Sequence Branching

[MichaelHanson]

Is it possible to branch the timeline of a Sequence in a Sequence Diagram.

Every book I have read regarding UML Sequence Diagrams shows branching of a Sequence timeline as the way to diagram alternative processing paths for an object.

For example at some point during the lifetime of an object a decision has to be made, for one state the sequence of messages dispatched is different to that of another.

I have found the option to branch one message from the previous one, which enables me to show a single alternative message based on a condition, but this does not fulfill my need to show the same instance of an object dispatching a different sequence of messages based on a condition.  This is exactly what branching of a timeline is supposed to provide.

If EA does not support this could someone offer an alternative way of diagramming a single instance branching to a sequence of messages based on a condition.

Mike Hanson