Model versions
As UML models are revised, there will be new packages created for each version, and thereby there will also exist multiple versions of the same class in the complete model registry.
For example, the class CI_Citation is defined three places in the ISO/TC211 registry of conceptual models:
- ISO 19115:2003 Metadata
- ISO 19115:2006 Metadata (Corrigendum)
- ISO 19115-1:2014 Metadata - Fundamentals
This class is being used by several other standards, and since the name is reused in different version packages it is challenging to determine which version of a class is being referenced. The namespace will be helpful if illustrated in diagrams, but the namespace will not show in searches, as illustrated below.
It is not possible to see from this search which class is from different versions of ISO19115. The dates (in particular "Modified") may give an idea, but they can not be depended upon, as they are set and updated automatically by enterprise Architect.
Enterprise Architect has some useful metadata on elements and packages: Status, Phase and Version. These parameters are useful for identifying versions, and may be set for all packages and elements in one operation: Project Browser | Right-click on Package | Advanced | Update Package Status
Status is based on a predefined code list in Enterprise Architect: Approved, Implemented, Mandatory, Proposed, Validated. But this code list can be changed in Project - Settings - Project Types - General Types.
For conceptual models in ISO/TC211-standards and similar, the most relevant values are
- Approved - UML models for official standards and technical specifications
- Proposed - UML models for standards and technical specification in development
- Implemented - UML models for implementation schemas
- Superseded - UML models for superseded standards.
Other values may be applicable for national or regional models.
Phase is free text, but for ISO/TC211 models it will be natural to use the official phases:
- WD - Working Draft
- CD - Committee Draft
- DIS - Draft International Standard
- FDIS - Final Draft International Standard
- IS - International Standard
- DTS - Draft Technical Specification
- TS - Technical Specification
Other values may be applicable for national or regional models.
Version is also free text. For ISO/TC211 models the value should be the year the model was published. Other values may be applicable for national or regional models.
The following figure shows the search result for the class MI_Band before the status values have been updated.
And the next figure shows the same search with status values updated. It is much easier to identify the class one should use now.
