Activity diagram - traceability

[prorock]

Hello
I create some diagrams:
- one activity diagram with common actions (AD1)
- other activity diagrams

I want to use AD1 on these diagrams. I drop AD1 on the diagrams as hyperlink.

Now ... how to find all diagrams linked with Ad1?

Maybe I use wrong method? :-/
Can You help me?

[g.makulik]

Can't you drop 'AD1' diagrams parent activity as a simple link to your diagrams (or don't you have a parent activity)?

[Paulus]

Second that, and to explain this a bit further: don't use diagrams directly as EA is centered around (model) elements, diagrams serve 'only' as a convenient way to visualize relations between model elements.

So:

1) Create an activity element for each common action (Simplest way to do that is to use some dummy activity diagram for that, drag-n-drop the activity elements from the toolbox).

2) Make that activity element composite (from the element popumenu advanced; EA will create an AD below the element). Alternatively if you already have an AD for your common action, move it to the activity in the project browser prior to making the activity composite, and EA will link to your AD instead of creating a new one.

3) When in an AD you want to include a step that models a common action, drag-n-drop the activity for that action from the project browser and include it in your control flow (btw when pressing CTRL while doing that, EA will give you the option to either link, or create an instance, of your activity. If you value traceability and are beginning to use EA, stick with links. The drawback is you can link the same activity only once on the same AD (but instances have other drawbacks).

4) You will notice a 00 symbol in the activity in the diagram. Double-click and EA opens the AD for your common action

5) You can now use e.g. the traceability view or relationship matrix to find the relations

Paulus

[prorock]

Paulus, thanks.

The most important sentence is:
"don't use diagrams directly as EA is centered around (model) elements, diagrams serve 'only' as a convenient way to visualize relations between model elements"

I should change my whole project (its structure), but I'm too far.
I use automatic generation of documentation, many versions were created.
Developers will kill me when I change documentation layout, numbers of sections ...
I must think about it.

One more question:
Can I change diagram linked with activity (as "subdiagram")?

[Makulik]

It should be possible to just create a new and empty 'parent activity' and just drag and drop the diagram and all the activities contained there below this one.

HTH
Günther

[prorock]

I cannot change the diagram for existing 'parent activity'.
I move diagram to other package and the diagram is still linked.

[Paulus]

One more question:
Can I change diagram linked with activity (as "subdiagram")?

I cannot change the diagram for existing 'parent activity'.
I move diagram to other package and the diagram is still linked.

If you mean 'i have a composite activity A which links to diagram D1, but i would like to link it to diagram D2 ' the answer is: yes you can!

It's quite simple actually:

1) move D1 (which is located below A) to another location and move D2 below A (from the above i gather that's what you already did)

2) select the activity A and from the popup menu advanced, first -deselect- the option Composite and then select Make composite again. => the result is that EA will now recognize D2 as the diagram below A and link to that

Paulus

[prorock]

Thanks!!