How do you get something to show up in the Roles field of a Connector element?

[mse]

I see there are two combo boxes in the Connector Properties dialog box. One is the SOURCE role and the other for the TARGET role. However, every time I select this combo box, nothing shows up. How do I populate that list? Something is missing in the model but I don't know where to influence this field. Here is why I ask, the EA documentation states the following:

Alternatively, click on the drop-down arrow and select an attribute name from the opposite element (that is, select the source role name from the names of attributes on the target element, and vice versa).

Source: https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/14.0/modeling_tools/sourcerole.html

[Uffe]

The combo box at the end at which you add the role is populated with the attributes from the classifier at the opposite end.

So if you have a class A with an attribute a, and a class B with an attribute b, and an association from A to B, EA provides b as an option in the source role combo box, and a as an option in the target role one.

Presumably your classifiers are lacking attributes.

HTH,


/Uffe

[mse]

Indeed, now I got them to show up after creating a model according to your guidelines by adding attributes to a class. In my case however I was trying to make the connection between two ports. And ports do not have attributes, so that explains why then. I thought however, that a class has embedded elements such as ports, and thus they are attributes of the class, but I guess that is not the case.

The question is answered however, thanks 

[qwerty]

Not sure about that V15, but what about classifying ports with classes that do have attributes. Will they populate the Properties?

q.

[mse]

I tried both classes and interfaces. Nothing shows up when connecting the two ports. I guess it's just a limitation of EA then or perhaps not legal in UML.

[horszasz]

Actually, it depends on what type of elements do you want to connect with eachother.

When linking classes (object-oriented thinking), you do not need to fill this combo box because in class diagrams, the relationship points from class to class and the "child class" will be a separate data member in the "parent class." The role specifies the name of this data member - this is a name you specify, not the name of any existing data member.

In contrast, when joining tables (relational thinking), the connection points from field to field (FK to PK), so it makes a lot of sense to populate this box (I try to attach a picture).

Bests,
Gergely

[horszasz]

Unfortunately I am not able to upload a picture, but please believe me: if you connect two tables (with association), the role combo boxes will be filled up with the existing columns of the both tables. 

G.

[qwerty]

You need to place pictures on any public server and use the URL together with the picture icon (2nd row first).

q.