundtripping in a working application development scenario. I hope to publish this material next week.

Phil

This is great stuff, but I would really like to see PSC unbundle this package to make it more accessible and clear to people who want to work with it.