Whilst XMI is a valuable means of specifying a UML model in a common format, it is relatively limited in the amount of additional information it can tolerate using the standard syntax. A lot of information from an Enterprise Architect Model must be converted to Tagged Values, which import into other modeling systems as additional information or are ignored completely.
Enterprise Architect can both generate and read XMI 1.0 and 1.1 using UML 1.3 format, XMI 1.2 using UML 1.4 format, and XMI 2.1 using UML 2.0 and UML 2.1 format. Note that round-tripping model elements using XMI (for example, to version control or for controlled package) is only possible using XMI 1.1/UML 1.3 - Enterprise Architect format, which uses the additional Tagged Values to store the UML 2.0 information.
Notes for Exporting to Rose and other tools
| · | There are also discrepancies in the Unisys/Rose implementation with regard to spelling mistakes and slightly different syntax to the official XMI 1.1 specification, so problems might occur. |
| · | The way packages are arranged in different models can impact successful import into other systems. Experimentation is the only work around for this problem. |
| · | Some parts of the XMI import/export process do not work as expected in products like Rational Rose; for example, note links are not supported, and state operations import but do not appear in diagrams. In addition, Rational Rose only supports import of a full project, not a single package. |
| · | For best results, it is recommended that you keep the model elements to export to Rose simple and conforming as closely as possible to the UML 1.3 specification. |
