Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Suggestions and Requests => Topic started by: smk on September 21, 2010, 03:17:43 am

Title: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flow
Post by: smk on September 21, 2010, 03:17:43 am: Hello,

We are using version 8.0 of the EA. She brought an action much nice. Now there is an interface that facilitates the structuring of scenarios of use cases, called "Structured Specification."

We just do not understand why there isn´t the possibility to define alternative flow for the alternative flow. The same happend with the exception flow. Is there any reason for it?

In theory it would be possible!

Also, usually we have situations of alternative flow of alternative flow, or even more common exception flow of alternative flow.

Let's take an example of a "register of client" (CRUD).

- Main flow is the retrieve (R).
- Alternate flows will be three (C, U and D).
- Within this alternative create (C) and updade (U) we can have exception flow, for example, "Code not found", "data validation invalid", etc.

In future versions of EA this option of the alternative/except flow of the alternative flow will be available?
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: AndyJ on September 23, 2010, 02:11:21 pm: I'll happily second this request.

I'm currently using the clumsy "or returns an error" construct in the TEXT of alternative flows, where really I should be able to define an exception.

I've looked at the include and extend, but this is a bit heavy handed by comparison.
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: smk on September 23, 2010, 11:16:57 pm: The EA should implement like following:

   MAIN FLOW |
   |
   |<-----| EXCEPTION FLOW 1
   | |
   | |
   |------|
   |
   |
   |------| ALTERNATE FLOW 1
  ALTERNATE FLOW 2 |------| |
   | | |<-----| EXCEPTION FLOW 1.1
   | | | |
   | | | |
   | | |------|
   | | |
   | | |
   | | |------| ALTERNATE FLOW 1.1
   | | | |
   | | | |
   | | | |
   | | |<-----|
   | | |
   | |<-----|
   | |
   |----->|
   |
   |
   |
   |
   |
   |
   \_/

1. We have a main flow.
2. The main flow may have the alternate or exception flow.
3. The alternate flow may have another alternate flow or exception flow.
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: fwoolz on September 24, 2010, 01:30:35 am: I totally agree. The structured scenario should behave like an XML tree - any decision node should have as many branches and child nodes as it wants / needs.
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: fwoolz on September 24, 2010, 01:31:56 am: I amend that slightly - it must also allow links to previous nodes in the tree (loops)!
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: aehrlich on October 29, 2010, 04:14:13 am: Yes, please do this!
Or maybe we shall report absence of this possibility as a bug?
Consider the Sparx' own Structured Use Case Scenarios (http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/downloads/quick/writing-structured-use-case-scenarios-mdd.pdf) about the classical ATM game. How could one add a regular real-life requirement "ATM shall confiscate the card if wrong PIN entered 3 times" without Alternate on Alternate?
Title: Re: Alternative/Except flow of the Alternative flo
Post by: AndyJ on November 05, 2010, 03:04:57 pm: I've raised a registered user bug report/request on this issue, I'd really like you all to do the same.

I'm struggling to create a use case in the structured scenario editor that relies heavily on alternative flows within alternative flows.

So far I haven't been able to work around this using extends and includes...

Andy