The Features window enables you to change the features
of a message, including its type or return value.
About this task
A message has the following
features:
- Name specifies the name of the message.
The default name is Message_n, where n is
an incremental integer starting with 0.
- L specifies the label for the element, if
any. For information about creating labels, see Assign descriptive labels to elements.
- Stereotype specifies the stereotype of the
message, if any. They are enclosed in guillemets, for example «s1» and
enable you to tag classes for documentation purposes.
- Message Type specifies the type of message
(event, primitive operation, and so on).
You cannot change the message type once the message has been realized.
- Sequence specifies the order number of a
message. Make sure any numbering sequence you use, such as 1a., 1b.,
1.2.1., 1.2.2., and so on, and ends with a period (.). IBM Rational Rhapsody needs
the ending period to continue the numbering sequence automatically.
Note: In collaboration diagrams, you can modify both the
format of the numbering and the starting point for the numbering.
In sequence diagrams, this field is read-only. You cannot modify the
numbering format or the starting point of the numbering.
- Arguments specifies the arguments for the
message.
- Return Value specifies the return value
of the message.
- Realization specifies the class that is
realized. This list contains the following options:
- Existing classes in project.
- <Unspecified> where
if this is an analysis sequence diagram, this is the realization setting
for the instance line.
- <New> which
opens the Class window so you can set up the new class. For more information,
see Modifying classes by using the Features window.
Click the Features button
to open the Features window for the class specified in the list.
In addition, this section lists the sender and receiver
objects for the message.
- Description describes the message. This
field can include a hyperlink. For more information, see Using project units.