Definition of Decomposition Icon

[qwerty]

Does anyone know where the Decomposition Icon in UML 2.5 is defined? I found only one reference in Fig. 14.8 on p. 320.

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[Geert Bellekens]

Ah, that is where that composite diagram icon in EA comes from. I always thought that was an EA specific notation. (well I guess it still is for anything that isn't a State)

No I haven't found any other reference either, except for the rake icon, which seems to be the Activity equivalent.

Geert

[qwerty]

I've started a thread on LinkedIn.

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[Paolo F Cantoni]

Does anyone know where the Decomposition Icon in UML 2.5 is defined? I found only one reference in Fig. 14.8 on p. 320.

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If you look at Beta 2 of UML 2.5 (I don't have Beta 1 to hand (on my Bus  Fig 14.8 is on page 336 and the bottom of page 335 describes (if not defines) the icon as 'two connected states" and decribes how and when it will be used.

Does that help?

Paolo

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Ah, that is where that composite diagram icon in EA comes from. I always thought that was an EA specific notation. (well I guess it still is for anything that isn't a State)

No I haven't found any other reference either, except for the rake icon, which seems to be the Activity equivalent.

Geert

I'd say it was the other way round...  I don't recall the decomposition icon before 2.5 (in fact I only noticed it when Thomas just alerted us) and the "chain link" symbol has been with Sparx EA since the early days.

Paolo

[Eve]

FYI. The HiddenComposite state figure has existed in the UML specification since at least UML 1.5.

[qwerty]

@Paolo: This is the same figure I meant (I guess).  But it does not define it.

@Simon: Yes, 1.5 uses it. But also the same way as 2.5. It's just in one place (fig. 3-74 on p. 3-141). But it's never been defined elsewhere. The HiddenComposite is a state and like in UML 2.5 it is only used in state machines.

I think, this is a useful icon. So the fact that it's definition is missing in UML looks like a bug. I'll report that.

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