IBM Rational Rhapsody 8.2 Build 9794446 released

A new Rhapsody version was released by IBM last week. We have tested this version with our RXF Frameworks and we have not found a show stopping problem using it.
That means that RXF versions that are compatible with Rhapsody 8.1.5 are also compatible with Rhapsody 8.2.
For earlier than 8.1.5 versions of the RXF please read the 8.1.5 support announcement.

Please note:

  • In our test environment we had to start Rhapsody as administrator once otherwise the deployer threw an error message.
  • Although we test as thorough as possible, there is always a minor chance that we have overlooked a change that is important to certain customers. Please test yourself before switching to a new version.

Remember to re-install the RXF for the new Rhapsody version.

Release Notes:

AUTOSAR: migration of projects to newer versions of AUTOSAR

It is now possible to migrate existing AUTOSAR projects to newer versions of AUTOSAR, up to and including version 4.0.3.

Configuration management: direct integration with RTC (Rational Team Concert)

The pop-up menu for units in the project browser now includes menu items for performing basic RTC actions from within Rhapsody, for example, show history, lock, and unlock. This feature includes the display of RTC status in the project browser. When using the RTC integration, modifications made to units in Rhapsody are automatically checked-in to RTC (controlled by the property UnitAutomaticCheckInOnSave).

Diagrams: Adding shortcut list to graphic elements

To enhance navigation from individual graphic elements in diagrams, you can add a list of shortcuts that are accessible from the title bar of the element. Note that in the current release, this feature is only available for classes, objects, composite classes, and any “new term” elements based on these elements.

Diagrams: connection points for rectilinear lines

For rectilinear connectors in diagrams, it is now possible to specify that the connection points to elements should stay fixed when the elements are moved. This behavior is controlled by the new property General::Graphics::KeepEndPoints.

Diagrams: connectors with rounded bends

A new style of connector has been added: rounded rectilinear. These are similar to ordinary rectilinear connectors but use rounded bends rather than straight ninety-degree angles.

Diagrams: enhanced highlighting during hover

Enhancements have been made to the highlighting that is used when hovering over diagram elements. When hovering over a port, the connectors attached to the port and the ports at the other end of these connectors are now highlighted as well. Similarly, when you hover over any connector, the nodes at both ends of the connector are now highlighted as well. (While this is the default behavior, enhanced highlighting can be turned off with the properties PortHighlighting and ConnectorHighlighting.)

Diagrams: guides for aligning elements

When you move or resize diagram elements, guides are now provided to help you align the element with other elements in the diagram. A number of properties are provided to help you fine-tune the use of this feature.

Diagrams: improved routing of connectors

A number of improvements have been made to the way that connectors are routed when first drawn, and to the way that connectors are re-routed when connected objects are moved in a diagram. This feature can be enabled by clicking the relevant button in the Layout toolbar or by modifying the value of the property General::Graphics::SmartRouting.

Harmony SE Toolkit enhancements

A variety of enhancements were made to the Harmony SE Toolkit, including: 1) new sample tables for traceability across the model 2) new modes of working: Classic, Agile and Hybrid 3) new startup wizard to setup properties correctly 4) enhanced generation of sequence diagrams from activity diagram: support for Call Operations with pins and Activity Parameters, support for data flow, auto-selection of path based on tag value, copy options now also apply to message actions, and generation of self events from message actions.

Rhapsody API: additional callback methods

The following new methods were added to the callback API: beforeProjectOpen, afterProjectOpen, afterApplicationClosed, onPerspectiveChange.

Rhapsody DM client: remote requirements in multiple views

In the Rhapsody DM client, it is now possible to include a single remote requirement in multiple views.

Rhapsody DM web client: improvement of properties page

In this release, a number of improvements were made to the content and organization of the Rhapsody DM properties page, in order to make the information more consistent with the Features window that is used in Rational Rhapsody.

Rhapsody DM web client: remote requirements as independent model elements

Prior to this release, remote requirements appeared in the Rhapsody DM web client only as graphic elements in diagrams. Now, remote requirements appear as independent model elements in the Rhapsody DM web client, with a Properties page and preview text.

Rhapsody Design Manager – copying, moving and referencing model elements

When working with DM models in the Rhapsody client, you can now use the standard Rhapsody mouse and keyboard combinations to copy elements from one model to another, add references to elements from another model, and move elements to another model while leaving a reference in the original model.

Rhapsody Design Manager: additional information in element preview

In the Rhapsody DM web client, the preview window for model elements now contains a “show more” option, which displays additional information from the element’s properties page, such as hyperlinks.

Rhapsody Design Manager: importing profiles

When you import Rhapsody profiles to DM, you can now include additional files that are used by the profile, for example, .hep files and .jar files.

Rhapsody Design Manager: linking to sequence diagram elements

In Rhapsody DM, it is now possible to create OSLC links with sequence diagram elements, for example, between a requirement and a lifeline.

Rhapsody Design Manager: navigating from element pages to element in Rhapsody client

The pages for individual elements in Rhapsody DM now include an icon that you can click in order to navigate to the element in the Rhapsody client. If Rhapsody is not currently running, it will be launched when you click the icon.

Rhapsody Design Manager: new ChangeSet toolbar in Rhapsody client

In addition to the existing DM toolbar, the Rhapsody client now includes a ChangeSet toolbar. This toolbar displays the name of the active change set, and allows you to deliver the active change set, discard the changes in the active change set, and link the active change set to a work item.

Rhapsody Design Manager: reference information for non-loaded elements

In Rhapsody DM, the Properties page now also lists references that involve model elements that are not currently loaded.

Rhapsody Design Manager: references to nested packages

For actively-managed DM models, it is now possible to add references to packages even if they are not top-level packages.

Rhapsody Design Manager: use of work item approvals to restrict changeset delivery

In RDM, it is now possible to specify that changeset delivery should be permitted only if the changeset is associated with a work item that has been approved in RTC.

Rhapsody command line: loading helpers

There is now a command-line option that can be used to load .hep files (“-cmd=load_hep x.hep”).

Rhapsody in Ada: SXF ports

It is now possible to use ports with the RiA SXF, and have the appropriate code generated.

Rhapsody in Ada: catching exceptions when entering first state

When using the property Ada_CG::Class::ExceptionHandlerReactive to catch exceptions, you can now also catch exceptions when entering the first state (default state).

Rhapsody in Ada: flowchart support – code generation and reverse engineering

Beginning in this release, code can be generated from user-designed flowcharts for operations. In addition, there is now an option to have flowcharts created from the bodies of operations during reverse engineering.

Rhapsody in Ada: including user-defined code in auto-generated code

It is now possible to include user-defined code in auto-generated Ada code.

Rhapsody in Ada: pragmas in generated code

It is now possible to define pragmas at various places in the generated code.

Roundtripping of individual classes in 64-bit version of Rational Rhapsody

Beginning in release 8.2, you can roundtrip selected classes in the 64-bit version of Rhapsody. (In 8.1.5, roundtripping could only be carried out for entire components.)

Search and replace dialog: enhancements

A number of enhancements have been made to the Search and Replace dialog. These include: 1) Consolidating the basic and advanced search dialogs into a single search dialog 2) Expanding the search scope so that it can include multiple parts of the project 3) Providing additional information for the elements in the search results, such as all the model elements that reference each of those elements.

Sequence diagrams and timing diagrams: new metamodel elements

Metamodel elements have been added for a number of sequence diagram and timing diagram elements which previously were only graphic elements in the diagrams: condition marks, action blocks, and destruction events.This means that these elements now have their own Features dialog. They are also displayed now as independent elements in the model browser, and this allows the creation of traceability dependencies between these elements and other model elements.

Sequence diagrams: controlling message spacing

A new property has been added to allow you to control the minimum spacing that is maintained between messages in sequence diagrams (SequenceDiagram::General::MinimumMessageSpacing).

Sequence diagrams: defining timeout duration with model element

The Features dialog for timeouts in sequence diagrams now allows you to define the timeout duration with a model element, such as an attribute. The Features dialog for canceled timeouts also includes this field so that the mapping of the canceled timeout to its corresponding timeout is clear in the diagram.

Sequence diagrams: message formatting

For messages in sequence diagrams, the pop-up menu now includes a Format… option, which can be used to open the standard Format dialog.

Support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and 7.1

Rational Rhapsody can now be run on versions 7 and 7.1 of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

SysML modeling: ValueProperty elements

When modeling with the SysML profile, you can now use ValueProperty elements (instead of Attributes).

SysML modeling: automatic creation of allocations

In SysML models, when you set the “Represents” field for a swimlane, it is now possible to have allocations automatically created for the elements in the swimlane. The property Model::Stereotype::AllowInferredAllocateForMetaclasses can be used to determine the element types for which allocations will be created.

Tag enhancements

Beginning in release 8.2, the Features dialog for tags resembles that displayed for other Rhapsody elements. This means that you can: 1) Apply stereotypes to tags 2) Add tags to tags 3) Modify the values of properties for tags

TestConductor: inclusion of remote requirements in coverage computation

TestConductor now includes a model’s remote requirements when computing requirement coverage.

TestConductor: model coverage computation for flow charts in Rhapsody in Ada.

TestConductor now supports model coverage computation for flow charts in Rhapsody in Ada.

TestConductor: support for Rhapsody in Ada on Linux

TestConductor can now be used with Rhapsody in Ada on Linux.