Architecting and designing > Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) > FEAF 1 – integrated Reference Model Architect (iRMA) > iRMA tutorial > Importing the OMB reference models
  
Importing the OMB reference models
The current OMB reference models (RM) are large and relatively complex hierarchies composed of hundreds of instances. Each Reference Model object type in these hierarchies typically has a definition composed of name, description, and numeric ID properties. Since these objects are in a hierarchy, each typically has a single parent and one or more child objects (except for the very top and bottom of each hierarchy.
Capturing these many hundreds of definitions and then creating the corresponding hierarchy diagram for each of the Reference Models would be a daunting and tedious task if done by hand from text documents. Happily, OMB has made the Reference Model content available electronically in XML format. The iRMA, in turn, has created two utilities, one for importing each Reference Models XML into System Architect and another for automatically creating the Reference Model hierarchy diagrams.
In this section of the tutorial, you will:
locate the iRMA utilities
run the iRMA Import FEA XML utility
locate the OMB FEA XML reference model content file
perform and verify the reference model definitions import and creation
create the reference model hierarchy diagrams
locate and open the new reference model diagrams
view the symbols definition contents and modify symbol appearance
Before starting
Before you begin this section, you must have this file on your computer:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/fea_docs/FEA_XML_Doc_Rev_2_3.xml
Put the XML reference model content file in a directory of your choice on your computer.
Locate the iRMA utilities
1 Open System Architect and the iRMA Encyclopedia if it is not already open.
2 Select Tools > iRMA Utilities > Import FEA XML....
The Import FEA XML File Browse dialog box opens.
Locating the OMB XML reference model content file
1 Click ... . Navigate and select the FEA_XML_Doc_Rev_2.3.xml file.
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2 Click OK to launch the Macro and begin the Reference Model content import.
The FEA XML Import progress window opens, showing the Reference Model data input progress.
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Wait until you see the Successfully Imported notification
Depending on your computer’s speed, this process can take several minutes.
3 Select Yes to rebuild the parent-child relationships, and the Build ListOf properties with appear.
Depending on your computer’s speed, this can take several minutes.
4 System Architect displays a message asking “Would you like to remove old reference model definitions?” Unless you have previously imported reference model definitions, select No.
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This completes the population of the reference models hierarchical child relationship definitions.
Verify definitions creation
1 Click the explorer. Refresh it if necessary (select the explorer, and then press F5), and then verify that the BRM, SRM and TRM definitions are there.
2 Open several definitions from each of the above groups to verify that the name, description, ID (SRMs do not have IDs as they are not currently in the OMB XML file), and the hierarchy parent and child properties (as appropriate) are filled in.
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Next
See also
iRMA tutorial