Create Toolbox Profiles using the Profile Helpers

1

If a group of Packages for defining Profiles has not been created, use the Model Wizard's 'MDG Technology Builder' option to create this group.

In the Project Browser, locate the Package with the <<toolbox profile>> stereotype and open its child diagram.

2

Drag the 'Create Custom Toolbox' item from the 'Profile Helpers' Toolbox Page onto the diagram.  

The 'Select a Toolbox Profile Package' dialog displays.

3

Select the Package with the <<toolbox profile>> stereotype referred to in step 1.  

Click on the OK button. The 'Create Toolbox Page' dialog displays.

4

In the 'Toolbox Name' field type the name for your Toolbox page.

This is the name that will be displayed for the Toolbox page when using the item search facilities in the Diagram Toolbox.

5

In the 'Description' field type a description for the Toolbox.

This description acts as a default tool-tip for your Toolbox, unless you define a specific tool-tip for a Toolbox Page as mentioned in step 10.

6

Click on the OK button.

The diagram that you will use to define your Toolbox is created and displayed.

7

(Optional) When dragging an item from a Toolbox onto a diagram, the item will typically create an element or a connector.

It is also possible to have a single Toolbox item that, when dragged onto a diagram, will provide a selection of items to choose from. This is referred to as a hidden sub-menu.

If you want your Toolbox to contain one or more hidden sub-menus you should define these before proceeding with the steps on this page.

8

You can now define one or more Toolbox Pages that will appear on the Toolbox.

Drag the 'Add Toolbox Page' item from the 'Profile Helpers' Toolbox page onto the diagram.  

The 'Add Toolbox Page' dialog displays.

9

In the 'Name' field, type a name for the Toolbox Page.

This is text that will display in the title bar of the corresponding Toolbox Page.

10

In the 'Tool Tip' field, type the tool-tip for the corresponding Toolbox Page.

11

The 'Icon' field in this case will be disabled. This field is only used when defining hidden sub-menu toolboxes.

12

These options can be used to determine the appearance and functionality of the Toolbox Page. When enabled:

• 'Images Only': displays the Toolbox Page without the text labels next to the icons
• 'Is Hidden': defines the Toolbox Page as a hidden sub-menu
• 'Is Common': the Toolbox Page is common to all defined Toolboxes while your technology is active; the page is initially displayed as collapsed
• 'Is Collapsed': the Toolbox Page is initially minimized

13

You can now define items to be added to the Toolbox.  

Click on the down arrow on the right of the Add button. Select one of these options:

• 'Add Stereotype': adds a Toolbox item for a Stereotype that is defined in a UML Profile in the current model; this Profile must be included with the Toolbox Profile in the MDG Technology
  After you select this option, the 'Select a Profile Element' dialog displays; use this to select the Stereotype you want to add
• 'Add Built in Type':
       -  Element: adds a Toolbox item for a UML element type
          After you select this option the 'Create new Toolbox Item' dialog displays; in the 'Alias' field, type
          the label to appear on the Toolbox item, and click on the OK button
          The 'Select Metaclass' dialog then displays; select the UML element type to add to your Toolbox,
          and click on the OK button
       -  'Connector': adds a Toolbox item for a UML connector type
          After you select this option the 'Create new Toolbox Item' dialog displays; in the 'Alias' field, type
          the label to appear on the Toolbox item, and click on the OK button
          The 'Select Metaclass' dialog then displays; select the UML connector type to add to your Toolbox,
          and click on the OK button

• 'Add Hidden Toolbox': adds a hidden Toolbox sub-menu item; the hidden Toolbox must be defined before you use this option
  After you select this option, the 'Create new Toolbox Item' dialog displays; in the 'Alias' field, type the label to appear on the Toolbox item and click on the OK button
  The 'Select a Hidden Toolbox Stereotype' dialog then displays; select the hidden Toolbox to add to your Toolbox, and click on the OK button
• 'Add New Item': adds a Toolbox item with an Alias only
  This option alone will not create a functional Toolbox item; a Toolbox item added in this way must be later modified via the Toolbox Items list

Clicking on the Add button, and not on the drop-down arrow, is the same as selecting the 'Add Stereotype' option.

14

(Optional) Define a Toolbox item that will create an item from an external MDG Technology. For example, adding a Toolbox item that creates a SysML1.3 Block element.

1. Click on the down-arrow on the right of the Add button.
2. Select the 'Add New Item' option.
   The 'Create new Toolbox Item' dialog displays.
3. In the 'Alias' field, type the label to appear on the Toolbox item, and click on the OK button.
   The Toolbox item will be added to the 'Toolbox Items' list.
4. In the 'Stereotype' field for this Toolbox item, type:
        Profile::Stereotype(UML::BaseUMLType)
        -  Profile is the name of the Profile that the Stereotype is defined in
        -  Stereotype is the name of the Stereotype/Metatype that this toolbox item will create
        -  BaseUMLType is the base UML type of the non-UML object
   For example, to include a SysML Block in a Toolbox you would type:
        SysML1.3::Block(UML::Class)
5. To identify the Profile::Stereotype string, create an element of the type to include in your Toolbox (for example; a SysML 1.3 Block), then select the element and display the Tagged Values window.
   Any predefined tags for this element will be grouped under the Profile::Stereotype heading; for example, a SysML 1.3 Block's tags are grouped under SysML1.3::Block.

All non-UML objects in Enterprise Architect are an extension of a UML Type. You can reveal an element's base UML type by deleting its Stereotypes. For example, create a SysML1.3 Block and then, using the Properties Window, delete the Block element's Stereotype. The element type will change from Block to Class.

15

(Optional) Create a Toolbox item that will drop a Pattern onto a diagram.

1. Click on the down arrow on the right of the Add button.
2. Select the 'Add New Item' option.
   The 'Create new Toolbox Item' dialog displays.
3. In the 'Alias' field, type the label to appear on the Toolbox item, then click on the OK button.
4. The Toolbox item will be added to the 'Toolbox Items' list.  
5. In the 'Stereotype' field for this Toolbox item, type:
        TechnologyID::PatternName(UMLPattern)
        -  TechnologyID is the ID of the Technology, as entered in the MDG Technology Creation Wizard
        -  PatternName is the name that was entered when saving the Pattern; for example:
           BusFramework::Builder(UMLPattern)
   If you want to avoid displaying the 'Add Pattern' dialog, replace (UMLPattern) with (UMLPatternSilent).
6. To define a model-based Pattern in a custom Toolbox (such as the GoF Patterns), create an attribute with a name of the format:
        PatternCategory::PatternName(UMLPattern)
   For example:
        GoF::Mediator(UMLPattern)

16

After you add the Toolbox item it will appear in the 'Toolbox Items' list. You can optionally add a custom icon image for a Toolbox item.

The icon image must be a 16x16 pixel bitmap file; for a transparent background use light gray - RGB(192,192,192).

To set the icon for a Toolbox item:

1. Locate the item in the 'Toolbox Items' list and click within the 'Toolbox Icon' column.
2. Click on the button within this column. The 'Select a Toolbox Icon' dialog displays.
3. Locate the image file and click on the Open button.

17

Repeat steps 13 to 16 for each item you want to add to the Toolbox Page.

To remove a Toolbox item, select it in the 'Toolbox Items' list and click on the Delete button.

Once all the appropriate Toolbox items have been added, click on the OK button. A Stereotype element will be added to your Toolbox Profile diagram.

18

Repeat steps 8 to 17 for each Toolbox Page you want to include in the Toolbox.

19

Save the Toolbox Profile by clicking on the diagram and selecting the 'Design > Diagram > Edit > Advanced > Save as Profile' ribbon option.

20

Incorporate the Profile into an MDG Technology.