MDG Technology for TRAK

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TRAK SourceForge Projects

Definition

• TRAK
• TRAK Metamodel
• TRAK Viewpoints

Implementation

• Implementations of TRAK
• UML Profile for TRAK
• Rail Symbols
• MDG Technology for TRAK (Sparx Enterprise Architect)
• TRAK MooD 2010 Template
• TRAK OmniGraffle Stencil
• TRAK Visio Template

TRAK Information

• TRAK - Important Ideas
• TRAK FAQs (SF - trak project)
• Projects Using TRAK
• Demo Model
• Supporting Links
• Blog - "The Residual World"
• TRAK Community Wiki
• Community Discussion Forums

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home > MDG Technology

What is It?

MDG Technology for TRAK is a plugin for Sparx Systems' Enterprise Architect UML modelling tool that supports TRAK - a pragmatic enterprise architecture framework. The important ideas behind TRAK are provided in the defining documents and repeated on the trak-community site.

In brief it provides:-

• a template structure and sample TRAK views for a model
• TRAK views using UML and also SysML for the 'New Diagram' wizard
• toolbox palettes of objects and relationships for each TRAK view
• context-sensitive creation of relationships between model objects
• 60+ searches for analysis, quality control and finding particular TRAK elements meeting criteria

More detail is provided under 'Features'.

Where Does this Fit In?

The MDG for TRAK is an implementation of TRAK (for the Sparx Systems' Enterprise Architect UML modelling tool).

TRAK is defined logically (free of implementation or solution) by 3 documents:

• an overall set of requirements (e.g. colour, conformance with TRAK, Bye Laws etc)
• the allowed elements and relationships - TRAK Metamodel
• the TRAK Architecture Viewpoints (views) which show these

This structure is described by a TRAK MV-03 Requirements and Standards View, titled 'TRAK Specifications', which is part of the template provided by this project.

The MDG Technology for TRAK provides a set of palettes of UML and also SysML node and connector elements representing parts of the TRAK metamodel. These elements allow the user to create TRAK architecture views based on UML and SysML diagrams. In addition the MDG Technology for TRAK exploits functionality / features within the Sparx Enterprise Architect UML modelling tool to display/find elements and errors and create models more quickly.

Implementations of TRAK

TRAK can be implemented in a wide range of modelling tools and architecture description languages (a term taken from ISO 42010) such as UML, BPMN etc can be used to represent parts of the TRAK metamodel and therefore can be used in creating TRAK architecture views.

The known implementations of TRAK are listed separately.

What is a 'MDG Technology'?

'MDG' stands for Model-Driven Generation and it provides a method for Enterprise Architect to bundle together everything it needs to extend the basic functionality of the tool. Placing the XML file in a location that Enterprise Architect looks in on start-up provides added functionality.

In providing a MDG Technology file we extend the basic behaviour of Enterprise Architect to add palettes, views and object types needed for modelling (describing the world - at the heart of Model-Based Systems Engineering - MBSE) using the palette of tuples (e.g. 'Standard. Statute governs Organisation. Cabinet' ) provided by TRAK.

Where Do I Get It?

The MDG Technology for TRAK plugin is available here ...

What Files Are Needed?

MDG Technology for TRAK consists of 2 component files:-

• TRAK_MDG.xml. This contains the UML profile for TRAK defining the objects, definitions of toolbox palettes, views and allowable links.
• TRAK_model_template.xml. This defines the structure and contents of a typical TRAK model and can be used as the blueprint for Enterprise Architect when creating a new TRAK architecture description. It also provides a guide to using the plugin and samples of the views.

Enterprise Architect Provides a Flexible Method for Extending Functionality Through MDG Technology Plugins

Telling Enterprise Architect Where to Find the MDG for TRAK Plugin

Both files need to sit in the same directory and Enterprise Architect has to be told to look for the directory containing these files (Settings | MDG Technologies | Advanced) and then it has to be enabled (see Sparx Systems - MDG Technologies - Manage MDG Tecxhnologies).

Platforms Supported

The native platform for Enterprise Architect is Microsoft Windows. Enterprise Architect will, however, run on a Mac using WINE, CodeWeavers Crossover, Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion and similarly on Unix.

The plugin is not an executable file - it is an XML file - a text file that describes / maps the bits of TRAK in terms of UML elements so that the Sparx EA UML modelling tool know how to implement them.

Download

The files can be downloaded from the Project Summary Page on SourceForge.

Modification Date: August 29, 2023