Using Projects

Go Up to Workspaces and Projects

A Project is a collection of items including models, documents, business rules, etc. For example, a “Human Resources” project might contain a business process model describing the main functions of the Human Resources department, and a data model describing the data structures used by these processes, and business rules describing prescribed behavior of the organization. The file extension of a project is .exp. You can:

• Creating a Project
• Inserting a Project
• Reparenting a Project
• Renaming a Project
• Closing a Project
• Saving a Project
• Deleting a Project

Note: You can have multiple Projects open simultaneously. You can then easily switch back and forth between them.

Right-click a Project in the Model View tree to gain access to additional functions:

Command	Icons	Description
Links		This command opens the Create Link wizard which allows you to create links between elements.
Usages		This command opens the Create Usage wizard which allows you to create usage connections between elements.
Impact Analysis		You have two commands available from the pull-right menu: You can generate an Impact Analysis Diagram which graphically displays all the associated relationships and elements. You can also show the Impact Analysis Report.
Refresh		Updates the currently displayed information in the Model View with new data or changes.
Properties		Opens the Property View for the selected element.

Creating a Project

When you create a workspace, you can create a new project at that time in the New Workspace dialog. But you can also create other new projects in that workspace to store your models and diagrams using the New Project dialog.

1 On the File menu, select New > Project.

OR

In the Model View tree right-click the workspace and select New > Project.The New Project dialog opens.

2 In the Project name box, type the name of the new project.

3 You can enter a description of the new project in the Description text box. Press Enter to add a CRLF in the text box.

Note: If you press Ctrl+Enter the New Project dialog closes and the new project name appears in the Model View tree.

4 You can then select where to create the project: in the existing workspace or nested in the existing project.

5 Click OK. The project is created and the dialog box closes.

Note: The default storage directory for the new project is set when you create the workspace.

Inserting a Project

If you have deleted a project or model but did not delete the associated files you can select this command to “restore” the deleted project or model. You can:

• insert a model in a model
• insert a model in a project
• insert a project in a workspace
• insert a data source project under External Data Objects node.

The following actions are NOT allowed when inserting projects and models:

• insert a project from another workspace
• insert a project under a model
• insert a reference object project under a workspace, project, or model
• insert a data source project under a workspace, project, or model
• insert a project or model under the External Data Objects node
• insert a reference project under the External Data Objects node

Caution: The undo/redo function is not available for the insert project command.

To insert a project:

1 Right-click the Workspace node in the Model View tree and select Insert Project/Model.

2 In the Insert Project or Model dialog open the folder that is labeled with the project’s name that you want to restore.

Caution: If you attempt to insert a project into another workspace you will get a warning dialog. A project can only be inserted into the workspace it was created in.

3 Select the file labeled meta-model.exp, click Open and the selected project is placed in the Model View tree.

Reparenting a Project

You can reparent a project within a workspace by dragging and dropping the project from one location to another. Basically you will be removing the project from the current workspace location and immediately reinserting the project into the workspace at another location. When you reparent the project, all associated files including models, diagrams, and elements are also reparented.

Caution: It is recommended you do a a backup of your workspace before doing a reparenting action.

The following rules apply to the reparenting action. If any of the error conditions listed below occur, you will get a dialog warning you that the reparenting is not valid and will not be allowed.

• Projects can be reparented to workspace.
• A project will be allowed to be reparented to another project, but not to one of its own child projects.
• A project will not be allowed to be reparented to the following: (1) Reference Object project; (2) External Data Object project; (3) a data source; or (4) a model.
• A model will be allowed to be reparented to a project.
• A model will be allowed to be reparented to a model of its same nature (i.e., Conceptual or Business Process) as long as it isn’t one of its own child models.
• Models can be reparented to workspace.
• You cannot reparent a Reference Object project or an External Data Object project.
• A data source:

• will be allowed to be reparented to another data source as long as it isn’t one of its own children.
• will be allowed to be reparented to the External Data Objects project.
• will not be allowed to be reparented to the Reference Object project.
• will not be allowed to be reparented to a project or model.

To Reparent a Project:

1 In the Model View, select the project you want to reparent and drag it to its new location.

Note: When dragging the node, the destination node must be highlighted as illustrated in the following screen shot.

Note: If you have not saved your workspace you will get a warning dialog telling you that you must save the workspace and all associated diagrams must be closed. If you click Yes the workspace is saved, all associated diagrams are closed, and the project is reparented.

2 Release the node and the project and all associated files are reparented to its new location.

Renaming a Project

You can rename a project by using the Rename Project command. When you rename a project you are changing the name of the project and the associated project’s folder on the file system.

In the Model View tree, select the project node you want to rename.

1 Right-click the node and select Rename Project.

2 Enter the new name in the text box and press Enter. The project’s name changes.

Closing a Project

1 Right-click the project node in the Model View and select Close.

Note: If you have made additions or changes to your project you are prompted to save it. Click Yes and the project, model, and diagram data are saved and closed.

Saving a Project

A project is saved under the following conditions:

• When a project is created, it is automatically saved.
• When you close a project, you are prompted to save it.

When you make additions or changes to a model or diagram in a project, you can save your project by:

Clicking Save () on the main toolbar.

Right-clicking the project name in the Model View tree and selecting Save Project.

On the main menu, choose File > Save.

Deleting a Project

1 Right-click the Project name in the Model View tree and select Delete.

2 In the Confirm Project Delete dialog you have three choices:

No, I do not want to delete the project.	The delete action is canceled and no action is taken.
Yes, and also delete the associated files under x:\.Documents and Settings\....	This option lists the entire path where the Project files are stored. When you choose this option, the project is deleted from the Model View tree and the folder containing the project information is also deleted.
Yes, but do not delete the associated files.	The reference to the project in the Model View tree is removed but the project folder still remains in the directory.

3 Select the option you want and click OK.

Caution: The undo/redo function is not available for the remove command, which is the third option in the Confirm Project Delete dialog.