This content applies to version 7.5.4 or later. You
can populate or update a diagram with elements from a UPIA model,
based upon query parameters that you specify.
Before you begin
The UPIA model, which contains the elements to display in
the new or existing diagram, must be open.
About this task
The Custom Queries explore tool refreshes a diagram with
the results of either a predefined or a custom query. When the tool
is clicked on a diagram, a window opens that prompts you to specify
the query to be run. You can create custom queries in the Modeling,
UPIA Modeling, Explore Tools page of the Preferences window.
To
create a new query-based diagram:
Procedure
- In the Project Explorer view, right-click a package in
the model; then click Add Diagram, and click
a UML diagram to create. The new diagram opens.
- In the Palette, on the Explore tab,
expand UPIA Common; then click Custom
Queries.
- Click inside the diagram. The Custom
Queries window opens to prompt you to specify the query
to run.
- Select a query. The Query
name list displays predefined queries, as well as any
custom queries you have created.
- From the Search Scope list, select
a location to define the scope in which to find element types.
- Select one or more element types. The element
types that are displayed in the list are dynamically related to the
query that you selected in step 4.
- Optional: Click the Show derived
element types check box to show all elements from a type
hierarchy that is defined in the UPIA profile, without selecting the
individual element types.
- Click OK. The query
is run and the diagram populates with the model elements that the
query finds, based on the search scope. The Query Execution window
opens.
- Optional: If you want to save the query to
the diagram, click the Save query to the diagram check
box. If the query is saved in the diagram, you can update
the diagram with the same query parameters by using the Refresh command.
If any built-in UPIA BIRT reports are going to be used or if you want
to create a report that extracts diagrams created using a custom query,
then the query must be saved to the diagram. The BIRT reporting mechanism
can only identify specific DoDAF diagrams from the saved query. The
custom queries that correspond to specific DoDAF diagrams are as follows:
Operational Resource Description (OV-2), Logical data Model (OV-7
or DIV-2), Physical Data Model (SV-11 or DIV-3) and the Systems Interface
Description (SV-1).
The names of queries that are saved in a diagram
are shown in the Outline view. If the query is
selected in the Outline view, the elements on
the diagram that correspond to the result of the last query run are
highlighted. This allows you to identify the diagram elements that
no longer correspond to the query result.
- Click OK.
What to do next
You can organize the generated elements in the diagram, and
add comments and geometric shapes. You can also add other UPIA elements
as needed.
You can update a query-based diagram by clicking the Refresh button
on the main toolbar, if the query was previously saved to the diagram.
Otherwise, the diagram can be updated by running the Custom Queries
explore tool again. You might want to update a diagram after you define
additional elements in a model or if you want to define different
parameters for the query explore tool. If you run a subsequent query
that locates additional elements, the elements are added to the diagram
and any changes you have made to the diagram are preserved.
All
explore tool queries saved to a diagram are rerun when you refresh
the query results in the diagram.