UML vs Extended diagrams

[Jayson]

Heyo all

I am looking at the documentation for Sparx (I am a sucker for punishment I know) and have got a couple of questions:

1. What is the difference between UML & Extended diagrams? Are extended diagrams just diagrams that Sparx have provided that are not part of UML?
2. I notice that the Profile Helpers for creating diagrams have FEWER Extended diagrams than you can specify as the Default Diagram Type for Composite Stereotypes.

In the MDG Technologies guide the following Extended Types are listed BUT you can't choose them in the Diagram Profile helper:

Extended::Requirements,
Extended::Maintenance.

What gives? Is this an omission or am I missing something? Or both?

Cheers :-)

[qwerty]

I can only answer 1.: yes. This is a Sparxian one. Just one profile amongst many.

Number 2 is out since I'm allergic against any Clippy-like thing that tries to fix broken design.

q.

[Uffe]

Hi Jayson,


Extending a diagram type does two things: it sets the extending diagram's behaviour, and it sets its browser icon. However, there aren't anywhere near as many distinct diagram behaviours as there are diagram icons.

In terms of behaviour, there are just three distinct diagram types: sequence, timing, and others. While you can include timelines from a sequence in an object diagram, you can't edit the sequence in the object diagram. Same with timing diagrams, you can add timelines to diagrams of other types, but you can't edit them there.

(If you bring up the appropriate toolbox you can continue editing a sequence in an object diagram, but I believe this is only part of the story and that there are certain aspects of the behaviour that are locked to one of the three fundamental diagram types. But I haven't tested this thoroughly so I may be wrong.)

Anyway, the "extended" diagrams are all in the "others" category of behaviour, and introduce only two new icons; Analysis and Custom.

So since the Diagram Extension profile helper doesn't distinguish diagram icon from diagram behaviour (there's no need since both the sequence behaviour and the timing behaviour is locked 1-1 with one icon) it only lists the most fundamental diagram type for each icon.

HTH,


/Uffe