The wizard for importing from ArchiMate® guides you step-by-step through the process for importing files that correspond to the ArchiMate® specification and comply with the XML schema definition of this specification.
Purpose
The ArchiMate Import Wizard takes you through the steps necessary for importing ArchiMate® where the data to be imported and target location in the model will be set.
Prerequisites
The model must be based on the current "Enterprise Architect for ArchiMate" model template.
You can only import model elements defined by the ArchiMate® standard or those specialized using suitable stereotype extensions from the standard.
The files must comply with the "ArchiMate Model Exchange File Format" XML schema definition in versions versions 3.0 or 3.1.
You require a role with access rights for the model to be imported and execution rights for creating concepts and concept diagrams if you wish to import ArchiMate® data.
You also require access to the customization profile via a role or with model administrator rights to be able to automatically create missing stereotype properties.
If the files contain description texts (documentation) in different languages from that of the model language, then these can be imported as translations if the language is configured as a display language and one of your roles has the Translate Model Elements privilege.
Call
Select Import/Export>Import>ArchiMate®.
Structure
The top section shows which step you are currently in; from the second step onwards it also has an active back button 
you can click on to go back a step.
The middle section shows you the input and selection options; making a selection will jump you directly to the next step if applicable.
The bottom section contains the [Next] (if the selection does not automatically jump to the next step) or Finish and always the [Abort] button.
Step 1 of 7: Select files
Prerequisites
You import ArchiMate® model elements from ArchiMate® XML files that you have exported from Innovator or other tools.
Context
Select the ArchiMate® files with the content you want to import as model elements in the model.
How to proceed
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Click on Select....
The standard dialog for opening files appears.
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Select one or more files for import in the Open standard dialog using the [Ctrl] key. Use the search in the standard dialog to import files from different directories.
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Confirm your selection with Open.
The selected files are listed.
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Activate the Skip validation check box to skip validating files.
The selected files are not validated.
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Click on Next.
The The validation has failed. message appears if the validation was carried out and a corrupted file was found; otherwise proceed with step 2 Select storage location in model.
Validation Error
Prerequisites
The validation has found an error in one of the files to be imported.
Context
If errors occur, then you can decide whether you wish to carry on importing the file, whether you do not wish to import the file containing the error or if you wish to abort the entire import.
How to proceed
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To import the file containing the error regardless, click on Yes.
The erroneous file is imported.
The next erroneous file is shown or step 2 is proceeded with Select storage location in model.
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If you do not wish to import the file containing the error, click on Step Over.
The erroneous file is not imported.
The next erroneous file is shown or step 2 is proceeded with Select storage location in model.
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To abort the entire import, click on Abort import.
The ArchiMate import wizard is closed.
Step 2 of 7: Select storage location in model
Context
You can store imported model elements in an existing or new structure element in the model.
If the files to be imported do not have their own folder structure, then select the existing system model from the model template so that the elements can be distributed in the packages using the create defaults.
There are two options if you wish to preserve the file folder structure of the files you are importing. You can either select an existing system model or submodel which you created yourself which does not distribute elements using create defaults and that imports the "Enterprise Architecture Modeling Customization" and "Enterprise Architecture Documentation" profiles; or you can create a new structure element based on an appropriately configured create template. The elements are then stored in the imported packages.
How to proceed
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To place the imported model elements in an existing structure element, click on Store into existing package.
You define an owner of the element in your model in the next step. The model elements are placed in the model under this user.
Continue with step 5 Select storage location in model.
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To place the imported model elements in a new structure element, click on Create new package.
You create an element in your model in the next step by selecting a create template. The model elements are placed in the model under this element.
You can then define the owner of the element to be created in the model.
Continue with step 3 Select template.
Step 3 of 7: Select template
Prerequisites
You want to store the imported model elements in a new structure element of the model.
The import file contains your model with the folder structure (organization).
Select a system model or submodel as your create template which has the necessary profile imports but no create defaults. The elements are then stored in the imported packages.
The structure element must be uniquely named.
Context
In this step, the create templates suitable for the storage of the imported model elements in the model and for which you have execution rights are offered to you.
How to proceed
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Select the create template for the new structure element.
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Enter a unique name for the structure element in the Name field.
If the name already exists in the namespace and is therefore not unique, a corresponding message appears in step 8. You must select another, conflict-free owner or return to this step to assign a unique name.
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Click on Next.
Continue with step 4 Select owner.
Step 4 of 7: Select owner
Prerequisites
You want to store the imported model elements in a new structure element of the model.
Context
The new structure element must be arranged in the model structure by means of assignment to an owner. The structure element is created under the owner. The imported model elements are stored in this structure element.
The first allowed owner in the model structure is preselected.
How to proceed
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If you know part of the name of the desired owner, then enter this name part into the Find By Name field and click on
.The selection jumps to the first permitted owner in the model structure. Click on
again to jump to the next hits. -
If you want to directly select the owner in the model structure, click on the corresponding element in the tree.
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Click on Next.
Continue with step 6 Create Properties.
Step 5 of 7: Select storage location in model
Prerequisites
You want to store the imported model elements in an existing structure element of the model.
Context
The imported model elements are stored in this selected structure element.
The first allowed owner in the model structure is preselected.
How to proceed
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If you know part of the name of the desired owner, then enter this name part into the Find By Name field and click on
.The selection jumps to the first permitted owner in the model structure. Click on
again to jump to the next hits. -
If you want to directly select the owner in the model structure, click on the corresponding element in the tree.
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Click on Next.
Continue with step 6 Create Properties.
Step 6 of 7: Create Properties
Prerequisites
You want to automatically create missing properties as stereotype properties.
One of your roles must have access rights to the "Enterprise Architecture Modeling Customization" profile or you must have model administrator rights.
Context
Attention
You cannot undo the import if you create missing properties as stereotype properties.
If you want to automatically create missing properties, then these are created as stereotype properties in the customization profile. If not, then missing properties are listed in the log.
If string type properties in the file originated from drop-down lists in the source code, then you can create these as value lists. The values are then available for selection at the element.
How to proceed
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If you want to automatically create missing properties as stereotype properties, then activate the Create missing properties automatically check box.
Missing properties are created as stereotype properties in the customization profile.
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If you want to create string type properties in the file as value lists, then activate the Create strings as lists check box.
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Click on Next.
Continue with step 7 Ready to import.
Step 7 of 7: Ready to import
Context
There are display or mapping options for diagram nodes of the imported diagrams.
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The like configured, as node and as icon options can be selected for the Node Display.
The like configured option should be selected when importing from Innovator models if you wish to retain the layout.
Labels are either in the node or outside of it next to the icon if one of the last two options is selected.
You can combine the depiction type as node with the configurable default size of the ArchiMate concept node. Names are split using "..." and the nodes have a uniform size. This allows you to make the layout imported from other tools look nice.
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The Frame and Grouping options can be selected for the Mapping of "Container".
Mapping of "Container" enables import of xsi: "container" type either as frames (default) or grouping.
Display should not be modified when importing from Innovator models if you wish to retain the layout. It is a lot of effort to modify the container mapping at a later stage.
Frame visually group diagram elements, but have no semantic meaning. The import positions the labels top centered.
ArchiMate® states that the Grouping element type aggregates or composes concepts which belong together based on a common characteristic.
How to proceed
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Check your specifications.
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As Node Display, select the like configured option and the existing graphic for Mapping of "Container" when importing diagrams from Innovator if you want to retain the layout.
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Depending on where the source label is stored, select as node or as icon for the Node Display to retain the layout when importing diagrams from other sources.
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When importing diagrams from other sources, select the option best suited to the target diagram for Mapping of "Container".
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To open the imported diagrams in the model editor afterwards, activate the Open diagrams after import check box. Ensure that the number of diagrams listed is not too large.
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Click on Import to import the model elements with these specifications into the model.
A progress indicator appears, telling you roughly how much longer the import will take.
A result report appears at the end in a dialog. You can adopt imported elements into the Result region here. Please take note of the information in the Details area.
If the information in the import result is not what you require, then undo the last step of the entire import and change the configuration to modify your output model or select other options for import. If you created stereotype properties, then the Undo (Ctrl+Z) command is no longer active. You can then delete imported elements in the result region.
Related Topics
Further Information
