Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => General Board => Topic started by: dubem1 on September 24, 2003, 06:14:48 am

Title: Add the same element twice in a diagram
Post by: dubem1 on September 24, 2003, 06:14:48 am

Hello,

when I try to add a second time an element in my diagram I get the message : This diagram already contains an instance of the element you are trying to paste. Currently, only one instance is supported, so you cannot paste the element here.

Is there a way to paste an element twice in the same diagram?  
Thanks

Title: Re: Add the same element twice in a diagram
Post by: CJ on September 24, 2003, 07:37:33 am

G'day g'day,

Do you want to duplicate the element on the diagram because you have a large number of elements on it and are trying to cleanup the diagram (and avoid relationships crossing over one another)?

My first reaction would be "don't do that", even if you could.  Setup multiple drawings with fewer elements.

But if you must, how's this for a work-around: use notes.  Add a note to your diagram, with the name of the element in it, and link that to other elements.   You still need to create you relationships between real elements, but you can hide them and use notes to indicate that certain elements are linked to others.

Title: Re: Add the same element twice in a diagram
Post by: sargasso on September 24, 2003, 08:14:36 pm

Although in general I agree with the current design of one instance per diagram, there is one case where it is giving me a bit of grief.

Consider the business process model.  Process "Close sale" has an output of an object 'Order Sheet' classifed as an Order.  The object state at this point is "unfilled".

"Order sheet (unfilled)" is a supply item for process "Fill Order".  This process refines the updates the order sheet object state to either "Filled" or "Back Ordered" and passes it off the relevant process for handling its new state.

The simplest solution in terms of explaining the overall flow to the model client is to have 3 instances of the Order Sheet object on the diagram, each showing a different object state.  

How do other people cope with this situation?
rgrds
Bruce

Title: Re: Add the same element twice in a diagram
Post by: CJ on September 25, 2003, 05:16:20 am

G'day Bruce,

Good example.  Puts a bit more context to the problem.

I'd say if you want to show the changing state of an object, use a statechart diagram.

For a business process model, I don't consider "Unfilled Order", "Filled Order" and "Back Order" as the same object.  I treat them as distinct objects, but all having the same classifier ("Order").