1.5 Working with Objects | Archi - Archimate Toolkit 5 minute guide

Summary

In this 5-minute session, Joe walks through the process of working with objects in Archi to create and manage views within a model. Using a CRM example, he demonstrates how to generate and synchronize views by reusing existing object relationships, ensuring the model stays up to date. The tutorial highlights how to manage object flows, delete unnecessary connections, and utilize features like 'Paste Special' to prevent creating unwanted duplicates. Additionally, Joe introduces the analysis tab in Archi to track where objects are used in views, optimizing the modeling workflow.

Takeaways

• 😀 This session focuses on using Archi to generate views from models, specifically applied to an order fulfillment system.
• 😀 The goal is to present a 2-hour recovery time for the business in the context of the CRM model.
• 😀 Reusing existing model relationships helps keep your model and views in sync, minimizing redundancy.
• 😀 Right-clicking on objects in Archi helps generate views and link them to the model.
• 😀 It is important to clear the search and ensure the 'link to view' button is clicked to maintain synchronization.
• 😀 Relationships in the model can be preserved even when the view is modified, like when removing connectors in the view.
• 😀 Nesting objects in the model can automatically retain existing relationships, such as with the application server and high availability object.
• 😀 The application server's relationship with primary and secondary servers can be managed by resizing and nesting them accordingly.
• 😀 Objects can be copied and pasted into a view, but copying creates a new object in the model, which may not be desirable.
• 😀 To delete an object from the model while keeping it in the view, use the 'delete from model' option.
• 😀 The 'Paste Special' feature in Archi allows you to reuse objects in the view as references without creating new instances in the model.
• 😀 The analysis tab in the properties window shows all views and relationships where an object has been used, making it easy to navigate and manage.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of this session?

The primary goal is to demonstrate how to pull together previous sessions to generate a new view using objects in an Archi model, focusing on a CRM example related to order fulfillment.

How do you generate a view for an object in Archi?

To generate a view for an object in Archi, search for the object in the model, right-click on it, select the defaults, and the view is generated automatically.

Why is it important to keep the model and view in sync?

It is important to keep the model and view in sync to ensure that any changes made in the model are accurately reflected in the view and vice versa, preserving the integrity of the system.

What happens when you clear the search and ensure the 'link to view' button is clicked?

Clearing the search and ensuring the 'link to view' button is clicked allows you to navigate through the objects while maintaining the link between the model and the view, ensuring consistency.

What does it mean to remove business criticality from the view but not the model?

Removing business criticality from the view but not the model means excluding certain details from the visual representation in the view while maintaining the underlying relationships in the model for future use.

What does nesting an object in Archi do?

Nesting an object in Archi places one object inside another to show a hierarchical or dependent relationship between the two objects, which is useful for organizing complex systems.

Why is it important to avoid copying an object in the model when reusing it in a view?

Copying an object in the model when reusing it in a view creates a new instance of the object in the model, which can lead to unnecessary duplication. Instead, you should use 'Paste Special' to reference the existing object without creating a new one.

How do you remove an object from the model in Archi?

To remove an object from the model in Archi, right-click on the object in the view and select 'Delete from Model.' This ensures that the object is deleted from the model without affecting other views.

What is the 'Paste Special' function used for in Archi?

The 'Paste Special' function in Archi is used to paste an object as a reference rather than a copy, ensuring that the object in the model is not duplicated while still being used in the view.

What is the significance of the analysis tab in the properties window?

The analysis tab in the properties window lists all the views and relationships where a selected object is used. This feature helps you track the usage of objects across different views in the model.