How to do Feature Model

[jamessher]

Hi,
I am interested in using EA to do feature modelling. There appears to be a  popular notation for this but I cannot see how I can easily map this to UML or even do a custom technology/profile for this. The following diagram illustrates the notation.

The feature element is easy to model - I can use EA's Feature or the customer Feature element which I have defined. But the problem is with the relationships. These allow a tree view to be drawn and the branches of the tree are relationships - see diagram for relationship types.
Does anyone have any idea for how to map this tree view and the relationship types to UML or if it is possible to define a customer technology/profile for this ?
Thanks
    James

[jamessher]

Sorry the image tags don't seem to work. The image is at
http://img127.imageshack.us/my.php?image=featuremodellingnotatiowk5.jpg

[Jan ´Bary´ Glas]

A Profile for this will not be too difficult to prepare. See BPMN Profile in EA for changing of connector appearance.

[jamessher]

Thanks Jan, I was thinking I'd have a go at such a profile but I'm concerned about the fact that the connectors in the feature model (see original attached image) are not 1 to 1, rather 1 to many. For example the 'multiple', 'alternative' and 'obligatory' notation.

I though about using multiplicity but that would only make sense I tihnk for 1 to 1 relationships.

Do you know if it is possible to model these special 1 to many relationships (optional, alternative...) in a neat way in UML ?

[Jan ´Bary´ Glas]

Do you know if it is possible to model these special 1 to many relationships (optional, alternative...) in a neat way in UML ?

Yes, but via Profiles.
Example:
For multiplicity changed appearance of an association.

[jamessher]

Sorry Jan but I don't think that mulitplicity will help here. My understanding is that multiplicity has to do with instances of the classifiers. In the case of the feature model notation this is not multiplicity, rather it is a single relationship between one classifier (Feature in this case) and 2 other classifiers. For example look at the 'alternative' example in the linked image.

By the way Jan would you be able to tell me how to embed my images in a posting ? I can get the image tags inserted but I can't how to upload the image. I resorted then to linking to an external image sharing site which doesn't then render the image in the post.

[Eve]

Actually, I think I would be likely to do the optional or multiple circles as stereotypes (and shapescripted ports) as it seems like you would want to model 1 of set A and 1 of set B and at least one of set C from one class.

[jamessher]

Thanks Simon for the suggestion. I came to same conclusion and tried shapescripted ports but I couldn't get it to work properly. The shapescript was rendered but the size of the shape was completely wrong and no matter what I tried it wouldn't come out right. If you had an example of shapescript which would work for ports I would be grateful.

[Eve]

Try adding attributes _sizeX and _sizeY to your profile stereotype and export again.

[jamessher]

It worked Simon - many thanks for your help.
Now it looks good I think...



This is what I was trying to achieve - got pretty close I think (though I am deliberately using rounded rectange for feature)...

[Eve]

Looks good.

I think I'd pass on the invisible port for obligatory.  It looks to me like it's implicit if it's not one of the others and would be hard to work with.  But it's your model.

[jamessher]

Hi Simon - you're right ... the invisible port is unworkable. It only worked on that diagram because I simply changed the stereotype, but whe I drag one from the toolbox and drop it on an element it ... disappears :-) not surprisingly...
I've changed it to make it visible so now it works.

Thanks again for your help.
    James