You can automatically generate resource, information and
data exchanges, needlines, resource flows, and system interfaces in
UPIA models. The generation tool for UPIA models can scan a model
for messages and object flows that define an exchange between performers
and then create appropriate exchange elements. Subsequently, the generation
tool can scan the model for exchange elements and then create appropriate
resource flows, needlines, or system interface elements.
About this task
To generate exchanges, resource flows, needlines, or system
interfaces:
Procedure
- Complete one of the following steps:
- In the Project Explorer view, right-click a model element
or diagram.
- In the diagram editor, right-click in a diagram.
- Expand the UPIA modeling menu item;
then click any of the following options:
- Generate Resource Exchanges
Scans
UML models for interaction messages and activity object flows that
represent the passing of resources between two performer elements.
For each unique exchange of resources, one of the following exchanges
is created:
- Data exchange between system elements
- Information exchange between operational node elements
- Generic resource exchange between performer elements
- Generate Resource Flows
Scans UML
models for the various types of exchanges and creates a flow relationship
(association) between the corresponding performer elements for each
type of exchange (data, information, and resource exchanges). Depending
upon the type of exchange, one of the following flow relationships
is created:
- System interface between system elements
- Needline between operational node elements
- Generic resource flow between performer elements
- In the Search Scope list, select
a location to define where the generation tool looks for appropriate
elements.
| Option |
Description |
| Package |
Searches only the current package |
| Package Hierarchy |
Search the current package and all nested packages, including
associated fragments |
| Model |
Searches the given model, including its associated fragments |
| Project |
Searches the models and fragments in the project |
| Workspace |
Searches all the models and fragments in the workspace |
- Click OK.
Results
After you select the command to generate exchanges, the model
is scanned for interaction messages and activity object flows that
represent the transfer of information or data from one domain object
to another. If a message or an object flow represent a transfer of
a resource, information, or data, the corresponding source and target
elements, along with the types that are transferred, identify an exchange
link. If multiple exchange links represent the same source, target,
and conveyed data types, they represent a single resource, information,
or data exchange.
If you select the Display summary of
generation check box when you configure the generation
process, which is the default option, after the scan finishes, a summary
of the generation results is displayed that shows the number of generation
elements that were found and created.
What to do next
Typically, you should generate resource exchanges first
and then generate resource flows, which allows you to change the search
scopes for both operations to get the desired grouping of results.
In many cases, you will want to perform both generation operations
in sequence using the same search scope. When you run the Custom Queries
tool on a diagram, which is located in the Explore tab
of the diagram palette, select either the custom query called Operational
Resource Description or System Interface Description. Both queries
define an option to perform this sequential exchange and resource
flow generation before running the query. The Operational Resource
Description query populates the diagram with the operational nodes
and the needlines between them. Similarly, the Systems Interface Description
query populates the diagram with the system interfaces between them.