Control flows and object flows

[Modesto Vega]

Back to one my recent favourite subjects, activity diagrams.

Can anybody think of an easy way to render control and object flows differently - e.g., by changing the line colour or thickness?

Sparx EA renders them exactly the same, despite having different types, and I have several diagrams in which I would like to depict them differently.

[qwerty]

There's an option somewhere in the option jungle (IIRC) to render control flows dashed like in SysML. Alternatively you can use shap scripts but then you have to stereotype them.

q.

[philchudley]

Correct there is an option for dashed control flows in SysML, but it only affects the currently opened repository, it is not a global option.

Can be found at

Configure->Model->Options

For UML the only way I have achieved a different appearance for Control / Object Flows, is to colour / set width of one Control / Object Flow then use the Colour Picker / Dropper tools on the Layout menu. Not ideal but it works.

All the best

Phil

[Modesto Vega]

For UML the only way I have achieved a different appearance for Control / Object Flows, is to colour / set width of one Control / Object Flow then use the Colour Picker / Dropper tools on the Layout menu. Not ideal but it works.

Thanks Phil, this is the only way to it for UML, with the added complication that on version 15 (1560) I don't seem t be able to select multiple Object Flows - i.e., I have to format each Object Flow independently, very painful.

[qwerty]

There was never a way to select more than one connector. They are 2nd class (or worse).

q.

[Geert Bellekens]

There was never a way to select more than one connector. They are 2nd class (or worse).

q.

Well, you can if you open the relationships view.
But there are only a limited set of actions you can do an a selection of connectors.
Mostly updates to the appearance and style.

Geert

[qwerty]

Uh, don't get me started with that. There are actually two flavors and either has defects making it worse than the other. EA has not been developed OO. How long took it to select more than one element to change common properties? Still that's only a crippled solution. Connectors had been abandoned from the beginning. There's so much broken stuff in EA. And the only thing we see each year is extra new broken stuff.

q.

[Takeshi K]

Hi all,

I think that using a Legend object is good way to distinguish them. You can set colour and width for the Flows automatically. You do not need to set colours and width one by one.

https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/16.0/modeling_fundamentals/diagram_legends.html

HTH,

[Modesto Vega]

Hi all,

I think that using a Legend object is good way to distinguish them. You can set colour and width for the Flows automatically. You do not need to set colours and width one by one.

https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/16.0/modeling_fundamentals/diagram_legends.html

HTH,

Thank you Takeshi, this is exactly what I am after. Does it work in version 15 (1560)?

[Geert Bellekens]

Thank you Takeshi, this is exactly what I am after. Does it work in version 15 (1560)?

Yes, legends work in v15 as well.

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

Thanks Geert, Takeshi wrote

You can set colour and width for the Flows automatically. You do not need to set colours and width one by one.

I have a legend with the colours and widths for control objects flows set, the colours are set to grey and blue, the widths are set to 3 and 2. I cannot find a way to get the legend to set the colours and widths of all control and object flows in the diagram. Apply auto colour, apply line and apply width are all ticked on the legend.

[Geert Bellekens]

Thanks Geert, Takeshi wrote

You can set colour and width for the Flows automatically. You do not need to set colours and width one by one.

I have a legend with the colours and widths for control objects flows set, the colours are set to grey and blue, the widths are set to 3 and 2. I cannot find a way to get the legend to set the colours and widths of all control and object flows in the diagram. Apply auto colour, apply line and apply width are all ticked on the legend.

What selection criterium did you use? You'll have to make sure your object flows are included in your selection.

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

What selection criterium did you use? You'll have to make sure your object flows are included in your selection.

I have tried with Filter set to Connector - None, Connector - Type, or Connector - Stereotype, and Applies to set to ControlFlow or ObjectFlow depending on the type. The end result is always the same, no change.

[Paolo F Cantoni]

What selection criterium did you use? You'll have to make sure your object flows are included in your selection.

I have tried with Filter set to Connector - None, Connector - Type, or Connector - Stereotype, and Applies to set to ControlFlow or ObjectFlow depending on the type. The end result is always the same, no change.

Hey Modesto,
Are you able to get the Legends working with ANY connector?  I have a sneaking recollection that they don't actually work with connectors^[1].  Perhaps others can correct me.  I just checked our common legends and NONE apply to connectors, only shapes.

HTH,
Paolo

^[1] Perhaps, another case of connectors being second class citizens?

[Geert Bellekens]

What selection criterium did you use? You'll have to make sure your object flows are included in your selection.

I have tried with Filter set to Connector - None, Connector - Type, or Connector - Stereotype, and Applies to set to ControlFlow or ObjectFlow depending on the type. The end result is always the same, no change.

Hey Modesto,
Are you able to get the Legends working with ANY connector?  I have a sneaking recollection that they don't actually work with connectors^[1].  Perhaps others can correct me.  I just checked our common legends and NONE apply to connectors, only shapes.

HTH,
Paolo

^[1] Perhaps, another case of connectors being second class citizens?

No, it works for connectors as well. (at least in v15.2.1559)
We use that to indicate the lifecycle on our architecture diagrams for both elements as connectors.

Geert