Request: Use HyperLink as Activity "Object Type"

[CJ]

G'day folks,

I've got a pretty big activity diagram that I've broken down into chunks.

Instead of having, say, an activity object called "Sub-Process B", I put a hyperlink to "Sub-Process B" in my main activity diagram, and use the hyperlink in the diagram the same as any Activity Object.

EA (3.10 Build 496) won't let me draw a flow line to/from a hyperlink, saying "The requested connection is not UML compliant".  Could EA be allowed to do this?

As a work-around, I've created an activity object called "Sub-Process B" in my main activity diagram and create flows to/from this.  EA then allows me to "Set Source and Target..." for flows, changing the original source/target to the hyperlink, no problem.  Is this a bad idea?

Much appreciated.

[gsparks]

Hi,

You could try the following - it looks OK, conveys the same meaning and  wont cause headaches ...

When Activity A has a transition to Activity B in another diagram, have Activity B in both diagrams (just drag B from the browser onto the diagram with A). Connect the two with a transition (flow). Then create a hyperlink element to the second diagram ... enlarge it to be bigger than the activity B, use the fill color to make it stand out a bit and Z-order it to the bottom.

Now you have correct syntax and a convenient 'hyperlink' pad to the next part of the story. If you include A in B's diagram you also have a jump back.

Cheers,
Geoff Sparks

[CJ]

Thanks Geoff,

Doesn't look to shabby at all.

Much appreciated.