Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.
UML Connectors
A connector is a logical or functional relationship between model elements. There are several different connector types, each having a particular purpose and syntax. Enterprise Architect supports all of the UML connectors as well as various custom connectors. Together with the UML Elements, these form the basis of UML models.
For more information on using these connectors, display the appropriate topic by clicking on the appropriate connector icon in the table below.
Behavioral Diagram Connectors |
Structural Diagram Connectors |
Inbuilt and Extended Connectors |
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Activity Diagrams |
Composite Structure Diagrams |
Analysis Diagrams |
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Use Case Diagrams |
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Common Connectors |
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Package and Class Diagrams |
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Profile Diagrams |
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State Diagrams |
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Maintenance Diagrams |
Data Modeling Diagrams |
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Timing Diagrams |
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Metamodel Diagrams |
Component Diagrams |
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Sequence Diagrams |
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Custom Diagrams |
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Deployment Diagrams |
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Communication Diagrams |
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Requirements Diagrams |
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Interaction Overview Diagrams |
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User Interface Diagrams |
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XML Schema Diagrams |
Documentation Diagrams |
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No special connectors |
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WSDL Diagrams |
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No special connectors |
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Object Diagrams |
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Notes
· | Invokes and Precedes relationships are defined by the Open Modeling Language (OML); they are stereotyped Dependency relationships - Invokes indicates that Use Case A, at some point, causes Use Case B to happen, whilst Precedes indicates that Use Case C must complete before Use Case D can begin |
· | An Extension relationship shows that a Stereotype extends one or more Metaclasses; all Stereotypes must extend either one or more Metaclasses, or another Stereotype that extends a Metaclass (or another Stereotype; in theory you can have a chain of Stereotypes ultimately extending a Metaclass, but in practice you are unlikely to have more than two Stereotypes in the chain) |
· | A Tagged Value relationship defines a reference-type (that is, RefGUID) Tagged Value owned by the source stereotype; the Tagged Value is named for the target role of this association, and is limited to referencing elements with the stereotype by the association target element |