Limitations of Packaging Components in Sparx EA?

问题

I'm running into what I would say are some limitations with the Packaging Components in Sparx EA.

I use them to aggregate a number of commonly-themed web services in a Package. To be specific, they are JAX-RS Web Services. I model the Resource as a Packaging Component and the invokable method of the resource as Components.

1. I created a profile and added stereotypes, etc. as per documentation. When I use them as an MDG Technology in my model, the stereotypes I created for Components were available, but not the ones for Packaging Components. That is, my Packaging Component stereotypes aren't offered as an option for Packaging Components I create.

2. I tried to put two Packaging Components on a deployment diagram and connect with a Uses Connector to show that the one package of Components invokes the other. This (to my mind) was a good way to show usage at a higher level than the specific "this component uses that one" (which I model in another diagram as a Uses Connector). But, the only connecting options available for this are Dependency, Information Flow and Trace.

3. In a deployment diagram, a "Packaging Component" cannot be contained by a "Device". I can drag a "Component" into the device, the outline highlights and a some type of containment relationship is created. However, with a "Packaging Component", this containment is not activated.

These observations challenge my understanding that a Packaging Component is "just like component, but has the added benefit of being a package for components as well".

Is that a misunderstanding of Packaging Components ... or a limitation of EA?

回答1:

1. The list might not be complete. Simply type PackagingComponent manually.
2. I guess this connector is heritage as I can not find it in the current Superstructures 2.5. Instead use a dependency and stereotype it with <<uses>>. The default quick linker does not offer that directly but you can extend the quick linker with your own connectors.

I have a write-up for MDG here: http://community.sparxsystems.com/tutorials/552-24intro-to-creating-a-mdg-file ICR whether I used the quick linker in that example (I guess I did) but it's another tricky story good for another set of questions ;-)

来源：https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30380734/limitations-of-packaging-components-in-sparx-ea