use case structured scenarios in v8.0

[Guillaume]

Hi,

I started testing the Structured Scenarios for a use case (new Scenarios tab in the use case, or also accessible via new Scenarios and Requirements view) in EA v8.0 beta 1.

I have 3 questions so far:

1 - Scenarios embedded in use cases
Use case scenarios are embedded in the use case element and it does not seem feasible moving them from one use case to another.
As an example, if you started writing a few scenarios and then found out you specified it in the wrong use case, is there any way you can move some or all your scenarios from one use case to another?
Since we can produce an activity diagram from a scenario, it looks like a scenario is modelled in EA as a set of activities (steps) so similarly to an activity diagram and its activities that can be moved from a use case to another (or other similar classifier), I'd expect we can do the same with scenarios.

2 - Linked requirements properties not shown
If your use case has a realization association with one or several Requirements, the "Linked Requirements" is populated accordingly in the Scenarios and Requirements view.

Unfortunately the requirement's properties such as the content of the notes remains empty - you have to double click on the Requirements element to view the properties; this seems to be a bug.

3 - Profiles and scenarios
When creating a new scenario, we currently have 3 types to choose from (Basic Path, alternate, exception). EA accepts new types to be entered which does the trick if you use other types.
Is it however possible to extend scenarios properties using EA Profiles? I tried extending the use case metaclass but it doesn't have any scenario property. I cannot find any scenario metaclass either.
Are scenarios specific to EA and hence cannot be extended via Profiles and stereotypes?

Thanks in advances for your answers.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi Guillamue,

(In v8 at least - I don't have my v7.5 active at present) To move the scenarios to e "new" Use Case, you can select the Use Case in the diagram then use [Ctrl+C] then right-click in an empty area of the diagram and use Paste Element(s) as New [Ctrl+Shift+Y] to create a new Use Case with the copied scenarios.

To move between existing Use Cases, you'll have to do surgery on the the embedded XML in the t_objectscenarios table.

HTH,
Paolo

[VK]

One other method for copying Scenarios between UseCases is by reverse engineering the generated Activity Diagram ( as explained in the following topic in the EA Help file : Modeling With UML -> Work With Elements -> Properties -> Scenarios -> Generate Scenario From Activity Diagram )

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Hi VK,

Does that mean that we could "Copy and paste" from one  activity diagram into such a scenario diagram and then link the copied stuff into the appropriate place and then reverse it?

If so, that would be pretty cool!

Paolo

[Geert Bellekens]

pretty cool,... but cumbersome.
Wouldn't it be even cooler to have an option to move/copy scenario's from one usecase to another?

Geert

[Paolo F Cantoni]

pretty cool,... but cumbersome.

Yes, but more general than:

Wouldn't it be even cooler to have an option to move/copy scenario's from one usecase to another?

Geert

Yes, but what about partial scenarios?  Or did you mean move/copy scenario steps?

Paolo

[Geert Bellekens]

Yes, but what about partial scenarios?  Or did you mean move/copy scenario steps?

Paolo

Even better  

Geert

[Paolo F Cantoni]

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2 - Linked requirements properties not shown
If your use case has a realization association with one or several Requirements, the "Linked Requirements" is populated accordingly in the Scenarios and Requirements view.

Unfortunately the requirement's properties such as the content of the notes remains empty - you have to double click on the Requirements element to view the properties; this seems to be a bug.
][size=18]...[/size]

Hi Guillaume,

I can shed some light on this.  The "Requirements" at the top of the dialog are internal requirements (which other parts of EA - in my view correctly - describe as "Responsibilities").  Internal requirements are not visible to other elements and are therefore NOT connected to this element via any external relationship.

The Requirements at the bottom of the dialog are external requirements - that is, they are requirement elements linked via the Realization relationship.  Consequently, to see the notes of the external elements, you need to open their Properties dialog (via the double-click).

The bug, if there is one, is that EA inconsistently calls Responsibilities, internal Requirements (or vice versa).

HTH,
Paolo

[Nick Webb]

Hi all,

I'm looking at structured scenarios and generating activity diagrams and wonder how subflows are best handled?  At first glance I dont see how I can use Entry Points to link to subflows... is it necessary for me to use <Include> Use Case?

All help appreciated

Nick

[Geert Bellekens]

Nick,

Alternate scenario's (subflows) live within the same usecase as the main scenario.

If you are asking wether to use alternate scenario's or <<include>> usecases... I don't think there's a straight answer to that.

I usually recommend to look at:
- Is the alternate scenario still serving the same (user) goal? If not it should probably be in a different usecase
- Is the alternate scenario a variation to the main scenario, or does it follow a completely different logic? In the latter case you might want to consider to use the alternate scenario as the main scenario for another usecase

Geert

[Nick Webb]

Hi Geert,

Thanks for the advice, but I'm not considering alternate scenarios.

What I want to do is partition a common sequence of steps into a separate flow within the UC perhaps to

a.  Reduce complexity of the Basic Flow
b.  Allow this to be reused across one or more Scenarios in the UC.

If this sequence were included in more than one UC then I would move this into a separate UC and use <<Includes>> relationships as needed.  However, since this is not the case a Subflow seems more appropriate.

While it seems clear how to work with the Structured Scenario feature for Alternate Scenarios I can't see that Subflows are supported which I fear could force me down a certain route with decomposition.  

I guess I could create a new scenario for the Subflow, produce a separate Activity Diagram and somehow reference this but this wont be reflected in the structured scenarios and would be lost if I regenerated the Activity Diagrams (also, I've run into a couple of things when synchronising from diagrams...)  

It was a very late night, I hope this makes more sense!

Kind regards

Nick