Details on how to implement an article on Sprax we

[paddler]

Hi,

This article

http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/resources/map_uc.html

got my attention as I have many BUSINESS LEVEL activity diagrams whose activities I would like to group later into SYSTEM Use Cases. The article was great but my attempts at using Sparx's email help to IMPLEMENT the article have failed

 I am using 6.5.800 ( I want IM to upgrade this but it is out of my hands and simply wish to know how to implement this statement from the aforementioned article


"After this initial analysis work, it can be convenient to group activities into logical Use Cases. Enterprise Architect provides a convenient method of overlaying Use Cases onto activity diagrams while maintaining readability. In the example below, the Use Case 'Login to System' has been overlayed onto the previous diagram"
 
 How do I, using EA 6.5, Accomplish what the article states??? Map Use Cases OVER TOP of existing Activity Diagrams entities???

Thanks
PT

[«Midnight»]

IIRC EA 6.5 will let you add a diagram to use cases, among other element types. This is somewhat along the lines of composite elements, which you can look up in the EA help.

To add a diagram to a use case, right-click the use case and from the context menu choose Add | Activity Diagram. [I think this pair of choices works in 6.5; try it and you'll see what I mean.] This should create a child diagram under the use case.

If you cannot do the above (my failing memory is just that) there is a workaround. Make the use case composite by right-clicking (again) and choosing Advanced | Composite Element (you'll see the exact wording of the options). Navigate to the child diagram if EA does not take you there automatically. If the diagram is not an Activity Diagram (EA might just create a new use case diagram) then from the main menu - this option does not have an equivalent context menu entry - choose Diagram | Change Type. You can then set the diagram to an Activity Diagram, or whatever else you choose. State charts, collaboration diagrams, and sequence diagrams can be helpful for use cases, as can other diagram types.

HTH, David

[KP]

How do I, using EA 6.5, Accomplish what the article states??? Map Use Cases OVER TOP of existing Activity Diagrams entities???

The boxes with the dotted borders are "Boundary" elements. In EA 7.5 they can be found in the Common toolbox between "Change" and "Dependency", but in EA 6.5 I think you had to get them from the toolbar not the toolbox - View > Toolbars > UML Elements.

If you right-click a Boundary element and select "Properties (Alt+Enter or double-click)" you can set the border style to solid, dashed or dotted, and you can give it multiple horizontal or vertical swimlanes. If you right-click a Boundary and select "Appearance > Configure Default Appearance (F4)" you can set the border colour. If you right-click a Boundary and select "Advanced > Instance Classifier (Ctrl+L)" you can select its classifier by choosing a use case from a list.

All the above should be enough to help you reproduce the diagram that you linked to. HTH.

[RoyC]

Just for clarity (and to help you find information in the Help), let's call the Boundary element here a System Boundary (and reserve Boundary for the separate thing created as a stereotyped Object or Class). I'm not sure that the Help fully disentangles these two yet, but it will on the next release of EA.

This has been a tough one to run down, because the UML Specification deals with System Boundaries (which are non-UML) in the sections on Use Cases, and concentrates on the exact opposite of what PT wants to do.

Neal has presented the solution, though it is his final point (re the classifier) that should bring it home for PT. When you have enclosed the required area of the Activity diagram in a System Boundary and selected the Instance Classifier option, you get the Set Element Classifier dialog. You would probably have to scroll to the end of the list to find Use Cases, but if you don't have the right Use Case yet you can create it from the dialog.

[paddler]

Hi Neal and Roy,

 Thanks for the feedback. I have followed what you have both advised and get the results from the article.

 What I THOUGHT would happen was that, once this linkage was made (i.e. one or a group of activities to a USe Case) that one could - by clicking on the boundary - be navigated to the Use Case diagram.  THAT would have been cool!

 Still. as it stands the solution you provide is a great start for me as I can link Business Process activity steps to System Use Cases designed to automate them

 Cheers
 PT

[RoyC]

Hello PT

You can link your System Boundary - or the content of the System Boundary - to the Use Case with a hyperlink. Either drag the Use Case diagram onto the area enclosed by the System Boundary and select the Hyperlink option on the Select Type dialog, or create a hyperlink element that encloses the System Boundary and set up the link to the Use Case diagram. In fact you could create a Hyperlink element with or without a simple System Boundary in it, linked to the Use Case without necessarily defining the Use Case as a classifier.

See if the Hyperlink options help you; go to:

http://www.sparxsystems.com/uml_tool_guide/uml_dictionary/hyperlinks.html

EDIT - not sure what release/build you are using, but in EA 7.5 build 844 to expand a hyperlink to enclose a part or whole of a diagram you would have to set the element default background color OFF (press f4) and send the hyperlink to the back of the diagram (right-click and z-factor).

[paddler]

Hey

 I know I COULD set up the hyperlink but it would be WAY COOLER if EA could help automate this (i.e. by linking the boundary to an instance of a use case future clicks on the boundary NAVIGATED you to the Use Case diagram)

 In any event..I am further along

Tanx
PT