Mapping Requirements to Class Operations

[Kevin W]

Hi,

It has been dictated by our customer that we must map requirements to classes operations. It appears that you can not do this in E.A. The requirements tab appears in properties for classes, but not for operations.

The only way I have found to do this is to drap and drop operations to a diagram. This creates an action of the operation. Next,  drag and drop the requirement to the new action.

This way of doing it has a few problems:
1) The name of the action does not following the operations, in otherwords, if you change the name of the operation, it is not reflected in the action.
2) In generating the Relationship matrix, we need the class name and action name to appear in the table. However, what appears in the action name and package name.

Is there a better way to do this mapping. I have created a "registed user bug report for this issue".

[«Midnight»]

Hi Kevin,

I really don't know if this is a bug or a limitation, but I think submitting the report is the correct first step.

Off the top of my head - I've not tried this - here's a possible way to keep things going.

Try creating a composite structure diagram. You should be able to show features - and operations are behavioral features - as boxes (i.e. an element type). Perhaps you can set up the naming and linkage this way.

Let us know how it goes.

David

[Eve]

This is a current limitation of EA that relationships directly to operations can't be created.

As I replied to the support request, The best suggestion I can currently make for you is to create a predefined tagged value type to reference an operation.  You could then add that tagged value to a connector between the requirement and the owning element.  My first thought was a trace connector, but a realization could make it easier to report.

To create the tagged value type:
Select Settings | UML | Tagged Value Types.
Specify a name and description.
Enter the following in the description.

Code: [Select]

Type=RefGUID;
Values=Operation;
To add a tagged value to your connector:
Select the connector.
Open the tagged values window (View | Tagged Values)
Press the new tagged value button on the toolbar.
Select the tagged value created above.
Press the ellipsis button in the main window.
Select the relevant operation.

If you want this displayed on your diagram:
Open the stereotypes window (Settings | UML)
Create a new stereotype, with the base class of the connector type you're using.
Add the following shape script.  (Assuming you've used a tagged value called operation.)

Code: [Select]

shape centerbottomlabel
{
 print("to #TAG:operation#");
}Apply the new stereotype to the connector.

[«Midnight»]

Nice workaround Simon!

Hopefully the "current" limitation will be removed in an upcoming (not too far in the future) release.

David