Introducing Objecteering diagrams

Introduction

Diagrams are a graphical representation of the information contained in a UML model, and are an essential feature of UML modeling. Each UML diagram is designed to let you view a software system from a different perspective and to varying levels of abstraction.

As standard, Objecteering 6.1 supports the following nine types of UML diagram:

· Class diagrams, which present an element's internal structure and its relationships with other elements (UML 2 diagram).

· Deployment diagrams, which are used to represent the physical execution architecture of the system (UML 2 diagram).

· Object diagrams, which depict instances and their relationships at a given point in time (UML 2 diagram).

· Communication diagrams, which show how different nodes cooperate, focusing on internal structure architecture and message passing (UML 2 diagram).

· Use case diagrams, which show use cases, actors and transitions to describe the most important services rendered by the system (UML 2 diagram).

· Activity diagrams, used to graphically illustrate activity graphs, which show a procedure or workflow (UML 2 diagram).

· Sequence diagrams, which show the modeling of sequential logic, illustrating how different objects cooperate (UML 2 diagram).

· BPMN diagrams, which support business process modeling through activity flows associated with flow control elements (UML 2 diagram).

· State diagrams, which describe the different states an object can be in, as well as transitions between states (UML 1.4 diagram).

In addition to these nine standard diagram types, Objecteering also supports the following four diagram types dedicated to the preliminary phases of a project, but ONLY if you have deployed the Objecteering Scope Manager MDA component in your project:

· Requirement diagrams, which graphically organize, manage, and trace requirements (UML 2 diagram).

· Dictionary diagrams, which graphically present and manage dictionaries and their terms (UML 2 diagram).

· Goal diagrams, which show goals inside their containers, along with the relationships that link them (UML 2 diagram).

· Business rule diagrams, which graphically present and organize business rules, with their containers, links and dependencies (UML 2 diagram).

Note: Some features are only available in so-called UML 2 diagrams. Where this is the case, this fact is clearly stated.

The following table details which diagrams can be created for which model elements:

Diagram type...	Icon	Created for...
Standard diagrams
Class diagram		A package, a class, an interface, a component, a collaboration.
Object diagram		A package, a class, a component, an artifact, a node, a collaboration, an instance.
Deployment diagram		A package, a class, an interface, a component, an artifact, a node.
Communication diagram		A communication interaction.
Use case diagram		A package, a class, an interface, a component, an actor, a use case.
Activity diagram	(horizontal) (vertical)	An activity (which can itself be created for a package, a class, an interface, an actor, a use case, a component, a collaboration).
Sequence diagram		An interaction (which can itself be created for a package, a class, an interface, an actor, a use case, a node, a component, an artifact, a collaboration).
BPMN diagram		A process (which itself can be created for a package, a class, an interface, an actor, a use case,a node, a component, an artifact, a collaboration).
State diagram		A state machine.
Diagrams provided by the Objecteering Scope MDA component
Requirement diagram		A requirement container or a requirement.
Dictionary diagram		A dictionary or a term.
Goal diagram		A goal container or a goal.
Business rule diagram		A business rule container or a business rule.

Working with diagrams

Diagrams are opened in the Objecteering work view window. You can open several diagrams simultaneously and browse between them using the tabs at the top of the work view window.

With Objecteering 6.1, several diagrams of the same type or of different types can exist for the same element. Consistency between diagrams and the explorer is constantly maintained.

When working in an Objecteering diagrams, you can:

· graphically represent model elements

· create or destroy a model element at the same time as its graphic representation

· modify a model element

· modify the graphic representation of a model element

· mask or unmask certain model elements

The screenshot below shows an example of a class diagram.

An Objecteering class diagram

Key:

· The name and type of the diagram.

· The icon palette, where model elements to be created are selected. Like the explorer, some icons are part of an icon group (these have a small black arrow at the bottom right-hand corner). When you pass the cursor over them, the associated sub-palette appears.

· The diagram itself, which is the drawing area.

· The diagram toolbar (all diagrams except the UML 1.4 state diagram).

Note: In UML 1.4 state diagrams, the diagram toolbar shown in the above screenshot is not available.