Bridge Specifications

Vendor	erwin, Inc.
Tool Name	erwin Data Modeler
Tool Version	9.x to 2020
Tool Web Site	https://erwin.com/products/erwin-data-modeler/
Supported Methodology	[Data Modeling] Data Store (Physical Data Model, Logical Data Model, Stored Procedure Expression Parsing), Graphical Layout via COM API on Native (.erwin) or Export (.XML) File

BRIDGE INFORMATION
Import tool: erwin, Inc. erwin Data Modeler 9.x to 2020 (https://erwin.com/products/erwin-data-modeler/)
Import interface: [Data Modeling] Data Store (Physical Data Model, Logical Data Model, Stored Procedure Expression Parsing), Graphical Layout via COM API on Native (.erwin) or Export (.XML) File from erwin 9.x to 2020 Data Modeler (File)
Import bridge: 'CaErwin9Xml' 11.0.0

BRIDGE DOCUMENTATION
This bridge can import either the .erwin format files or .XML format files saved using erwin Data Modeler.

ERWIN XML FORMAT:
You can create the .xml version of a file (Save As... in erwin), select the 'XML Repository' format for the type of XML file that erwin creates.
Here are the steps to create this type of .XML file:
1. Open the .erwin file in erwin.
2. Select File, then Save As...
3. Select 'XML Repository (*.xml)' for the 'Save as type' pulldown.
4. Specify a path and name for the exported file.
5. Click OK

ERWIN NATIVE FORMAT (.erwin):
The bridge requires the erwin Data Modeler COM/OLE API to be installed in order to parse .ERWIN format files.
Erwin Data Modeler must be properly installed with a valid license on the machine executing this bridge.
In order to test this, open an erwin model in Data Modeler and save it as 'XML Repository Format'.
Starting with Erwin Data Modeler 9.8 / 2020 R1, Erwin requires the user to re-confirm the license in the UI if the tool has not been used for more than 72 hours.
In order to avoid this inconvenience, Erwin Data Modeler should be installed through the 'Offline Activation' email process which is available only on a node locked license.

ERWIN WINDOWS USER:
The bridge must run on behalf of the Windows user that can run the erwin software.
If the bridge is running as part of a Windows desktop application, then you must log on windows with that user.
If the bridge is running as part of a Windows service, then go to the Windows services and click on the 'Properties' menu of such service, go to the 'Log On' tab, select 'This account' and specify the same user name and password used as Windows session when using erwin, and restart the Windows service.

ERWIN WINDOWS COM API:
The bridge uses the Erwin Windows COM API via simple scripts (ErwinApi.js and ErwinXml.js).
If these scripts are not working properly, contact Erwin support to debug the issue (which may require re-installing erwin).
The scripts can be tested as follows:
cscript.exe //E:jscript //Nologo .\conf\MIRModelBridgeTemplate\ERwin\ERwinApi.js -version 9 -GetVersion
cscript.exe //E:jscript //Nologo .\conf\MIRModelBridgeTemplate\ERwin\ERwinXml.js -version 9 -from eMovies.erwin -to eMovies.xml -log eMoviesLog.txt

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What erwin version does this bridge support?
A: This import bridge supports the XML file version generated by erwin.

Q: How does the bridge import the ordering of attributes ?
A: The bridge imports the physical order preferably, if the information is present in the XML file, otherwise the logical order is used.
To view the physical column ordering in erwin 9:
- Switch to the model Physical View,
- In the 'Diagram' menu, select 'Diagrams',
- Click on the 'Table' tab
- Select 'Physical Order' from the 'Physical Display Level' pull-down.
This is the order erwin uses when generating SQL DDL, and MIMB will import this order, if it is available in the file.
If you wish to import the logical order, please derive a logical only model in erwin and import it.

WARNING ON POTENTIAL MISSING PHYSICAL NAMES

This issue is particularly relevant when you convert from erwin to ETL or BI (business intelligence) tools, or to the OMG CWM XMI standard. When you save a logical and physical model, the physical names of tables, columns, and keys might not always be saved into the XML file. When you use erwin to manage the automatic generation of physical names from logical names, only the generation rules are saved. This is not an issue for physical-only erwin models, which are often used to re-engineer existing databases.

The main workaround for this issue is to select the 'AllFusion Repository Format' radio button (as described above) when saving the .XML file. Just import the produced XML file in the erwin 9 import bridge as usual.

Another solution is to make sure all physical names are explicitly set, therefore not relying on any generation rules from the logical names.

Alternatively, you can derive a new physical model (to be saved as XML) from your existing logical and physical model. Select 'Derive New Model...' from the 'Tools' menu, and select 'New Model Type' as 'Physical'.
The next step of the wizard will then invoke all the generation rules to produce all the physical names.
The new physical model can then be saved as XML. Note that the logical names of the tables are also available in this new XML file, but unfortunately the logical names of attributes might still be missing.

Note that the bridge automatically parses the .ERWIN files using the correct XML generation function in erwin, so that the problem of missing physical names does not occur.

WARNING ON POTENTIAL MISSING DIMENSIONAL MODELING ROLES

This issue is particularly relevant when erwin is used for dimensional modeling to BI tools, or to the OMG CWM XMI standard. As for the physical name issue explained above, the dimensional modeling roles (Fact, Dimensional, or Outrigger) may not be available in the XML file if they are automatically calculated by erwin.

One solution, is to make sure all dimensional modeling roles are explicitly set (use the 'Table Editor', tab 'Dimensional'), therefore not relying on automatic calculations by erwin based on usage.

WARNING ON POTENTIAL POPUP MESSAGES

When importing .erwin models, there is a possibility that erwin may present a popup window that is unavailable for the bridge to respond to.
The result is the bridge will hang during import. A possible workaround recommended by the vendor is to modify the registry as follows, to avoid popup messages:
* Edit the registry on the machine where the bridge is running, using Regedit.exe
* Look for the key:
for version 9.0 to 9.6: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CA\ERwin Data Modeler\9.0\Messages
for version 9.7: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\erwin\Data Modeler\9.7\Messages
* Add data 'GDM-46=1;' to the value 'Message Status'

Bridge Parameters

Bridge Mapping