Export/Import using XML Tab

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wgoebl
Posts: 20
Joined: 09 Dec 2011, 11:08

Hi,

I was successful in importing data from a flat (.csv) file using the scripts you sent me last week. Thanks for that.

Currently I try to import/export Data from essential metamodel using the XML Tab an have following problems:

We think of an import of business Objects (like "Customer", "Contract", "Adress" from out UML Modelling Tool (Sprax Enterprise Architect) into Essential. So we have to create new instances and relations according to the xml schema.

1.) I am not able to create an XML Schema (xsd) file for the metamodell - but I think I would need it for mapping the XML output of our UML Modelling Tool to Proteges XML Import Structure

2.) I also tried to export Instance Data using the XML Tab, but it does not work as described at the http://protegewiki.stanford.edu/wiki/XML_Tab.
It is not possible to select certain Instances to be exported as described in the protegewiki, I am only able to export the entire instance data.

How do you usually deal with importing Data from external tools like UML into Essential project? Do you use the XML Tab?

Thanks for your help
Wolfgang
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jonathan.carter
Posts: 1087
Joined: 04 Feb 2009, 15:44

Hi Wolfgang,

We treat exports of data in the same way as we define Views in Essential Viewer. This enables us to rapidly define the specific extract that we need and in the format that we need it using XSL. There are a couple of examples included in the out-of-the-box set of Views that demonstrate an XML and a CSV export.

Importing data from UML tools such as Sparx is a common question. As with any other data source, we need to understand how the Sparx model maps to the Essential Meta Model. The UML meta model provides constructs such as Class and Relationship whereas in the Essential Meta Model we have Business Process, Application Provider etc. We need to understand which Classes in the UML model map to, e.g. Business Process and this varies from model to model.
If the UML uses stereotypes on the classes, this makes the technicality of the mapping simpler. This recent forum posting discusses in more detail approaches for importing from Sparx:
http://www.enterprise-architecture.org/ ... ?f=6&t=181

Once we've defined how to map from the XMI data source, we can define a transform using XSL and use the Essential Import Tab to import the required models into the Essential Repository.

We explored the Protege XML Tab at length before we started building our own integration technology but discovered that it, like Data Master Tab, doesn't really work in the way we needed - as you describe: selecting specific instances to export and importing external content into the Essential repository.

Hope this helps but we would be happy to help with any integration you might need.

Jonathan
Essential Project Team
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