Something 2 GSN

How to Use

Diagrams to convert

• Below is a sample MindMap before converting to GSN:
  
• Each topic must have a suffix starting with a colon followed by strings like “goal” or “strategy”, which to specify the GSN model type to convert in to. All the supported model types are as follows:
  • goal
  • strategy
  • solution
  • context
  • assumption
  • justification

• As I explain later, the plugin supports the following model types and diagrams other than MindMap:
  • Classes and Objects in Class diagrams,
  • Objects in Activity Diagrams and
  • Blocks in Block Definition Diagrams.

• The plugin cannot convert to GSN/D-Case models correctly if the relations among models (structure in Mind Map) are incorrect in terms of the GSN syntax.

Generating GSN/D-Case from a MindMap

1. Select a MindMap you want to convert to GSN/D-Case in the structure tree view.
   
2. Go to [Tools] – [GSN Generator] – [Generating GSN for the current diagram].
   
3. A dialog appears to ask you to save this file, name it and save with “xmi” extension.

Import converted models in Astah GSN

1. Launch Astah GSN and open an existing project or create new.
2. From main menu, go to [Tool] – [XMI] – [XMI import].
3. A file chooser appears. Select the.xmi file you’ve generated by this plugin, then imported models will appear in the tree.
   
4. Create a new GSN diagram or open an existing one. Drag & drop the models from the tree to GSN diagram to depict them on the diagram.
   
5. Go to [Alignment] – [Auto Layout].
   
6. GSN-converted models would be aligned nicely keeping its structure.
   

Converting from other diagram types than Mind Maps

Objects in a class diagram

• Objects and connected links in the following Class diagram can be converted to GSN. (Note the converted GSN models will color setting.) To convert to GSN, all the objects need to have the following class type : “goal”, “strategy”, “context”, “assumption”, and “justification”, set to specify which GSN model type that you want them convert into.
• Here’s a sample GSN that was converted from the Class diagram above.
  

Converting Classes in a class diagram

• Classes and all the associations would be converted to GSN models. Specify which GSN model type to be converted by adding the stereotype.
  

Converting Objects in Activity diagram

• Objects and connected relations would be converted to GSN models. All the objects need to have the following class type : “goal”, “strategy”, “context”, “assumption”, and “justification”, set to specify which GSN model type that you want them to convert into, and same goes for Blocks in Astah SysML’s activity diagrams.
  
• For the case of Astah SysML, the diagram can be as follows.
  

Converting Blocks in a Block definition diagram

• Blocks and all the relationships in Block Definition Diagram would be converted to GSN. Add stereotype to specify what GSN model type you want them to convert into.
  

Others

• If necessary, you can re-order the ID number of GSN-converted models by choosing [Reset GSN ID] from the context menu which you can open by right-clicking on the diagram editor.