2021x LTR Version News

Released on: February 12, 2021

This release brings significant performance and scalability upgrades in key product areas: 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. 

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. 

Client-side Performance Improvements

Partial Data Loading in Tables

Experience enhanced table loading and scrolling performance! Thanks to the newly-introduced Load Partially mode, data is now loaded in only visible rows. There is no longer a need to wait until data is calculated in the entire table. Additionally, 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 >>

Increased Excel and CSV files Import Speed

The import performance of data from an Excel or CSV file into the modeling tool adds a great experience while managing a large scope of data. The data import time using the table sync feature is significantly faster compared with the previous version (19.0 SP4).  Also, the data import using the new Excel/CSV Import dialog is even better in comparison to Excel/CSV Sync feature. The import of 61k elements takes only 2 minutes (see the chart below).

A chart comparing data import from Excel and CSV files using the Excel/CSV Sync and Excel/CSV Import dialogs.

Common Operations

• Copy/Paste. Now you can copy and paste data 2-4 times faster depending on the specific scenario. 

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

• Find. The search speed in all texts has increased by 70-150% compared to 19.0 SP4.
  

A chart comparing the Find operation speed in 19.0 SP4 and 2021x projects containing 1M, 2M, and 5M elements (including used projects).

• Numbering. Creating the first numbered element, copying/pasting numbered elements, renumbering elements recursively, and updating the last element ID is now 30-840 times faster. 

A chart comparing the Numbering operations speed in 19.0 SP4 and 2021x projects containing 10M elements (including used projects).

• Element Selection. Now you can search and select the needed elements (e.g., in the Select Element and Quick Find dialogs as well as drop-down lists) approximately 40-50 times faster.

A chart comparing the element selection speed in 19.0 SP4 and 2021x projects containing 5M elements (including used projects).

• Validation. The active validation of the model now takes less than a second (0.8s after 5M project load and 0.5s after diagram load). 

A chart comparing the active validation speed after the project and diagram load in 19.0 SP4 and 2021x projects containing 5M elements (including used projects).

Profiling Changes in the UML 2.5.1 Metamodel

Significant changes have been implemented in the UML metamodel for improved performance. 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%.

Note. 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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Teamwork Cloud-related Performance Improvements

Project Merge

Project Merge has undergone considerable performance improvements. The modeling tool version 2021x requires approximately 4-5 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 operation speed has increased by 20-70% in 2021x compared to 19.0 SP4. Both frequent (between close project versions) and infrequent (between distant project versions) merges can now be performed much faster!

Charts comparing merge performance in Speed and Memory modes.

TWC Project Load 

Project load memory and speed improvements have been implemented for Teamwork Cloud. The modeling tool now requires only 2GB of heap to load a 2M SysML 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, SysML projects are now opened 2-3 times faster.

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

Charts comparing project load memory and speed improvements between different modeling tool versions.

• Three projects (sizes ranging from 1M to 2M) in 19.0 SP4 and the same projects in 2021x (sizes ranging from 750k to 1M) were used to run the tests.
• Migration time is excluded because projects that had already been migrated were used for testing.

TWC Save to Local 

In 2021x, great attention is paid to the memory consumption and speed improvements. Saving a Teamwork Cloud project locally now requires less memory. For example, a 2M SysML project now consumes only 4GB of RAM, compared to 20GB in 19.0 SP4. What is more, the reduced project element count allows the save to local operation to be finished nearly two times faster.

A chart comparing memory consumption when saving a TWC project as a local one between different modeling tool versions.

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System Requirements

RAM and disk space requirements have been updated taking into consideration different sizes of large models. Learn more about recommended system requirements >>

¹ the project elements count is different due to the profiling data storing metamodel optimized in 2021x. 
  ² these memory requirements are indicative and may vary by project specifics.

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Discontinued Products

• The development of the following plugins is discontinued:

  • Document Modeling Plugin (Model-based reports). For more effective model publishing and reviewing on the web, use Cameo Collaborator.
    • To create Views and Viewpoints diagrams using the modeling tool with no plugins installed, use the Cameo Collaborator Publisher plugin or  the SysML plugin instead. 
    • The DockBook Library Profile is no longer available. 
  • Methodology Wizard Plugin.
  • QVT Plugin.
  • Excel Import Plugin. We highly recommend using Excel/CSV Sync or Excel/CSV Import features instead.
  • CSV Import Plugin. We highly recommend using Excel/CSV Sync or Excel/CSV Import features instead.
  • LieberLieber Embedded Engineer plugin.
    
  • Project Element Counter plugin.
    
  • MBSE plugin.
• Web portal reports are no longer available. For more effective model publishing and reviewing on the web, use Cameo Collaborator. You can also use Web Publisher (Simple HTML) or Web Publisher 2.0 ReportWizard templates to generate HTML reports.
• WSDL Code Engineering and WSDL diagrams are no longer available.
• C# Code Engineering and C# Professional Edition are no longer available.
• CIL and CIL Disassembler Code Engineering are no longer available.

• The News Reader (RSS) is no longer available. The notification at the right bottom corner of the modeling tool will inform you about the new version release instead.

• The no_install_mac.zip and 32-bit installation files are no longer offered for download.
• The Project Usage Map Profile is no longer available. 
• The JavaScript Nashorn is deprecated with the intention of removing it. We highly recommend using JavaScript Rhino instead.  
• The following 3rd party plugins are discontinued:
  • Cameo Workbench
  • Cameo Inter-Op
  • ParaMagic Lite
• The following no cost plugins are no longer available in modeling tools:
  
  • FAS. From now on, download it here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/fas4md.
  • SYSMOD. From now on, download it here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/sysmod4md/.

From Teamwork Server to Teamwork Cloud

Teamwork Server is no longer supported in the latest release. Teamwork Cloud should be used as a product for collaborative modeling and model version control. Customers still using Teamwork Server must migrate their server projects to TWC 19.0 series first and then upgrade to TWC 2021x.

Learn how to migrate from Teamwork Server to Teamwork Cloud >>

From Cameo Collaborator for Alfresco to Cameo Collaborator for Teamwork Cloud

From version 2021x, Cameo Collaborator for Alfresco is no longer supported. We recommend using Cameo Collaborator for Teamwork Cloud instead.

Learn the benefits of Cameo Collaborator for Teamwork Cloud compared to Cameo Collaborator for Alfresco >>

Learn how to migrate your documents and comments from the Alfresco server to Teamwork Cloud >>

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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; only the Source changes are shown. As a result, fewer changes need to be reviewed by the user.

Additionally, 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 when merge results become too complex to understand and analyze due to previously rejected changes. By default, the 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 >>

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Other Features

Report Wizard

• With a significant improvement in report generations for large-scale projects, Report Wizard 2021x has now been equipped to more efficiently generate reports using Web Publisher 2.0 templates of projects, with less time required and supporting more elements than earlier versions of the product.
  
  

  A bar chart displaying the performance testing of report generation from Report Wizard 19.0 SP4 and 2021x using Web Publisher 2.0.

• You can view the overall progress of generating reports deploying Web Publisher 2.0 through the progress bar and its displayed success percentage.
  
  

  The progress bar with the success percentage shown above when generating reports using Web Publisher 2.0.

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

  

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

• An additional exclusive tool of the Presentation Report Designer diagram now makes it easier to create and design templates of the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (PPTX) format. Learn how to make use of Presentation Report Designer >>
  
  

  

  Presentation Report Designer for creating and designing new templates of the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (PPTX) format.

• With the Spreadsheet Report Designer provided in Report Wizard 2021x, you are now capable of effectively designing and generating Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (XLSX) format. Find out how to use Spreadsheet Report Designer >> 
  
  

  

  Spreadsheet Report Designer for designing and generating the Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (XLSX) format.

• Web Publisher 2.0 now has the Quick properties panel, at the lower left (similar to MagicDraw), to 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.

• The capability of $report.isEmpty(obj) has been specially improved to check HTML String whether it is empty or not. Learn more about using this report tool >>

• The multi-field sorter is now available as a function for sorting a collection of elements in ascending or descending order by deploying multiple sorting properties, rather than merely a single property as in previous versions. Find out more about the multi-field sorter >>

• You can now sort elements by using a tag in applied stereotypes, regardless of being customized. Learn more about this capability of the sorter tool >>

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

• With a new option reducing XML meta-data file name length, the error of Web Publisher 2.0 files with lengthy names has been fixed. Know more about this report variable in Web Publisher 2.0 >>
• Single or double quotes can now be interchangeably used in both of the #includesection and #sectionBegin directives and $import.includeSection(templateName, sectionName) of the Import Tool.
• You can now access and list property objects (including DSL) classified in the PropertyGroup of customized stereotypes. See how the report tool works this way >>
• 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 >>

Other

• The automatic UAF, SysML, and BPMN project migration has been enhanced. The projects are migrated silently and now no additional confirmation is required.

Key Issues Fixed

The following key issues have been fixed with this version:

• The modeling tool no longer freezes when a tooltip with a special character is displayed.
• Multiple values are now pasted properly from the Excel file to the table cell in the modeling tool.
• Part properties are now shown with dot notation after merge.
• Containment tree can now be maximized without any problems.
• Actions can now be inserted into the body of a nested conditional node as part of the body. 
• Messages referenced by the formal gates are no longer lost after the update. 
• The Show Suspicions action no longer triggers the calculation of Smart Packages that fall into the tracking scope.
• The non-ending search problem when performing another operation while search was running no longer occurs. 
• Cyclical usages are no longer created during package export to a new server project.
• Association relationship direction now has a correct direction after the creation of Part property.
• The filter now finds elements in tree-view tables when table nodes are collapsed without any problems. 
• The offline project name is now automatically updated.
• An error no longer appears when using a valid URL as a hyperlink.
• MBPLE activity branch existence preview is now displayed correctly.
• MBPLE variant preview is now much faster.
• Diagram info is now shown for a newly created diagram.
• Recovered elements no longer appear in the model after changing the used project version.
• Requirements are no longer displayed in tables when they are removed from the table scope.
• The usage of recovered elements is now detected correctly.
• The Metachain Navigation results are now refreshed when a new step is inserted. 
• A correct direction flow is shown when applying ItemFlow to Connector between Ports of nested parts of the same type.
• Deadlocks no longer occur when opening diagrams. 
• Dragging multiple selected parts in Internal Block Diagram now works properly. 
• Table filter no longer finds text in wrong columns. 
• Element history retrieval is now much faster. 
• Changing user role is now correctly reflected in an offline project. 
• Teamwork Cloud projects can now be successfully exported into .mdzip.
• The project can now be added to Teamwork Cloud with default getESI settings without any problems.

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Magic Software Architect Documentation

• Magic Software Architect 19.0 LTR SP4
• Magic Software Architect 19.0 LTR SP3
• Magic Software Architect 19.0 LTR SP2