Nesting Model Reports + Search Results - enterprise-architect

Question

Seem like I'm not the first to investigate this. But not despairing yet :-)
The target state I'd like to reach is:
A recursion through Packages, where some of the nested Sub-Packages are glorified Linked Documents, and some are Grids rendering Search Results.
I like that Model Documents provide Search Tag values -- but I can't seem to nest the grids where I want them to show up.
Approach 1: Nested Model Documents
If I could nest Model Document elements, with their Search/Search Term tags, I would be sorted. I could have
Context:Package
Introduction:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Model Document <- renders the results of a canned Search.
But EA appears to be designed to ignore the Model Document element.
Approach 2: SQL backed Template Fragment
I like the Model Document as it has Search/Search Term + all the Inclusion/Exclusion configuration options. But if I had to give that part up I am thinking of emulating as much as I can via SQL or script.
First attempt - using SQL and a nested set of Packages such as:
Context:Package
Introduction:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Package<> <- renders the results of a SQL Search.
If the template uses a TemplateSelector it can spot the Package with a wellknown stereotype, and invoke a Template that is backed by SQL.
The SQL uses the Package's Keywords as the source of the Element type to search for.
SELECT
o.ea_guid AS [CLASSGUID],
o.Object_Type AS [CLASSTYPE],
o.PDATA5 AS [KEYWORDS],
o.Object_Type AS [Type],
o.Stereotype AS [Stereotype],
*
FROM t_object as O
WHERE O.Object_Type IN
(SELECT PDATA5 FROM t_object AS S where S.Object_ID = #OBJECTID#)
It works...barely.It's a bit hacky.
Searching off of Element Type is not going to be sufficient for production documents.
Approach 3: Script backed Template Fragment
If I can get a script running I suspect that I could leverage functionality that is already in the system.
Context:Package
Introduction:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Package <- just renders a Linked Document attached to it
Systems Affected:Package<> <- renders the results of a canned Search.
If the template uses a TemplateSelector it can spot the Package with a wellknown stereotype, and invoke a Template that is backed by a script.
The script I'm trying is:
var x = Repository.GetElementsByQuery("POC.Req", "Device");
return x;
But the report remains blank of those elements I need for the table.
Q: Does the returned Collection need transformation before it can be used?
Approach 4
I've heard that there is an approach to Render Document sections as PDF, and link to them as Linked Documents... Sounds Convoluted. Sounds like a wrong/magic approach.
Approach 5
Any other suggestions?
Thanks for the help.
Addendum
Just got approach 3 to work by converting the script results to xml before handing it back
The template's script now looks like
-- first pass ...I'll work on passing the ObjectId in a bit in order to get fancier.
ExecuteSearch("Simple", "Device")
and it invokes a script saved somewhere else as
!INC Local Scripts.EAConstants-JScript
/*
* Script Name:
* Author:
* Purpose:
* Date:
*/
function main()
{
return ExecuteSearch("Simple", "Device");
}
function ExecuteSearch(searchName, searchParam){
var x = Repository.GetElementsByQuery(searchName, searchParam);
//return x;
var xmlDOC = CreateReport(x);
var s = xmlDOC.xml;
Session.Output(s);
return s;
}
function CreateReport(entityCollection){
var xmlDOC = CreateXmlDOC();
var xmlRoot = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"EADATA");
var xmlDataSet = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Dataset_0",xmlRoot);
var xmlData = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Data",xmlDataSet);
for(var i = 0;i<entityCollection.Count();i++){
var entity = entityCollection.GetAt(i);
var xmlRow = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Row",xmlData);
//AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"CLASSTYPE",xmlRow).Text = entity.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Guid",xmlRow).text = entity.ElementGUID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"CLASSTYPE",xmlRow).text = entity.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"CLASSGUID",xmlRow).text = entity.ElementGUID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Type",xmlRow).text = entity.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Stereotype",xmlRow).text = entity.Stereotype;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Name",xmlRow).text = entity.Name;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Object",xmlRow).text = entity.Name;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Id",xmlRow).text = entity.ElementID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Scope",xmlRow).text = entity.Scope;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Phase",xmlRow).text = entity.Phase;
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Status",xmlRow).text = entity.Status;
var noteElement = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Notes",xmlRow);//.text = entity.Notes;
noteElement.appendChild(xmlDOC.createCDATASection(entity.Notes));
AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"Keywords",xmlRow).text = entity.PDATA5;
}
return xmlDOC;
}
function CreateXmlDOC()
{
var xmlDOM;
try
{
xmlDOM = new ActiveXObject( "MSXML2.DOMDocument.4.0" );
}
catch(e)
{
xmlDOM = new ActiveXObject( "MSXML2.DOMDocument.6.0" );
}
xmlDOM.createProcessingInstruction("xml","version=\"1.0\"");
xmlDOM.validateOnParse = false;
xmlDOM.async = false;
return xmlDOM;
}
function AppendXmlChild(xmlDOM, xmlElementName, xmlParent, isCDATA){
if (!xmlParent){xmlParent = xmlDOM;}
var child = xmlDOM.createElement(xmlElementName);
xmlParent.appendChild(child);
return child;
}
main();

Answer 1

The script I used in the end is as follows. It now correctly investigates the element's tags for clues as how to proceed.
Hope it helps others.
!INC Local Scripts.EAConstants-JScript
/*
* Script Name:
* Author:
* Purpose:
* Date:
*/
//Only used for development
function devTest()
{
//With Child elements: {2255D8C8-F1BB-4069-BDAF-8B303D108C62}
//With SearchName: {919252E0-BDEB-4f26-A39F-C0E74382952A}
//With PackageGUID: {8543ED3B-EC39-4bf0-92C2-FD49A00C376B}
Session.Output ("DEVTEST");
var package = Repository.GetPackageByGuid("{8543ED3B-EC39-4bf0-92C2-FD49A00C376B}");
Session.Output("Package Name:" + package.Name);
Session.Output("Package Guid:" + package.PackageGUID);
Session.Output("Package Id:" + package.PackageID);
Session.Output("Package ElementId:" + package.Element.ElementID);
//Session.Output("Package Element Id:" + package.Element.ElementID);
//Use the Element associate to the Package, not the Package ID itself.
var packageElementId = package.Element.ElementID; //NOT: package.PackageID;
var xmlDoc=ExecuteSearch(packageElementId);
try {
Session.Output(xmlDoc.xml);
}catch (e){
Session.Output(e.message);
}
}
//Extracts from a given Package it's SearchName/SearchValue tags
//in order to do a search that mimicks a ModelDocument's way of
//generating a report.
function ExecuteSearch(elementId){
//Validation
if (!elementId){
Session.Output("Exiting: No elementId received.");
return;
}
var packageElement = Repository.GetElementByID(elementId);
if (!packageElement){
Session.Output("Exiting: No package with given elementId: " + elementId);
return;
}
try {
var xmlDOC = ExecuteSearch2(packageElement);
var xml = xmlDOC.xml;
return xml;
}catch (e){
Session.Output("ERROR: " + e.message);
}
return null;
}
function ExecuteSearch2(packageElement){
//Session.Output(packageElement.ElementGUID + ": '" + packageElement.Name + "' invoking ExecuteSearch(" + packageElement.ElementID + ")");
//Session.Output("Attribute 'Test': " + GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'Test'));
//Precendence is to search
//* Direct children,
//* by Package, recursively,
//* Package, single
//* Package
//First dibs: does this package have any direct elements?
//Get back to the package that is related to the Element before you count Elements:
var package = Repository.GetPackageByGuid(packageElement.ElementGUID);
var elementCollection = package.Elements;
if (elementCollection.Count()){
Session.Output("Package [" + packageElement.ElementGUID + "] has child Elements:"+ elementCollection.Count());
return CreateReportDoc(elementCollection);
}
//If package had no children, look at Attributes for reference to other package.
//At present, can't find an easy way to determine package Id from the EA GUI, so
//using the Guid.
var searchPackageGuid = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchPackageGUID');
if (!searchPackageGuid){
searchPackageGuid = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchPackageGuid');
}
if (searchPackageGuid){
//Session.Output("Package [" + packageElement.ElementGUID + "] has SearchPackageGuid:"+ searchPackageGuid);
return ExecuteSearchByPackageGuid(searchPackageGuid);
}
// //If I ever find a way to get a packageId:
var searchPackageId = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchPackageId');
if (searchPackageId){
//Session.Output("Package [" + packageElement.ElementGUID + "] has SearchPackageId:"+ searchPackageId);
return ExecuteSearchByPackageId(searchPackageId);
}
// //If searching by SQL:
var searchSQL = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchSQL');
if (searchSQL){
Session.Output("Package [" + packageElement.ElementGUID + "] has SearchSQL:"+ searchSQL);
return ExecuteSearchBySQL(searchSQL);
}
//Not pointing to a package, so maybe pointing to a canned search:
var searchName = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchName');
if (!searchName){
//Session.Output("No SearchName");
return;
}
var searchValue = GetElementTaggedValue(packageElement,'SearchValue');
//Session.Output("Package [" + packageElement.ElementGUID + "] has SearchName/Value:"+ searchName + "/" + searchValue);
return ExecuteSearchBySearchName(searchName, searchValue);
}
//Mimicks functionality of a ModelDocument that searches by canned SearchName/SearchValue.
function ExecuteSearchBySearchName(searchName, searchValue){
var elementCollection = Repository.GetElementsByQuery(searchName, searchValue);
//return x;
return CreateReportDoc(elementCollection);
}
function ExecuteSearchByPackageGuid(packageGuid){
var package = Repository.GetPackageByGuid(packageGuid);
return ExecuteSearch2(package.Element);
}
function ExecuteSearchBySQL(searchSQL){
var elementCollection = Repository.GetElementSet(searchSQL, 2);
}
function HOLD_ExecuteSearchBySet(idList){
var elementCollection = Repository.GetElementsSet(idList);
//return x;
return CreateReportDoc(elementCollection);
}
//Iterate through the elements and convert to an Xml Document
//suitable for use by a Script backed Template:
function CreateReportDoc(elementCollection){
var xmlDOC = CreateXmlDOC();
var xmlData = CreateXmlReport(xmlDOC);
for(var i = 0;i<elementCollection.Count();i++){
//For each Element, create a new row:
var xmlRow = AppendXmlChild(xmlData,"Row");
//And embed the specific element:
var element = elementCollection.GetAt(i);
CreateReportRow(xmlRow, element);
}
return xmlDOC;
}
function CreateReportRow(xmlRow, element){
//And attach child property elements.
//For hairy ones, add them as a CDATA.
//AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"CLASSTYPE",xmlRow).Text = element.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Guid").text = element.ElementGUID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"CLASSTYPE").text = element.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"CLASSGUID").text = element.ElementGUID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Type").text = element.Type;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Stereotype").text = element.Stereotype;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Name").text = element.Name;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Object").text = element.Name;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Id").text = element.ElementID;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Scope").text = element.Scope;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Phase").text = element.Phase;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Status").text = element.Status;
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Keywords").text = element.PDATA5;
//Notes need wrapping as CDATA
var noteElement = AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Notes");//.text = entity.Notes;
noteElement.appendChild(xmlRow.ownerDocument.createCDATASection(element.Notes));
//Now get tags:
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Tags.ID").text = GetElementTaggedValue(element,"ID");
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Tags.Type").text = GetElementTaggedValue(element,"Type");
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Tags.Category").text = GetElementTaggedValue(element,"Category");
AppendXmlChild(xmlRow,"Tags.Traceability").text = GetElementTaggedValue(element,"Traceability");
return xmlRow;
}
//helper function to create an empty xml document
function CreateXmlDOC()
{
var xmlDOM;
try
{
xmlDOM = new ActiveXObject( "MSXML2.DOMDocument.4.0" );
}
catch(e)
{
xmlDOM = new ActiveXObject( "MSXML2.DOMDocument.6.0" );
}
xmlDOM.createProcessingInstruction("xml","version=\"1.0\"");
xmlDOM.validateOnParse = false;
xmlDOM.async = false;
return xmlDOM;
}
//helper function to create the beginning of an xml document
//suitable to render the results of a search:
function CreateXmlReport(xmlDOC){
var xmlRoot = AppendXmlChild(xmlDOC,"EADATA");
var xmlDataSet = AppendXmlChild(xmlRoot,"Dataset_0");
var xmlData = AppendXmlChild(xmlDataSet,"Data");
return xmlData;
}
//helper function to attach a new child xml element to a parent xml element
function AppendXmlChild(xmlParent, xmlElementName, isCDATA){
var xmlDocument = xmlParent.ownerDocument;
if (!xmlDocument){xmlDocument = xmlParent}
var child = xmlDocument.createElement(xmlElementName);
xmlParent.appendChild(child);
return child;
}
//Gets an Element's tag. Eats exception if Tag does not exist.
function GetElementTaggedValue(element, tagName){
var tag;
try {
tag = element.TaggedValues.GetByName(tagName);
}
catch (e) {
}
if (!tag){return;}
var result = tag.Value;
return result;
}
function ConvertPackageIdToBranchId(packageId){
var package = Repository.GetPackageByID(objectId);
if (!package){return;}
var packages = [package];
packages.concat(ConvertPackageToBranch(package));
var result=[];
for(var i=0;i<packages.length;i++){
result.push(packages[i].PackageID);
}
return result;
}
function ConvertPackageToBranch(package){
var result = [];
for (var i=0;i<package.Packages.Count();i++){
var childPackage = package.Packages.GetAt(i);
result.push(childPackage);
result.concat(ConvertPackageToBranch(childPackage));
}
return result;
}
//devTest();