Setting Diagram Statuses

[ducatiross]

Hi All

I want to be able to set a status for a diagram, to indicate whether it is In Progress, Approved, Complete etc, just like those that are available for other objects, like requirements. I also want to make this status visible on the diagram, ideally as part of the Diagram Notes block that shows the version, author, create and modify dates, but I can see no way of doing this.

Any ideas ?

thanks

Matthew

[Helmut Ortmann]

Hi Matthew,

you can define tagged values for your diagrams. Later you can decide whether to visualize them on a diagram or not.

It's no problem to define enumerations.

This stereotypes you can define by:
- Settings, UML Types
- Profiles
- MDG

Helmut

[ducatiross]

Thanks for the reply Helmut. I had a go using your suggestion, but I don't fully understand it ! I went to Settings and UML Types and added a new Tag Value as per below :-

(Darn ! Can't even figure out how to post a screenshot here !)


Is this correct ?

How do I then use it and add other values like Approved, Complete etc ?

Sorry to be a dunce !

Matthew

[qwerty]

Erm, Helmut. TVs for diagrams do not exist...


You could eventually use diagram notes or place a text element in the diagram.

q.

[motivatedgorilla]

Depending on how you expect people to keep track of the status of the diagram, you could use stereotypes

[Geert Bellekens]

Matthew,

The fact that you need to set a status to a diagram indicates that you are doing something wrong.
Diagram are not really part of your model, they are just view onto your model. Therefore they should not carry any significance themselves.
What you need to do is figure out what exactly your diagram is representing, and then setting the status on that element.

You should at any time be able to delete all diagrams from your model without loosing any information.

More ranting on this subject: UML is NOT about diagrams!

Geert

[qwerty]

Two other ways: a) naming convention and b) setting Hand Drawn in the diagram properties. I like the latter since it actually visualizes that this is work in progress. Be it the layout or the reflected model view.

q.

[motivatedgorilla]

@Geert,

I don't quite agree that diagrams don't carry significance. Being views of models, they carry significance in communicating a particular view to the intended audience as they help visually describe relationships, behaviors, etc. I agree that this information would exist in a model as does metadata for a given object. A diagram like any other element may progressively change e.g. v 0.1, 1.0, etc as the views of the model change.

What is unclear is the difference between models and diagrams as there is a lack of information out there and hence adding confusion.

[qwerty]

Depending on how you expect people to keep track of the status of the diagram, you could use stereotypes

Unfortunately the stereotype for diagrams is hardly to recognize. You only see it in the properties, not in the browser :-(

q.

[motivatedgorilla]

@qwerty - Agreed hence the note on how he expects people to keep track. I would go down the route you suggested of using diagram notes or having a note on the diagram which can be locked to avoid double-handling, etc

[ducatiross]

Hi all

Many thanks for your comments and thoughts. I understand your point Geert, and I may well be doing something wrong, but to me, the diagram does hold significance in its own right, separate from the objects that are modelled on it.

For instance, a requirements diagram may have 5 requirements on it all fully defined and SMARTified, and 2 others that require clarification. These could have different statuses to identify that 2 needed further work. Yet the Business Analyst knows that there are also a number of other potential requirements that have yet to be added to the model as represented by the diagram, so the diagram is incomplete. I was looking for the best way of indicating this, and hoping that an attribute could be used to enable systematic identification of those diagrams (and hence elements of the model) that needed further work.

I could put a text object on the diagram for visibility but this is not searchable in the project. I could add a vague requirement object that would have an appropriate status, but I didn't want to add unnecessary objects if there was a better way.

I'll have a look at the link you've given as I am a self-confessed UML ignoramus !

thanks

Matthew

[qwerty]

From what you write it's more that you want unfinished elements to be highlighted rather than a diagram. In that case you should stick to the status of those elements. You could add some Work In Progress diagram where you simple drop on relevant requirements which need handling. Once done they can be removed from that diagram.

q.

[ducatiross]

Yep, that sounds like the best option.

Thanks !

Matthew

[skiwi]

(Darn ! Can't even figure out how to post a screenshot here !)

Find someplace to host the image, I use PhotoBucket (for some odd/cheap reason we are not allowed to upload images to this forum).
Link to your image using bbcode markup