Merging Model Elements

Use the Align Models editor in Merge mode for compensating the differences of the model elements. Extensive comparison analysis is carried out to prepare for elements and properties being copied. However, due to the high complexity of models, the requirements regarding the understanding of relationships are always high. The copying process is often iterative due to dependencies on elements outside the comparison set.

In Merge mode, you can use the Align Models editor to determine the logical differences between model elements or their properties in one or more active models in order to compensate for these differences selectively. The focus here is on the logical differences between elements of the same type.

For diagrams, only graphical differences are evaluated in the editor. In the comparison window for diagrams, graphical and logical differences between the diagram elements are evaluated.

You can also consider differences in textual and enumeration properties in detail in separate comparison windows.

You require the Align Models privilege in order to execute the editor and use the comparison windows.

The model language must be active in the left-hand model for Merge mode. If this is not the case, then Compare mode is activated automatically. The right-hand model must have the same model language and also be active.

In Merge mode, only elements and properties with differences are displayed as the result of the extensive analysis for the comparison.

You can use filters to restrict the comparison results to the relevant differences. This means you can e.g. exclude the same elements or properties, elements with a certain element type or stereotype, certain property types or quite specific elements from the results view.

To selectively compensate for the determined differences, elements or properties are always copied to the active model.

Configuration cannot be taken into consideration when carrying out a comparison in Merge mode as it is not possible to level out differences. The results of the merge are only reliable if the configuration of the compared models is the same. However, it is also possible to merge if additional properties were only configured in one model's extension profile. These such properties are marked as "conflictive".