Questions about Activity Diagrams

[codehacker]

I am reading the book 'Learning UML 2.0' by Kim Hamilton, Russell Miles and applying it using Enterprise Architect. I have some questions:

1) The introduction says that tag values can be associated with stereotypes. Here, I think the concept of 'stereotype' introduced in the book is slightly different from the one followed in EA. From reading the book, my understanding is that a stereotype remains distinct from the element it quaifies. If I apply the stereotype <<form>> to a class, the class is a seperate element and the stereotype <<form>> is another. Hence, <<form>> can have its own tag values which are shown in a Note attached to the class. In EA however, I have found no way of associating a tag value with a stereotype. The profile package allows us to create stereotypes with tags, but it seems that these 'stereotypes' are classes that can be reused, rather than a 'qualification' that can be applied to a class. Any comments?

2) The book says that when an action calls other actions it is called a call activity node. It is shown by displaying an inverted fork in the diagram. I have found out that to convert an action into a call activity node i have to go to Advanced -> Custom Properties and set kind = Call Behavior. But how/where do I specify which other actions/activities it will call? What are the meanings of the other options that can be selected for 'kind'? I don't think the documentation offers any hint about them.

3) The book says that for object flows between two actions, if only a part of the object is needed, this can be shown via a 'tansformation' which is shown as a note with the stereotype <<transformation>> under which is written Order.Cost. This can be done in EA through Notes, but is there any way to describe this 'semantically' to EA. So that EA 'understands' that <<transformation>> is more than a note attached with an arrow?

[Paolo F Cantoni]

I am reading the book 'Learning UML 2.0' by Kim Hamilton, Russell Miles and applying it using Enterprise Architect. I have some questions:

1) The introduction says that tag values can be associated with stereotypes. Here, I think the concept of 'stereotype' introduced in the book is slightly different from the one followed in EA. From reading the book, my understanding is that a stereotype remains distinct from the element it qualifies. If I apply the stereotype <<form>> to a class, the class is a separate element and the stereotype <<form>> is another. Hence, <<form>> can have its own tag values which are shown in a Note attached to the class. In EA however, I have found no way of associating a tag value with a stereotype. The profile package allows us to create stereotypes with tags, but it seems that these 'stereotypes' are classes that can be reused, rather than a 'qualification' that can be applied to a class. Any comments?

No,  In the model, stereotypes are qualifiers that indicate the underlying UML element exhibits some different behaviour.  The diagram may be talking about the metamodel where you can define Stereotypes that can be incorporated in Profiles.  In the metamodel definitions, stereotypes are distinct elements.  I'm not a profile guru but the profile can make the application of a stereotype to a UML element automatically add tagged value entries.

2) The book says that when an action calls other actions it is called a call activity node. It is shown by displaying an inverted fork in the diagram. I have found out that to convert an action into a call activity node i have to go to Advanced -> Custom Properties and set kind = Call Behavior. But how/where do I specify which other actions/activities it will call? What are the meanings of the other options that can be selected for 'kind'? I don't think the documentation offers any hint about them.

I thought Actions were, essentially, atomic.  This is what EA implements.

3) The book says that for object flows between two actions, if only a part of the object is needed, this can be shown via a 'transformation' which is shown as a note with the stereotype <<transformation>> under which is written Order.Cost. This can be done in EA through Notes, but is there any way to describe this 'semantically' to EA. So that EA 'understands' that <<transformation>> is more than a note attached with an arrow?

You can add a stereotype to a Note via the back door: the Properties Window [Alt+1].  If that's enough semantics - you're done.  If not, then EA won't (I believe) do any more.  You'll have to generate some automation to do that.

HTH,
Paolo

[Eve]

2) The book says that when an action calls other actions it is called a call activity node. It is shown by displaying an inverted fork in the diagram. I have found out that to convert an action into a call activity node i have to go to Advanced -> Custom Properties and set kind = Call Behavior. But how/where do I specify which other actions/activities it will call? What are the meanings of the other options that can be selected for 'kind'? I don't think the documentation offers any hint about them.

To set the activity for the action right click on it in a diagram and select 'Advanced' | 'Set Behavioural Classifier'.

As for the other kinds, they are just the different actions available in the UML spec.  I'd suggest looking there.