Stereotype Groups

[Paolo F Cantoni]

A quick search of the forum for "stereotype group" shows mixed views about this concept.

The help file says:
Group name
Allows for the grouping of stereotype features by a plural name, for attributes and operations and is shown on diagrams in the attribute and operations compartments.

Why specify plural name?  Is it possible for a stereotype to be in more than one group?  Does it only apply to Classifiers  with these compartments?

Is anyone using it "in anger"?  How and why do you use it?

Did you find any problems or "gotchas"?

TIA,
Paolo

[«Midnight»]

AFAIK, this appears to be the name that will appear above a group of stereotypes - on attributes or operations - when the Group <whatever> by Stereotype option is set.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

AFAIK, this appears to be the name that will appear above a group of stereotypes - on attributes or operations - when the Group <whatever> by Stereotype option is set.

Well, Another user didn't quite find that... See: Re: error safety guarantees

Actually, what I see when I try this is the stereotype group, not the stereotype. For example, if I create three stereotypes «basic», «strong» and «no-fail» in a stereotype group called safety guarantee, then I get operations together in a safety guarantee sub-compartment of the operations compartment, but the stereotypes are not visible on the diagram.

The operation stereotype does show up in the project view, and also temporarily in the diagram when editing the operation directly in the diagram.

I have submitted a feature request re. multiple operation stereotypes and making them visible. Meanwhile, I'll probably use Simon's suggestion. Thanks, folks.

Scott

The grouping only appears to apply to the rendering on diagrams (even though the option is not a diagram option, but an objects option).  It's also more than a grouping option, since the group name is substituted for the base stereotype name - which is then suppressed on the diagram.

Given then, the fact that the option actually applies to the diagrammatic rendering, it should probably be on a per diagram basis.

My original question still stands... Is anybody actually using Stereotype Groups?

Paolo

[«Midnight»]

Sorry, but that's what I meant the first time.

I have actually used this 'feature' in one context. It was, however, about as far as you might want to get from 'normal' OO modelling.

The whole idea seems to apply only to the primary stereotype, as well as being diagram-centric. Both are somewhat specific to EA.

You can use this to "group" the <<bear>>, <<weasel>>, and <<ape>> stereotypes under the Mammals group. If these were applied to some of the attributes of a class, and if you had set Group Attributes by Stereotype, on your diagrams there would be a "Mammals" heading above the attributes with any of the above stereotypes. EA would present this group in the same fashion as it would for any of the built-in sterotypes.