Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

Composite Elements

Enterprise Architect supports Composite elements for Classes, Objects and Use Cases. A Composite element is a pointer to a child diagram.

How to

Images

Step

Action

See also

 

1

Create the element to set as a Composite element.

 

 

CompositeObject

2

Right-click on the element in the diagram and select the Advanced | Make Composite context menu option.

The element redisplays as illustrated on the left.

Note the small icon in the bottom right hand corner indicating that this is now a Composite element.

 

 

CompositeObject-ProjectBrowser

3

Double-click on the Composite element to access the child diagram that it points to. You can populate the child diagram with elements and connectors to represent the internal structure of the (parent) composite element.

At this point, embedded elements cannot be added to the child composite diagram. A modified procedure enables you to include them.

The Composite element and its child diagram are represented in the Project Browser as shown.

Note that ClassX, ClassY and ClassZ are elements added to the child diagram.

 

 

 

 

Show Embedded Elements In Composite

Topics

Topic

Detail

See also

Alternative Notation

Composite elements can show their contents instead of their usual notation.

To enable this:

1.Right-click on the element to open the context menu.
2.Select the Advanced | Show Composite Diagram option.

 
The element is replaced by a frame containing the child diagram. The frame label shows the element name.

Some technologies, such as SysML, qualify the frame label to show the diagram type, element type, element name and child diagram name. If you design custom diagram profiles, you can also qualify the frame label as required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Create Custom Diagram Profiles

The Automation Interface

Automation support is available for Composite elements.

Element has an Elements collection and a Diagrams collection.

Using the Automation Interface

 

Notes

If the Make Composite option is not listed in the context menu, the option is not available for the type of element you have selected