Stereotype element display on SysML 1.2 BDD

[chulbe1]

I can add a use case to a BDD in rectangle notation, and the stereotype is shown above the element name (<<Use Case>>) as shown on http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/9.3/standard_uml_models/usingrectanglenotation.html.

However, if I add an activity to the BDD, use rectangle notation so far so good. I apply a stereotype of <<activity>>, and the shape changes to a rounded rectangle with a little box and plus sign at the bottom? I wanted to look like the use case with a box and stereotype at the top.

[KP]

When you give an element a stereotype of «activity», EA checks through all the active profiles and if it finds a matching stereotype it will assume you meant that one. I'm guessing it finds a stereotype from EA's BPMN technology. If you don't want this to happen, Settings > MDG Technologies and disable BPMN.

[RoyC]

EDIT: Neil! Don't butt in!

Ok - this is a bit tangled up. Let's see if I can pick it apart for you!

Firstly, the rectangular notation for a Use Case did originally show the <<use case>>, but that is not a stereotype, it is a keyword (and not a keyword you type into the Properties dialog either). Use Rectangular Notation on an Actor and you will see the keyword <<Actor>> on that.

Secondly, Rectangular Notation makes the other elements look like Classes, so we added - for example - the keyword <<actor>> to indicate that this is an Actor element, not a Class.

We don't add the <<use case>> keyword any more, because we have a nice little icon of a Use Case in the corner of the element to show what kind of element it really is. We still use the <<actor>> keyword because we don't have an Actor icon in the Rectangular Notation version of that element.

So, the Help topic needs to be cleaned up, because it harks back to a period when we used both keyword and icon in Rectangular Notation of a Use Case.

Did you actually type "use case" into the Stereotype field of the Use Case element Properties dialog? Unless you have defined that stereotype to do something, it will only act as a label on the element.

The <<Activity>> stereotype, on the other hand, is defined in BPMN and it redefines the element shape, so if you add it to an Activity it automatically applies the BPMN Activity shape.

You should find (in recent releases of EA at least) that if you simply create a Use Case element and an Activity element and apply Rectangular Notation to each one, they both become rectangular cells with the element name at top center and a small icon in the top right corner. And with no keyword text in angled brackets!

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Thanks Roy for the concise explanation - which agrees with my previous understanding.  

However you did highlight one place where UML got it wrong...

It should NOT have rendered Keywords the same as Stereotypes.  As you suggest it is a source of confusion for all and sundry.

You also mentioned use of Rectangular notation.  Elsewhere, I have repeatedly asked for ALL vertices to be able to represented in Rectangular (technically Compartmentalised) Notation.

It was saddening to find that most (if not all) the BPMN vertices specifically disable Rectangular Notation.  While I understand that BPMN enforces rendering to an extent not previously seen in such standards, it SURELY ONLY applies to BPMN diagrams and if I want to display the BPMN vertex in a non-BPMN diagram, then I should have the right to display it as Rectangular notation.

I'd welcome anybody's thoughts on this

Paolo

[chulbe1]

EDIT: Neil! Don't butt in!

Ok - this is a bit tangled up. Let's see if I can pick it apart for you!

Firstly, the rectangular notation for a Use Case did originally show the <<use case>>, but that is not a stereotype, it is a keyword (and not a keyword you type into the Properties dialog either). Use Rectangular Notation on an Actor and you will see the keyword <<Actor>> on that.

Secondly, Rectangular Notation makes the other elements look like Classes, so we added - for example - the keyword <<actor>> to indicate that this is an Actor element, not a Class.

We don't add the <<use case>> keyword any more, because we have a nice little icon of a Use Case in the corner of the element to show what kind of element it really is. We still use the <<actor>> keyword because we don't have an Actor icon in the Rectangular Notation version of that element.

So, the Help topic needs to be cleaned up, because it harks back to a period when we used both keyword and icon in Rectangular Notation of a Use Case.

Did you actually type "use case" into the Stereotype field of the Use Case element Properties dialog? Unless you have defined that stereotype to do something, it will only act as a label on the element.

The <<Activity>> stereotype, on the other hand, is defined in BPMN and it redefines the element shape, so if you add it to an Activity it automatically applies the BPMN Activity shape.

You should find (in recent releases of EA at least) that if you simply create a Use Case element and an Activity element and apply Rectangular Notation to each one, they both become rectangular cells with the element name at top center and a small icon in the top right corner. And with no keyword text in angled brackets!

Roy,
  Thanks for the explanation. I did notice the stereotype icons when I used rectangle notation before I added a "stereotype" which as you explained was not a true stereotype but a keyword. Shouldn't the "Use Stereotype Icons" option in the Element tab of the diagram properties change this back to be <<activity>>, <<Use Case>>, etc. instead of the icon? That is why I thought maybe that was just some shape script and it needed the "stereotype".

A couple reasons I would like to do this. First is that some of these diagrams are presented to people who are not sysml/uml experts, and I think the label (e.g. <<activity>>) is clearer for them than a rounded rectangle in the upper right corner. The other is that sometimes when shrinking it down in say powerpoint the icons can get small and I think the stereotype labels again are better.

Thanks,
Chris

[RoyC]

Ummm - I don't think I explained clearly enough. The keywords have nothing to do with stereotypes (apart from looking like stereotype names) and the Use Case and Activity icons are not stereotype icons. They don't get hidden when you turn off the Use Stereotype Icons, Show Element Stereotypes or Show Stereotypes checkboxes.

In the Properties dialog, if you type or select something in the Stereotypes field, that really IS a stereotype. If the name does not match an existing stereotype that has an effect on the element, or matches a stereotype that has no defined effect, it acts as a simple label.

SO, if you display an Actor element in Rectangular Notation, it will look like a Class but it will have the KEYWORD <<Actor>> at the top. You don't need to do anything else.

If you display a Use Case or Activity element in Rectangular Notation, it will look like a Class but it will have a Use Case or Activity ICON at the top. If you want to also have the element type identified as text at the top, as for the Actor element, then type your required text as a STEREOTYPE name in the Stereotype field. But if this stereotype name has an effect on the element that you don't want, then change it to something that does not impact the element. So, as the stereotype <<Activity>> has an effect on the element, try using <<AnActivity>> or some other variation on the theme.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Ummm - I don't think I explained clearly enough. The keywords have nothing to do with stereotypes (apart from looking like stereotype names)
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I "Case my Rest"...  

FWIW Roy, I thought your explanation was good...  It's hard to explain conflation logically...

Paolo