ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT 16.0 beta

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT 16.0 beta

 

Your journey into tomorrow starts today

A precise and intuitive modeling and design platform for the times that integrates exploration and invention. Capture what is, visualize and look forward to what will be. Build a living model with deep roots and broad reach, that guides and enables your story, your team's goals and your company's future.

 

Modeling, Collaborating & Governance

 

 

Modeling and Collaborating in a Rapidly Changing World

 

Collaborative modeling with Journals, Reviews and Discussions

 

New and expanded collaborative tools support a rich, co-operative team based approach to modeling

 

Chat in real time with team members.

Keep a personal model based diary to record your thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Stay in touch with other modelers and groups using Model based Mail.

Record ad hoc thoughts and ideas on a daily basis using the Element Journal.

Create topics and post replies to formal element Discussions .

Provide, collect and manage formal feedback using the expanded Review Systems.

Share small files and images  with team members by attaching to Chat message.

 

Effective team collaboration modeling with Journals, Reviews and Discussions

 

Shorten your project schedule using streamlined model reviews. Quickly create review sets by gathering and organizing review artifacts in diagrams and adding those diagrams as navigation cells to the review diagram. Use the hard coded review indicators to set the status types for the review artifacts. Capture review notes as discussions and post comments with date stamps. The improved user interface allows you to join an active review and leave review on closing the model. You can now filter the reviews by discussion status, approval status, priority and recent replies. Quickly access Test management, Resource management and Maintenance windows from the dropdown menu of the review items.

 

Improved auditing

 

Stay in control with simple and intuitive model auditing. Experience improved visibility of the changes for model administrators/ managers. Enterprise Architect 16 is equipped with faster audit functionality that will swiftly maintain model quality and offers nimble change management. Track down changes and easily explore and search significant changes to the model over a period of time. Find out who changed an element, track changes made in a time period, stay in touch with modifications made by your off shore team.

 

Finer control over user permissions

Safeguard your model with tighter governance. Add data loss prevention rules at user level on top of model user security authorization to prevent unwanted destruction of model data.  User restrictions prevent a user from performing specific operations regardless of what their other user and group security privileges allow. Restrictions can be applied to deleting packages, diagrams, elements, connectors, attributes and operations. They can also be used to restrict XMI Import, restore from baseline and delete baseline. Basically anything that could possibly lead to 'data loss'

 

 

 

Auto-refresh Diagrams

Collaborate and co-author diagrams in real time. The new Auto-Refresh diagram option turns your regular Enterprise Architect diagram into a shared white board. Just enable Auto-Refresh on your diagram with a preferred time-interval and let your team monitor updates as they happen. Combined with Chat, Discussions and/or Review you can create your own real time, distributed and dynamic modeling environment.

 

Auto-Reload changed Diagrams

Set Enterprise Architect to reload any diagrams you have open when there are changes made by others working in the same model at the same time. A personal option that lets you keep up to date with minimal fuss.

Stay current and in touch with how other people's work may impact your own

Ensure any diagram reports EA generates are up-to-date

Ensure you are always looking at and working with the latest version of a diagram

Access: Layout | Diagram | Options | Auto Reload Changed Diagrams

 

Grid Style - turn your diagram into a Spreadsheet

 

Grid style diagram

Build a Spreadsheet, a Dashboard, even a Home page for your model with the new Grid Style diagram. Apply a familiar spreadsheet like overlay that automatically constrains elements to a cell size within a specified set of rows and columns.

Automatically sections your diagram into cells:

 

Each grid cell can hold an element

Rows, columns and cell size are all configurable

Optional Row and Column headers to help reference cells by grid position (eg A:1)

A new scripting API to reference elements by their grid position is provided

Integrates with the new Scriptlet elements to automatically update and process elements in the grid

A new and powerful way to organize and manage medium to large sets of information

 

 

Construct History window

Monitor your construction in real-time with the new Construct History window. Keep an up-to-date view of resource/task allocation, the current testing being run, as well as the current maintenance issues.

Whether you are monitoring software development, model design, deployment, project management or other scenario, the Construct History  keeps you intimately in touch with day to day progress and development as it unfolds. An essential management view to verify and guide your model and your projects as they take shape.

The three Construct Views to keep you informed:

 

The Resource/Task view with current tasks, tasks ending, tasks beginning

Testing view for tests run within a configurable time frame

Maintenance view for all changes and issues raised and actioned in the recent past

 

Access: Alt+5 -> Resource history, Testing History and Maintenance History

Access:  Start | Construct -> Resource history, Testing History and Maintenance History

 

 

Start Page enhancements

Essential model building tools at your fingertips! The revamped Start Page lets you quickly and conveniently create, open and manage Enterprise Architect projects, create models from patterns, select and add appropriate diagrams to your models and access process guidance.

 

Create from Pattern

Quickly create and develop new models using the Create from Pattern tools. The model patterns are templated starting points for common scenarios and solutions. Comprehensive notes and usage suggestions are provided to help you pick the best solution for your model.

 

Add Diagram

Instantly select and add new diagrams to your model from UML, SysML and many other open standards and technologies. Making it easy to choose a diagram type, you can tailor the selection of technologies and profiles using Perspectives to better match your daily work.

 

 

 

External Data tab in Inspector window

PCS based Integrations to external systems such as Jira provide the modeler with a multi-faceted view of their information. Building model elements based on constructs and entities stored in external systems supports a truly global view.

The new Inspector window tab "External Data" provides a new tool for digging even deeper into the information stored externally and related to the model "proxy" element. A valuable and essential tool for harmonizing your model with your external systems.

 

 

 

 

 

Custom Documents

One of the major innovations in version 15 is now enhanced to provide an even more compelling solution for building highly customizable reports.

Mix your own graphics, logos, policies and text with sections of content dynamically generated from the model. Start with a provided template, your own base document or a simple empty page - and then drag and drop content from the Project Browser where it is needed.

 

New features in version 16  provide a richer and cleaner experience.

 

Ability to select and apply a template on Initial document creation.

More details on setting the sections

Improved content list, now contains element and template being used for each dynamic section.

Progress bar to provide better feedback during document generation

Warnings are now displayed in cases where data would be lost upon updating a dynamic section.

Custom Document elements can now be created via Diagram Toolbox.

Numerous enhancements and usability updates

Expanded and easily reached Help information

 

Access: Publish | Custom Document

Access: Toolbox | Documents | Custom Document

Enhanced Technologies

 

 

Enterprise Architect 64 Bit

 

 

Work bigger, work faster, do more - and leverage the wave of the future. 

 

EA 64 bit - an enhanced technology platform to future proof your investment in Enterprise Architect.

 

Enterprise Architect has been extensively reworked into both an all new 64 bit version and a legacy 32 bit version. The new 64 bit version comes with many performance improvements that allow you to work with much larger data sets, reports, files and repositories. A clean, fast and scalable solution that is ready to take on your largest and most complex tasks.

With the future focusing more and more on 64 bit only platforms, Enterprise Architect is ready to meet the challenge and deliver outstanding results in record time.

 

Leverage 64 bit OS features and advantages

Access larger amounts of memory

Process data more effectively compared to 32 bit.

Support larger report generation tasks

Support larger XMI import / export operations

Support larger diagram export / save

Build and run bigger Simulations

Build and search large Code Miner databases

 

New standard file based repositories

Enterprise Architect 16 introduces new standard file based repositories.

QEA files - the basic personal file based version

QEAX files - support shared files with small workgroups

 

The new QEA/QEAX "mini-repository" is built on the proven, secure and open source SQLite database. These serverless repositories are compatible with 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Enterprise Architect 16.  QEA/QEAX files are the simplest and easiest entry point for your personal/ workgroup modeling design journey. With support for basic replication and simple shared model access, for many modelers a QEA mini-repository will be the starting point of choice.

The key benefits are

 

Out-of-box EA repository

Light weight

Serverless

Basic replication is supported for offline development.

.QEAX files support basic file sharing for small workgroups.

 

Note:

Easily migrate your existing models in EAP/EAPX files to SQLite files using the migration tool that allows you to port to the 64bit-version compatible QEA/QEAX files. To access the migration tool follow the menu path:

Settings | Model - Transfer | EAP/EAPX Project Transfer

To continue using EAP/EAPX files, use the 32 bit version of Enterprise Architect.

Simplified way of connecting to DBMS repositories

 

Simplified way of connecting to DBMS repositories

 

Enterprise Architect 16 introduces a "native" connection method to both 32 and 64 bit versions in addition to the previous connection methods that require separate ODBC or OLEDB drivers installed. The native connection method simplifies the connection to existing and new database repositories without the need for installation of drivers for individual DBMS and the definition of DSNs. Simply enter all the details of the database in the Native Connection screen and EA connects to it.

 

 

Search, Query and Inspect your Code Base with incredible speed and detail

 

Code Analyzer

 

Compile your code base into a Code Miner repository

Use one of the supplied language grammars (or write your own!)

Use the MFQL query language to search and inspect  your code

Results returned in milliseconds, even for large code bases

Connect up with EA's code editors to provide on the fly Intelli-sense

Expose a code base as a service - either local or shared

Fast, minimal impact updates compile in new changes and additions only

Create your own grammars to parse any structured information

 

 

 

 

Scriptlets - a step beyond static views

 

Bring your diagram to life with Scriptlets! The all new Scriptlet element is a Javascript based powerhouse that lets you tap into EA's underlying rich diagram and element API and customize appearance, text, tagged values and other properties on the fly. Just set and forget - the new Scriptlets run whenever the diagram is loaded, or run manually on demand. Make your diagrams respond to model changes and offer more than a single static view.

Simply drag-drop a scriptlet element from the toolbox on to a diagram, edit the javascript as required and let EA do the rest. You can have multiple Scriptlets on a diagram and you can use the same Scriptlet on multiple diagrams.

 

Use the new Grid Style diagrams plus Scriptlets to build your own spreadsheets!

Update the Grid style diagrams using new cell reference (A:1, A:2, etc) API

Automate updates to dynamic properties

Apply visual changes to elements, name and tagged values

Validate model elements in a diagram

Populate a table

Render graph elements in a dashboard

Dynamically color code elements based on your rules

 

Javascript Console

A new streamlined and more powerful Javascript console. The new Javascript view provides a better visual and interactive experience, helping you to quickly and effectively write and execute Javascript code within EA leveraging the extensive API to explore, extract and manipulate.

Expanded JavaScript Library

 

JavaScript is the new default scripting language in Enterprise Architect 16. As part of this change, the existing libraries for VBScript and JScript have been generally migrated into JavaScript

The new examples and libraries let you efficiently kick start your scripting. For model based add-ins, scriptlets, general script code, element behavior in simulations and suchlike, JavaScript is the best (and sometimes only) choice.

One of world's most popular coding languages, JavaScript is the best solution for writing dynamic model based code to fine tune and bring your model to life. The new library of routines and examples gives you a great start.

 

 

Native XEA file exchange format

A new fast and convenient alternative to XMI and XML format for speedy data exchange of large packages.

Using XEA format helps to streamline model archiving and the export and import of Enterprise Architect repositories.

 

 

 

Tools, Frameworks & User Experience

 

 

 

New UI theme - Dark Sapphire

Introducing a new dark visual theme "Dark Sapphire", designed to minimize visual contrast and provide a relaxed reading experience. The new theme can be applied to all windows and visual controls in Enterprise Architect.

Choose the Dark Sapphire option as the Theme in the Visual Style settings for any of the following:

 

Microsoft® Office 2016,

Microsoft® Office 2019,

Microsoft® Visual Studio 2013 or

Microsoft® Visual Studio 2019

Access: Start | Appearance | Visual Style | Theme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Model Patterns for Systems Engineers

Kick start your Systems Design with newly added model patterns. Enterprise Architect 16 continues to expand the library of re-usable patterns and content that drives efficiency and productivity. Effective and instant access to common modeling scenarios in System Design.

 

DMN patterns

AUTOSAR

SysML patterns

Modelica case studies

SysPhS library

Octave Solver

Scriptlets

 

 

 

Introducing NIEM 5

Achieve reliable Information Exchange using a Model based approach to the development of standardized NIEM schemas that can be used and reused.

Get started by simply importing the latest NIEM 5.0 reference model from the Model wizard. The starter model patterns and the reference model provide readily available core and domain specific terms that help build the common vocabularies ensuring efficient information exchange between organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Status tab in Inspector window

Quickly inspect and review the status and priority of all elements in a diagram. An essential triage tool to help you focus on what is important now and what can wait.

 

Display a list of all elements in a diagram

Focus on the Status and Priority settings of each element

Work with your most pressing issues

Add your own Priority and Status types to the model to drive your modeling and design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Configuring AutoName using stereotype

Auto-naming has been expanded to include targeting specific element types AND stereotype. For example, you can now set Auto-Naming for your standard Requirements separately to your SysML Requirements by selecting the stereotype as well as the type.

Finer control over the auto naming of new elements

Differentiate based on both element type and stereotype

Auto Name similar types from different profiles in their own unique manner

Ribbons | Settings | Reference Data | Settings | Auto Names and Counters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Customizable Quick Access Toolbar

Quickly add your favorite and often used commands (including menu buttons) from the Ribbon to the new Quick Access Toolbar. Instant access to whatever is important for your work. By default, buttons for Full Screen view and WorkSpace layouts are available.

 

Build your own collection of useful tools

Right click on an Ribbon item and choose "Add to Quick Access Toolbar" - that's it !

Put the things you need frequently front and center

Simple and effective

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gantt Chart view in Resource Allocation window

The updated Resource Allocation docked window now functions as a Gantt Chart, providing an improved visual experience for those assigning and managing tasks within the model.

 

Get a clear visual of work happening on any element

Quickly modify start and end dates with drag and drop

Add and modify tasks with ease

Zoom in and out on work items

Percent complete overlaid on tasks for immediate visual reference