Create object with underline in Activity Diagram?

[Kingore]

I use EA 7.1, and I create an Activity Diagram Under "Business Process Model", But when I create/draw an object[UML symbol] in this diagram, it  didn't show the underline on the name just as UML specification described.

But if I create the object in "object diagram", by default, it has underlines. Why?

Can anyone help me?

And another problem is that I saw the "object diagram" in EAExamaple Diagram, the object name displayed have the format "<objectname>:<classname>" (for example, Item01: LineItem), but how does this happen? do I need to create the object from certain class? cause from the property dialog of that object, I didn't see it specified a classname..

[«Midnight»]

The default notation paradigm in UML suggests underlined names for objects but not classes.

Objects are instances of classes - yes, you knew that, but focus on that thought for just a second - and in UML they 'sort of' inherit the class(ifier) name as part of their identifier. What you are really seeing is part of the object name in the form <object name>:<classifier name>.

If you notice only the classifier name, the object name has not been set. Once you've created an object open its properties dialog and give it a name. You will notice the name is blank when you first do this, and that the properties dialog is not opened by default when if created the object by control-drag from the Project Browser (rather than the toolbox). Set the object name there.

If you first created the object from the toolbox, then the object will have a name (assuming you used the properties dialog at creation time) but no classifier. After all, EA had no way to know which class (classifier) you were instancing. Right-click the object on the diagram. From the context menu choose Advanced | Instance Classifier (or highlight the object and use the control-L shortcut). You can set the classifier from the resulting dialog.

HTH, David

[Geert Bellekens]

The fact that, in an activitDiagram the object does not get underlined, has a good reason.
If you look at the examples in the UML specifications  (UML superstructure 2.1.2 p 389) you see that OMG does not show the objectflows with an underlined name.
In other diagrams the convention is to underline objects.
So in fact EA is following the UML specs correctly here.

[Kingore]

Thanks, <<Midnight>>, I followed your instruction and played with the "Instance Classifier". it works fine.

and Geert, I checked the UML superstructure and found that what you said was right. But it brings another question to me:

Why UML/OMG specified the object in activity diagram doesn't get underlined while in other diagrams using underlined objects? I think it makes things confused. Won't it be good to make it consistent between each type of diagrams?

[Geert Bellekens]

I can see your point, yes it seems somewhat inconsistent.
Maybe you can send a change request to OMG to change that.

[Kingore]

I suppose someone from Sparx write the UML 2 Tutorial on their website. But it's also using underlined object in the activity diagram.

check the link below:
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/resources/uml2_tutorial/uml2_activitydiagram.html

and do you know if there is a way, that I can have my objects underlined in the activity diagram using Sparx System?

[Geert Bellekens]

Couldn't it be a matter of versions of EA?
In 6.5 which I'm using at work the objects in an Activity Diagram are underlined.
In the release notes for version 7.0 build 813 http://www.sparxsystems.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1183960125/0#0 it says that they removed the underline for objects in the Activity Diagram.

[Kingore]

Thanks, Geert. It's very helpful. I'm convinced that Sparx did it on purpose, but I just don't know why:).

[Geert Bellekens]

Thats obvious, because Sparx wants to EA keep as close as possible to the UML specifications; which is a good thing IMHO.

Geert

[Kingore]

I searched the whole UML 2.2 superstructure, and sounds like it didn't say that object name in activity diagram should not be underlined... or something like that?

[Kingore]

I found that in UML superstructure (UML Superstructure 2.2, the latest version), it tries to say the objects in object diagram as instance specifications which is underlined (page 82) , while call the objects in activity diagram as object node which is not underlined (page 393.)  

Since I am not a native speaker of english. It's kind of a tough job for me to understand all these terminologies...

Could you provide me with a little guidance or interpretation of these terminologies, or why it differentiate the object in object diagram and object in activity diagram? Thanks.

[Geert Bellekens]

As far as I understand the object (InstanceSpecification) in object diagrams is represents exaclty the same concepts (and instance of a classifier) but in a different context.
The instance specification actually is the instance where the objectnode
  

indicates an instance of a particular classifier, possibly in a particular state, may be available at a particular point in the activity

Anyway, for me those two are the same concept. The only difference is that UML says that an ObjectNode should not be underlined where an InstanceSpecification should be underlined.
I don't think you have to search for any deeper truth here.

BTW: thanks for mentioning the new UML 2.2 release. I didn't know it was out yet.

[Kingore]

Thanks for the explannation. that helps.