Sparx Systems Forum

Enterprise Architect => Uml Process => Topic started by: KP Enterprise Architecture on April 12, 2013, 04:00:47 am

Title: Subsystem Modeling
Post by: KP Enterprise Architecture on April 12, 2013, 04:00:47 am

I'm wondering if I'm missing something, or just have a frustration with Sparx EA.

An essential tool in my architecture modeling practice is the UML construct of a subsystem.  In UML 2.0 subsystem was redefined to be a type of component.  I can create a packaging component in Sparx EA and stereotype it as a subsystem.  It does some of the things I want: I get the package semantics so I can put other things in the subsystem to indicate they are part of that subsystem (and get information hiding if I want).  And I get some component semantics: I can put it on a sequence diagram, and have it interact with other subsystems, although the messages aren't tied to anything else in the model that I can find.  But there are lots of things I don't seem to be able to do.

UML 2 says a subsystem has two compartments: the specificaiton compartment and the realization compartment.  This is really imnportant to me.  Sparx EA does not seem to support this.

Moreover, the UML spec says I can put an interface on a subsystem.  Sparx EA does not seem to support this.  (I can select an interface in the toolbar and drop it onto a component, but not onto a subsystem.)

Now I can create a component, and stereotype it as a system, but then I lose the package semantics.  I want the package semantics, so I can model that the subsystem contains entities, components, has interfaces, specifies collaborations, etc.

So -- am I looking in the wrong place.  Or is this just a case of Sparx EA failing to implement the UML 2 specification?

Title: Re: Subsystem Modeling
Post by: KP Enterprise Architecture on April 13, 2013, 02:48:01 am

I've just noted a clue:  it turns out that when you use preferred method to designate a stereotype (the ellipsis rather than the drop down), <<subsystem>> is available as a choice for packaging components, but not components.  Moreover, <<subsystem>> is noted as applying to packages.

This is non-compliant with UML 2.  

<<subsystem>> should apply to components, and packaging components because they are components.

Title: Re: Subsystem Modeling
Post by: Graham_Moir on April 16, 2013, 08:46:46 pm

Could you raise a bug report for this ?