Several instances of an activity

[ch@SVDO]

Hello,
I have to model/transfer an ARIS -modelled business process into UML activity diagrams using the Enterprise Architect (version 6.1.791).

Within that ARIS process there are a lot of activities (e.g. "Create Project ID") that may be used several times within the ARIS-modelled workflows or may even be used severally within one specific workflow.

That's why I need to include multiple instances (as simple links) of this specific activity into one activity diagramm.
--> I just want to have one single object of this activity in my package but several instances of it placed within one activity diagram.

EA doesn't allow placing several instances of one specific activity within a diagram and responds with this error message:
"This diagram already contains an instance of the element you are trying to paste. Currently, only one instance is supported, so you cannot paste the element here."

Does anyone have the same problem or do you have any ideas of how it might work?

Thanks in advance,
charly

[Hugo]

Your question overlaps mine a little I think, which is here:

http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=general;action=display;num=1156454323

H

[ch@SVDO]

Hi,
thank you for your reply, but unfortunately the contents of that link are not applicable for my problem.

Do you have any further ideas?

Charly

[thomaskilian]

This has been discussed in the past for some time. The outcome was: EA will and shall not allow multiple diagram representations of one element. Just use multiple diagrams. (I know that Rose could do this, but this is not Rose.)

[Jan ´Bary´ Glas]

The fact is that you use different instances (executions) of that element. Try to model this point of view. Or there may be different pre- and/or post-conditions, in-/out -puts,...

[Jan ´Bary´ Glas]

I missed the point - maybe activity diagram is just not the best one. Try sequence or so.

[ch@SVDO]

Thanks.
I already thought about the use of sequence diagrams in advance
But i decided not to use sequence diagrams because they are not as easily understandable as activity diagrams to the target user group of that project.

At the moment I'm trying to avoid the problem of instancing by using hyperlinks.
But again hyperlinks are only applicable for the whole diagram (=repository of activities) in which the activities are located and not for the single elements(activities) of that diagram.

[therage3k]

What is the big no-no that we cannot include an activity twice? I don't understand why it isn't permitted?!

Frustrating!