Optionality

As each ArchiMate tool will support different features and implement them in different ways it may not be possible to exchange all of the features that are defined in the ArchiMate Exchange File Format, particularly graphical features. Thus, many features that are supported in the exchange file format are optional. One consequence of this is that using the ArchiMate Exchange File Format does not and cannot guarantee lossless “round-tripping” between tools.

Some examples:

  • Tool A exports multi-language element names, while Tool B supports only English language strings

    In this case, Tool B will ignore any non-English strings in the exchange file when importing.

  • Tool A does not support line width for graphical nodes, while Tool B does support line width for graphical nodes

    In this case, Tool A does not export values for node line widths, while Tool B provides a default value when importing.

Because an ArchiMate tool may not support certain features when importing an ArchiMate exchange file, a re-export of that same model may or may not contain all of the original features exported from the originating tool. This is why 100% lossless “round-tripping” between tools is not possible using the ArchiMate Exchange File Format.

Mandatory Features

The ArchiMate Exchange File Format declares the following minimum mandatory features for an exchange file:

  • The ArchiMate model container with name and unique identifier

  • If the elements tag is present then at least one ArchiMate element with type, name, and unique identifier

All other features, properties, and attributes are optional. Of course, the usefulness of a model with minimal features is subjective. At the very least, a model that might be regarded as useful to exchange between tools would typically contain ArchiMate elements, relationships, and graphical views with nodes and connections together with their respective names, properties, and graphical features.

Graphical Features

Typically, an ArchiMate tool will present graphical features such as nodes and connections in its own way.

For example, Tool A might present a Business Actor node as a “stick man” figure with a label for a name. Tool B might present it as a yellow rectangle with an icon in the top-right corner, and Tool C might present it as Tool B’s presentation together with a colored fill gradient and a drop shadow.

Because an ArchiMate tool may or may not support the full range of graphical features, the ArchiMate Exchange File Format does not capture all information on how a node should be presented beyond the minimum required to sensibly render the node. The minimal mandatory features for an ArchiMate concept node that can be exchanged (and would typically be supported by all tools) are:

  • X and Y coordinates

  • Width and height size

  • Z-order

  • A reference to an existing ArchiMate concept in the model

The ArchiMate Exchange File Format currently provides for exchanging the following optional graphical features:

  • Fill color

  • Line color

  • Line width

  • Opacity

  • Font (name, size, bold/italic, and color)

  • Nesting

  • Connection bend-points and anchor points

  • Non-ArchiMate type nodes (notes, labels)

If an importing tool is able to support these additional graphical features then it may choose to use this information in the presentation of the node. However, this is not required if the importing tool chooses to present the node in an alternative manner.