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Magic Systems of Systems Architect

Planned released: February 12, 2021


This release introduces significant performance and scalability upgrades in key product areas: migration, converting between frameworks, building matrices, Merge, Teamwork Cloud project load, Teamwork Cloud project saving, table loading, Excel and CSV files import, and such common modeling tool operations as Copy/Paste, Find, Numbering, Element Selection, and Validation. Additionally, this version adds support for the UAF 1.1 Profile, new diagrams and tables, and a number of usability and traceability improvements.

The released version is also packed with a few improvements that extended the usage of Simulink import and Modelica export. We introduce the new SysML 1.6 specification support, including new concepts such as Conjugated Interface Block, «AddFlowPropertyValueOnNestedPortAction» stereotype, additional Binding Connector notation, renamed compartments, enumerations, and more. 

Version 2021x adds the ability to use layers in diagrams, automatically create legends, present diagrams or predefined sequences of diagrams in full screen to stakeholders, create compositions and aggregations in matrices, and use predefined element type filters when searching for the necessary model elements. Additionally, the Excel/CSV file import functionality has been reviewed and refreshed, and numerous improvements to Excel/CSV synchronization functionality in tables have been added.

Last but not least, project merge has been extended to give users the option to show only the changes in directly modified diagrams, hide Target and Equivalent Changes by default, and choose a specific ancestor calculation algorithm depending on merge scenario and expected outcome. 


UAF Features

SysML Features

2021x LTR Version News


Modeling and Infrastructure

Collaboration

Other Features

Methods and Standards

UAF 1.1 Profile Support

Starting with this version, the UAF 1.1 profile is supported. Therefore the following migrations will be necessary:

Diagrams and Tables
  • New Actual Enterprise Phases Gantt Chart shows how actual enterprise phases change over time. Learn more >>
  • New Date and Time Summary Table depict all dates and times specified in the ISO8601 date-time format. Learn more >>
  • New Personnel Forecast, Resources Forecast, and Standards Roadmap diagrams are implemented improving the way they are created and used. The Personnel Forecast, Resources Forecast, and Standards Roadmap diagrams created with earlier versions of the modeling tool will be marked as deprecated and will be available only for review purposes.
  • The Deployment diagram has been enhanced. The Strategic Deployment table is renamed to the Strategic Actual Deployment table and you can now create it using an Actual Resources Deployment Creation Wizard. Moreover, the Deployment Milestones wizard is renamed to Actual Resources Deployment Wizard and enhanced.
  • Alpha version of the Hierarchical Measurements table. Please note, that if you one project created with earlier versions, the Measurement tables of those projects will be empty. However, you can create them anew.
Usability Improvements
  • The new Personnel Gantt Chart property Display Actual Persons in Different Lines was implemented. Now you can choose to see each Actual Person in separate lines.

  • In the Gantt chart Options area, you can choose to mark the needed period of time. One of the following Marking Modes are available:

    • None. Nothing will be marked.
    • Period of Time. Choose to mark a period of time. For this mode, you can select the Start and End dates to be marked.
    • Period of Actual Enterprise Phase. Choose to mark a period of the Actual Enterprise Phase. The time frame will be marked according to the Start and End dates set for the selected Actual Enterprise Phase.
  • The Create Association on Part Creation project option is set to True. This means, that when you create parts in the Part compartment of the Resource and Operational performers, the appropriate association is also created in the model.

  • When the old project (UAF 1.0 or UPDM2) is opened with the latest version (UAF plugin), stereotypes for nonDSL'ed associations should be applied:

    • when the association is between OperationalAgent, the <<OperationalAssociation>> stereotype is applied. 
    • when the association is between ResourcePerformer, the <<ResourceAssociation>> stereotype is applied.  
  • Operational Signal/Resources Signal now applies automatically for the DSL'ed signal.
Other
  • The new version of the UJTL version (20200115) is now available. You can choose the library version when creating a new project.


SysML Features

Proxy Ports in FMU and Simulink import

FMU and Simulink import now support Proxy Port creation. Once you have imported the external FMU/Simulink model, you can select the Proxy Port to be created in your model and then specify an existing or create a new Interface Block to be used as its type.

Selecting the Proxy Port and an Interface Block upon the external model import.

Learn more about FMU and Simulink import >>


Simulink model import to Activities

You can import the Simulink model by dragging and dropping the Simulink file (*.slx) directly onto the Activity diagram. The Activity (stereotyped by «SimulinkBlock») which is assigned as behavior for the Call Behavior Action and its Input and/or Output Pins are created in the model. 

Simulink import to Activity diagram.


Learn more about Simulink import >>


IBD-based selective Modelica export

You can now use the Internal Block Diagram to select what to export to Modelica. Only parts, ports, and connectors appearing in this diagram are exported, rather than the entire model. See whole vs partial export comparison in the image below.

The difference between whole (exporting Block) and partial (exporting IBD) export to the Modelica file.

Learn more about Modelica export >>

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Performance Improvements

Project Merge Improvements

Project Merge has undergone considerable performance improvements. Modeling tool version 20.0 requires 3-4 times less memory to successfully merge two server project branches compared to 19.0 SP4. 

A chart comparing merge memory consumption in different modeling tool versions.

Furthermore, the merge speed has increased by 20-70% in 20.0 compared to 19.0 SP4.

Charts comparing merge performance in speed and memory modes.

TWC Project Load Memory and Speed Improvements

Project load memory and speed improvements have been implemented for Teamwork Cloud. The modeling tool now requires only 2GB of heap to load a project (first and second time) when working with TWC projects compared to 8GB in 19.0 SP4. Additionally, as a result of the UML metamodel changes mostly, SysML projects are now opened 2-3 times faster.

N.B Received results cover the project load only, excluding validation, diagramming, and further modeling tool feature usage.

N.B A red border on a bar chart in the image below indicates a low memory occurrence during testing.


Charts comparing load memory and speed improvements between different modeling tool versions.
  • 3 projects (sizes ranging from 1M to 2M) in 19.0 SP4 and 3 projects in 20.0 (sizes ranging from 750k to 1M) were used to run the tests.
  • Migration time is excluded because already migrated projects were used.

TWC Disk Footprint Improvements

Major TWC disk footprint-related changes are presented in this release. TWC 20.0 requires twice as less disk space for the same amount of projects with no history compared to TWC 19.0 SP4. In addition to this achievement, the disk size growth is cut nearly 5 times in TWC 20.0 compared to TWC 19.0 SP4 for those projects users work actively on.


A chart comparing TWC disk footprint between different modeling tool version
  • A database of 50 projects with 200 commits each was used to run the tests. 
  • Project sizes ranged between 400k and 2.2M elements (average project size being 700k elements).

Partial Data Loading in Tables

Experience enhanced table loading and scrolling performance! Thanks to the newly-introduced Load Partial mode, data is now loaded in only visible rows, meaning that there is no need to wait until data is calculated in the entire table. What is more, fast scrolling has improved – it is now considerably smoother.

A chart comparing the opening time of Requirement Table having 7 standard columns with a different number of requirements.

Learn more about partial loading in tables >>

Enhanced Copying/Pasting Operation Speed

Recent modeling tool performance improvements have led to an increase in the copying/pasting operation speed. Now you can copy and paste data noticeably faster for maximized productivity.

A chart comparing the copy&paste operation time in various scenarios.

Profiling Changes in the UML 2.5.1 Metamodel

Significant changes have been implemented to the UML metamodel for performance reasons. The InstanceSpecifications, Slots, and ValueSpecifications are no longer used to store profiling data. Instead, new model element types and properties are introduced while some have been removed (see the diagram below).


Profiling changes in the UML metamodel.

As shown in the figure above, Element references the TaggedValue that is used to specify the Boolean, Integer, Real, String, or Element values of the applied stereotype properties. This approach uses fewer model elements to store profiling data, which leads to a decrease in the total number of elements in SysML and UAF projects by 40-80%.

N.B Expressions based on the previously implemented profiling data storing metamodel no longer work, meaning that they have to be updated manually.

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Modeling and Infrastructure

Layers Based on Legends

Diagrams can get extremely crowded as the model evolves. Therefore, highlighting a chosen piece of information, for example, only one specific aspect of the system becomes a great challenge. For your convenience, you can now filter diagrams by the selected Legend items to make only the necessary diagram layers stand out.

Filtering the diagram by the selected Legend item.

Learn more about layers based on Legends >>

Presentation Mode

Direct the attention of your audience to the diagrams being presented! You can now present diagrams in full screen without showing such user interface components as model browser, diagram palette, status bar, and toolbars. That is not all! You can also define the sequence of diagrams to present one after another.  

Diagram in the enabled Presentation Mode.

Learn more about Presentation Mode >>

Intelligent Legend Creation

Seems like Legend creation is a tiresome activity? Not at all! From now on, you can create Legends easier than ever before – extract them automatically from the elements displayed on your diagram instead of relying on a manual creation. What is more, you can now automatically extract Legend items for the existing Legends. Once the Legend items are created, you can customize their adornments representation. They can now be displayed as rectangular shapes or extended lines to represent paths and shapes in greater detail.

Extracting the Port Types legend according to the elements displayed on the diagram as symbols. 

Learn more about extracting Legends >>

Renewed Excel/CSV File Import

You can import data from an Excel/CSV file directly to the model without installing Excel and CSV Import Plugins (read more about discontinued products). From now on, the newly created Excel/CSV Import dialog brings an easy to use and clearly understandable graphical user interface. It allows you to import content with just a few clicks by selecting the Excel/CSV file and specifying element mapping options. Additionally, you can save your maps to reuse them, collect saved maps in groups, manage those groups, and use an entire group instead of a single map for data import.

The Excel/CSV Import dialog with specified options for satisfy relationship import.

Learn more about Excel/CSV file import >>

Extended Excel and CSV Sync

Three improvements to synchronize data between Excel or CSV files and a model:

  • Unique elements. Elements to be synchronized can now be identified not only by their name, but also by element property or tag value.
  • Direct relationships. From now on, you can import direct relationships between the source and target elements as easily as other elements.
  • Relationship ends. When importing relationships between different elements, you can select a specific property or tag to identify the source and target end of the relationship.

New mapping options in the Excel/CSV Sync Options dialog: Identification Property, Identify Relationship (end) Source by, Identify Relationship (end) Target by.

Learn more about Excel/CSV Sync in tables >>

Composition and Aggregation Relationships in Dependency Matrix

You can now define relationships between the elements in your model more accurately! The latest release brings the ability to create and display Composition and Aggregation relationships in Dependency Matrix.

Creating and displaying Composition, Aggregation, and Association in Dependency Matrix.

Learn more about Composition and Aggregation creation >>

Predefined Element Type Filters

Find the needed elements in the Select Element dialog faster! You can now filter elements by their types to narrow down the search results and thus perform your searches more effectively. That is not all! More performance-related improvements that help to find and select the needed elements faster are coming.

Performing an element search with the applied element type filter.

Learn more about predefined element type filters >>

Other Improvements

  • The smart autocompletion command Ctrl + Space now works for the Change Event expression in State Machine diagram.

  • The Jython 2.7.2 version is now supported.
Collaboration

Detecting Changes in Diagrams During Merge

You can now specify in the Environment Options dialog whether to compare only the direct or all the changes in diagrams during the Project Merge and Project Comparison operations. By default, only the changes made by the user in loaded (open) diagrams are analyzed, leaving out unintentional diagram changes that occurred due to indirect changes in the model. This feature not only eases both merge and project comparison processes for the user since the number of diagrams with changes is considerably reduced but also optimizes modeling tool performance. 

An Environment option to specify the changes to detect in diagrams.

Learn more about diagram changes in model merge and project comparison >>

Further Merge Usability Improvements

The model merge has undergone further usability improvements. From now on, changes from the Target and Equivalent Changes are automatically hidden by default, meaning that only the Source changes are shown. As a result, fewer changes need to be reviewed by the user.

What is more, the model merge has been extended by adding a capability to select which ancestor calculation algorithm to use. You now have the freedom to choose a Branch Point as an ancestor for your merges. This is especially useful in those cases when merge results become too complex to understand and analyze due to previously rejected changes. By default, Lowest Common Parent ancestor calculation algorithm is used.

Selecting the ancestor for future merges in the Merge Project dialog.

Learn more about merge types in Teamwork Cloud >>

Other Features

Report Wizard

  • An empowering tool of the Document Report Designer diagram is now available for conveniently drafting and designing new templates of Microsoft Word Document (DOCX) format. Discover more about Report Designer >>

    Document Report Designer for drafting and designing new templates of Microsoft Word Document (DOCX) format.

  • Web Publisher 2.0 now has the Quick properties panel, at the lower left similar to MagicDraw, show the documentation settings in the Documentation tab and properties in the Properties tab of elements selected in the diagram and from the Containment tree. Learn more about the new Quick properties panel >>

    The Quick properties panel: Documentation and Properties tabs.

  • You can utilize a new sorter function for sorting elements as they appear in the Containment tree. Learn how to use this sorter tool >>

  • Reference bookmarks and their links can be created for DOCX numbered items. Learn about using these bookmark tools >>
  • Functions for displaying lists of properties in property groups for given elements and stereotypes are ready to use. Learn how to use this group of report tools >>

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