Interaction Fragments as outliners

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Interaction fragments (see Help under Interaction Operators) are new in UML 2.  They provide a mechanism for structuring complex interactions (particularly Sequence Diagrams).

I've observed that when these are created, there is a great opportunity for using outlining concepts to reduce the visual complexity of a diagram.  (and the region reduced in size accordingly)

For example, if there is a loop fragment, then the details of the loop are help inside that loop.  If the fragment had an outlining (expansion

• /  contraction [-]) control associated with it, the actual loop detail could be suppressed (or not) on the diagram.
  
  I think it would be a beaut idea to add such functionality.
  
  Voting starts now...
  Paolo
  
  PS: A general reg (region - similar to .Net outlining) operator would be useful just to be able to group a set of interactions and allow outlining.... (Conceptually equivalent to an loop 1)

[«Midnight»]

Add my vote.

[Gary_Barnes]

I'll add my vote.
One of the problems with the interaction diagrams is that they become to large, both horizontally and vertically. It would be good if when you collaped an area of the interaction diagram any columns for objects that no longer have lines drawn to them are also hidden thereby collapsing the diagram both vertically and horizontally.