Scenarios - exceptions/loops in an alternate path

[Screwtape]

Hi Everyone!

I'm using structured scenarios to detail the steps in activities that don't really need to be broken down into further detail.

I may be being very dim here, but the rule on only allowing alternate paths and exceptions to the basic path seems very restrictive.

What happens if you have an exception in the alternate path?

What happens if there is an exception in your exception process?

Only way I've found of representing looping behaviour is to have an alternate path that rejoins the main path at the beginning of the loop - but what happens when my alternate path needs a looping behaviour?

I'm really hoping I can find a way around this, or I'm going to have to write all my process steps manunally rather than using EA. EEK!

[Ian Mitchell]

The current structured scenario editor only allows for very simple use cases: no alternates to alternates, no exceptions to alternates, no loops.
Perhaps Sparx might fix this one day!
Until then, there are always ways around it.
If I need an exception to an Alternate, I just say 'Exception' as a step in the alternate, then add the text I need. Same for alternates to alternates.

[etaha]

There's another workaround to this:
- Create Basic Path
- Add its steps
- Add alternative 1 to any step
- Open that alternative 1
- Change its type to Basic Path | this makes the trick
- Save
- You can now add alternative to alternative 1

Note
- Always specify the step in join box, don't leave it default End
- In last step in basic path that has been changed from alternative, manually mention join step to main basic path, as basic path in EA has no join field e.g. "Rejoin BF step 9". This to show it in generated document later on.