1 CS 426 Senior Projects Chapter 14: Activity Diagrams [Arlow and Neustadt, 2005] February 17, 2009

2 Outline Activity diagrams: Introduction Activities Nodes Action nodes Control nodes Object nodes Activity parameters Pins

3 Introduction Chapter roadmap Chapter roadmap

4 Introduction Activity diagrams: Activity diagrams: A form of “OO flowcharts” A form of “OO flowcharts” In UML 1 they were special cases of state machines; in UML 2 they have completely new semantics, based on Petri Nets. Advantages: In UML 1 they were special cases of state machines; in UML 2 they have completely new semantics, based on Petri Nets. Advantages: Greater flexibility to model different types of flow Greater flexibility to model different types of flow Clear distinction between activity diagrams and state machines Clear distinction between activity diagrams and state machines Attached to modeling elements to describe behavior Attached to modeling elements to describe behavior Typically attached to use cases, classes, components, interfaces, collaborations, and operations Typically attached to use cases, classes, components, interfaces, collaborations, and operations Can be used also to model business processes and workflows Can be used also to model business processes and workflows

5 Introduction Commonly used in: Commonly used in: Analysis: Analysis: To model the flow of a use case To model the flow of a use case To model the flow between use cases To model the flow between use cases Design: Design: To model the details of an operation To model the details of an operation To model the details of an algorithm To model the details of an algorithm Business modeling: Business modeling: To model a business process To model a business process As always in modeling, it is important to keep them simple if possible, and understandable by the intended audience As always in modeling, it is important to keep them simple if possible, and understandable by the intended audience

6 Activities Activity diagrams are networks of nodes connected by edges Activity diagrams are networks of nodes connected by edges Nodes: Nodes: Action nodes – units of work that are atomic within the activity Action nodes – units of work that are atomic within the activity Control nodes – control the flow through the activity Control nodes – control the flow through the activity Object nodes – represent objects used in the activity Object nodes – represent objects used in the activity Edges: Edges: Control flows – represent the flow of control through activity Control flows – represent the flow of control through activity Object flows – represent the flow of objects through activity Object flows – represent the flow of objects through activity

7 Activities Activities and actions can have preconditions and postconditions Activities and actions can have preconditions and postconditions Tokens (part of semantics, but not shown graphically) flow around the network and can represent: Tokens (part of semantics, but not shown graphically) flow around the network and can represent: The flow of control The flow of control An object An object Some data Some data A token moves from a source node to a target node across an edge depending on: A token moves from a source node to a target node across an edge depending on: Source node postconditions Source node postconditions Edge guard conditions Edge guard conditions Target node postconditions Target node postconditions

8 Activities Example of an activity (Send letter), Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Example of an activity (Send letter), Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

9 Activities Activity diagrams can model use cases as a series of actions. Example: Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Activity diagrams can model use cases as a series of actions. Example: Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

10 Activities Activity diagrams have semantics based on Petri Nets (more on tehm can be found at Activity diagrams have semantics based on Petri Nets (more on tehm can be found at They model behavior using the token game They model behavior using the token game Tokens are moved through the network subject to conditions (see more on tokens on slide 7) Tokens are moved through the network subject to conditions (see more on tokens on slide 7) Object nodes represent objects flowing around the system Object nodes represent objects flowing around the system Example of flow of control token, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Example of flow of control token, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

11 Activities Activity diagrams can be divided in partitions (swimlanes) using vertical, horizontal or curved lines. Partitions may be hierarchically nested. Example, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Activity diagrams can be divided in partitions (swimlanes) using vertical, horizontal or curved lines. Partitions may be hierarchically nested. Example, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

12 Activities Partition hierarchies need to be organized along a dimension, Partition hierarchies need to be organized along a dimension, Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

13 Action nodes Action nodes execute when: Action nodes execute when: There is a token simultaneously on each of their input edges AND There is a token simultaneously on each of their input edges AND The input tokens satisfy all the action node local preconditions The input tokens satisfy all the action node local preconditions

14 Action nodes After execution, the local postconditions are checked; if all are satisfied, the node simultaneously offers tokens to all of its output edges (this is an implicit fork that may give rise to many flows). After execution, the local postconditions are checked; if all are satisfied, the node simultaneously offers tokens to all of its output edges (this is an implicit fork that may give rise to many flows). Naming convention, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Naming convention, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

15 Action nodes Types of action nodes, Table 14.1 [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Types of action nodes, Table 14.1 [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

16 Action nodes: Call action nodes A call action nodes invokes an activity, behavior, or operation, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] A call action nodes invokes an activity, behavior, or operation, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

17 Action nodes: Accept time event action nodes An accept time event action node responds to time, Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] An accept time event action node responds to time, Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

18 Control Nodes Control nodes manage the flow of control within an activity, Table 14.2 [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Control nodes manage the flow of control within an activity, Table 14.2 [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

19 Control Nodes Examples of decision & merge nodes, Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Examples of decision & merge nodes, Fig and Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

20 Control Nodes Examples of join & fork nodes, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005] Examples of join & fork nodes, Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]

21 Object nodes Object nodes indicate that instances of a particular classifier are available at a specific point in the activity Object nodes indicate that instances of a particular classifier are available at a specific point in the activity They are labelled with the name of the classifier and represent instances of that classier or its subclasses They are labelled with the name of the classifier and represent instances of that classier or its subclasses Their input and output edges are object flows Their input and output edges are object flows The object flows are special types of flows that describe movement of objects within the activity The object flows are special types of flows that describe movement of objects within the activity The objects are created and consumed by action nodes The objects are created and consumed by action nodes When an object node received an object token on one of its input edges, it offers this token to all of its output edges, and these objects compete for the token. The first edge that accepts the token gets it. When an object node received an object token on one of its input edges, it offers this token to all of its output edges, and these objects compete for the token. The first edge that accepts the token gets it.

22 Object nodes Object node notation & their buffer semantics Figs , 20, and 21 [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]. Object nodes act as buffers – places in the activity diagram where object tokens can reside while waiting to be accepted by other nodes (via edges).

23 Object nodes Examples of using object nodes: Figs and [Arlow & Neustadt 2005]. Note that object nodes can represent objects in particular states.

24 Activity parameters Activities can have object nodes to provide inputs and outputs: Fig [Arlow & Neustadt 2005].

25 Pins Pins can be used to simplify activity diagrams that use many object nodes A pin is an object node that represents one input to or output from an action node. Figs and [Arlow & Neustadt 2005].