Introduction
Automation provides a way for other applications to access the information in an Enterprise Architect model using Windows OLE Automation (ActiveX). Typically this involves scripting clients such as MS Word or Visual Basic.
The Automation Interface provides a way of accessing the internals of Enterprise Architect models. Examples of things you can do using the Automation Interface include:
| · | Perform repetitive tasks, such as update the version number for all elements in a model. |
| · | Generate code from a State Machine diagram. |
| · | Produce custom reports. |
| · | Perform ad hoc queries. |
Connecting to the Automation Interface
All development environments capable of generating ActiveX Com clients should be able to connect to the Enterprise Architect Automation Interface. This guide provides detailed instructions on connecting to the interface using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0, Borland Delphi 7.0, Microsoft C# and Java. There are also more detailed steps on how to set-up Visual Basic; the principles are applicable to other languages.
Examples and Tips
Instruction on how to use the Automation Interface is provided by means of sample code. See pointers to the samples and other available resources. Also, consult the extensive Reference Section.
Calling Executables from Enterprise Architect
Enterprise Architect can be set up to call an external application. You can pass parameters on the current position selected in the Project Browser window to the application being called. For instructions, go to Calling Executables from Enterprise Architect. A more sophisticated method is to create Add-Ins, which are discussed in a separate topic.