Tool Mentor: Managing Collaboration Diagrams Using Rational Rose

Purpose

This tool mentor describes how to use Rational Rose to create collaboration diagrams that show the interactions between objects.

Related Rational Unified Process information:

• Activity: Use-Case Analysis
• Activity: Use-Case Design

Overview

The following is a summary of the steps you perform to describe the interactions between objects using collaboration diagrams:

1. Create a collaboration diagram under the Use-Case Realization

2. Create an object in a collaboration diagram
3. Create links between the objects
4. Create messages between objects

For detailed information about collaboration diagrams, see:

• Collaboration Diagrams (Overview) in the Rational Rose online help

• Chapter 4, Introduction to Diagrams and Chapter 9, Interaction Diagrams and Specifications in the Using Rational Rose manual.

1. Create a collaboration diagram under the Use-Case Realization

When you create a collaboration diagram for a use case realization, consider naming the diagram "<use-case name> - <flow type>". This naming convention simplifies future tracing of objects to the use-case realization that they participate in. Also, use the documentation window to enter a brief description of the scenario that the collaboration diagram depicts.

2. Create an object in a collaboration diagram

A collaboration diagram is an interaction diagram that shows the sequence of messages that implement an operation or a transaction. Collaboration diagrams show objects, their links, and their messages. They can also contain simple class instances and class utility instances. Each collaboration diagram provides a view of the interactions or structural relationships that occur between objects and object-like entities in the current model. In this step, you:

• Drag and drop actors onto the sequence diagram.

• Add objects to the diagram and identify the classes the objects belong to.

3. Create links between objects

Links provide a way for two objects/actors to exchange messages. A link is an instance of an association, analogous to an object being an instance of a class.

4. Create messages between objects

A message represents the communication between actors and objects, indicating that an action will follow. It carries information from the source focus of control to the destination focus of control. In a collaboration diagram a message icon can represent multiple messages. When you create a message, use the documentation field in the Message Specification to describe the message.

The collaboration diagram toolbox contains two message tools. The forward message tool, bearing an arrow pointing "northeast," places a message icon from client to supplier. The reverse message tool, bearing an arrow pointing "southwest," places a message icon from supplier to client. The default synchronization for a message is "simple."

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