SAP PowerDesigner How to Include an Extension in a Model?

[freym05]

We have an Extension containing customized metadata in the SAP Repository, when the Extension is checked out it is moved to an Extensions Folder in the user's home drive. The question is how to include that Extension in a newly created Model? The extension is present in the Folder, however it isn't provided as a selection within the "New Conceptual Model" "Extensions" list of Extenstions.

[freym05]

As additional information, I have included the location to which the extension has been checked out to in the "Select Extensions" dialog, and in fact a single extension is available for selection, named "Relationship Assertion with Plural Entity Names", lastly what's interesting is that I'm unable to find the *.xem file anywhere on my file system.

[freym05]

Responding to Ondrej's comment, we are executing SAP PowerDesigner 16.6 SP05 (64-bit), Version 16.6.5.0 (5532).

[Ondrej_Divis · Accepted solution]

Hi,

1. Make sure, that your extension and model are of the same kind, i.e. CDM Extension will be visible/usable only for CDM models, etc.
2. You can set your extension to be automatically attached to any new model by setting the "Auto attach" property in the Extension editor in the top level. The same place where you define Name and Comment of your whole extension.
3. Make sure, that the location of your extension file is present in the list of Extension file paths (Tools - Resources... - Extensions - Conceptual Data Models... - Path).
4. When asking the community, always write exact PD version. Newer versions allow multiple paths for extensions, older don`t. So point No.3 is only for newer PD versions, and it works differently for older ones.
5. You never do anything wrong, if you try to turn it off and on again (see IT crowd series for more advices:) )

Regards,

Ondrej

[jesica_brites]

Hi Michael,

Have you verified the info from PowerDesigner documentation?

Exporting an Embedded Extension File for Sharing: https://help.sap.com/viewer/31c48596e34446a68956e0aa7e700a2e/16.6.1/en-US/c7d011376e1b1014aec7b77592...

There is a KBA that may be helpful:

1968230 - How to share Local Extensions with other Models - SAP PD [VIDEO] >> https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/0001968230

HTHs

regards,

jesica

[freym05]

Jessica, thank you that makes sense, the video works for an individual within their Local Work Space / Object Browser Tab, however in the scope of an Enterprise-ready tool, we are looking for an outcome where the Extension is available to everyone that works within the SAP PowerDesigner Repository, hence the original question associated with checking in an extension. That said your post was an informative and helpful video.

[freym05]

Jessica, FYI the above KBA doesn't work for me in that when I click on a new Model containing a new Extension (and associated Extension name), the List of Extensions dialog shows the Extensions (i.e. *.xem files) that already exist within the folder. The workaround is to Open the new Extension within the Model and click the Save icon. Note that it's also necessary that the Extensions Folder path be correctly configured via the Tools>General Options>Named Paths for [XEM] and/or ensuring the same path is used when saving the Extension and Checking In the Extension. Good discussion.