UML Basic Architecture Modeling--General mechanism overview



Common mechanisms

General mechanism

The UML is made simpler by the presence of four common mechanisms that apply throughout the Language:specifications, Ador Nments, common divisions, and extensibility mechanisms. This chapter explains the use of both of the these common mechanisms:adornments and extensibility mechanisms.

UML is made simpler by four general-purpose mechanisms that will be applied throughout the language: detailing, retouching, public parts, and extension mechanisms. This chapter explains the usage of two common mechanisms: retouching and scaling mechanisms.

Notes is the most important kind of adornment that stands alone. A note is a graphical symbol for rendering constraints or comments attached to an element or a collection of elements. You use the notes to attach information to a model, such as requirements, observations, reviews, and explanations.

Notes are the most important type of decoration and need to be described separately. A note is an expression constraint or a graphical symbol that attaches a comment to a component or a component collection. You use notes to add information to a model, such as requirements, information, reviews, and instructions.

The UML's extensibility mechanisms permit you to extend the language in controlled ways. These mechanisms include stereotypes, tagged values, and constraints. A stereotype extends the vocabulary of the UML, allowing you to create new kinds of building blocks, is derived from Existing ones but that is specific to your problem. A tagged value extends the properties of a UML stereotype, allowing you to create new information on that element's specification. A constraint extends the semantics of a UML building block, allowing you to add new rules or modify existing ones. You use these mechanisms to tailor the UML to the specific needs of your domain and your development culture.

The extension mechanism of UML allows you to extend the language in a controlled manner. These mechanisms include stereotypes, tag values, and constraints. A stereotype is an extended UML glossary that allows you to extract from existing words, create a new building block specifically for your problem, and a tag value that extends the UML stereotype feature that allows you to create a new message within the rules of that element. A constraint extends the semantics of UML building blocks, allowing you to add new rules or modify existing ones. You use these mechanisms to tailor the UML to suit your domain and the needs of your development habits.

UML Basic Architecture Modeling--General mechanism overview