Creating interaction overview diagram

Interaction overview diagram is the variant of activity diagram in which a control flow with nodes represents interaction diagrams. Interaction diagrams are constructed with blocks, such as sequence, communication, interaction overview and timing diagrams. Most of the notation for interaction overview diagrams is the same as activity diagrams, for example, initial, final, decision, merge, fork and join nodes. However, interaction overview diagram introduces two new elements: interaction occurrences and interaction elements.

Creating interaction overview diagram

• Click on UML on toolbar and select Interaction Overview Diagram from the drop down menu.
  
• Right click on Interaction Overview Diagram in Diagram Navigator and select New Interaction Overview Diagram from the popup menu.
• Select File > New Diagram > UML Diagrams > Interaction Overview Diagram from the main menu.

Create interaction overview diagram

 

Creating initial node

To create initial node, click Initial Node on the diagram toolbar and then click on the diagram.

Create initial node

An initial node is created. The caption of initial node is hidden by default. If you want to show it, right click on the diagram background and select Presentation Options > Show Shape Caption > Initial Node from the pop-up menu.

Show caption of initial node

Creating decision node

To create a decision node from an initial node, move the mouse over the initial node and press its resource icon Generic Resource.

Generic resource

 

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. Select Control Flow -> Decision Node from the pop-up menu.

Create decision node

If you want to show the caption of decision node, right click on the diagram background and select Presentation Options > Show Shape Caption > Decision Node from the pop-up menu.

Creating interaction use

To create an interaction use, move the mouse over a shape and press its resource icon Control Flow -> Interaction Use.

Create interaction use

 

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. An interaction use is created and connected to the shape you selected with a control flow.

Interaction use and control flow created

You can make the interaction use refer to a diagram by right clicking on it and select Refers to > New Sequence Diagram from the pop-up menu.

Interaction use refers to diagram

When a new sequence diagram is created, rename it.

Rename sequence diagram

When you return to the interaction overview diagram, you can see the interaction use caption shows the diagram it refers to.

Interaction use caption updated

Creating fork node

To create a fork node, move the moue over a shape and press its resource icon Control Flow -> Fork Node.

Create fork node

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. A fork node is created and connected to the shape you selected with a control flow.

The fork node created is vertical by default. If you want to change it to horizontal, right click on the fork node and select Orientation > Horizontal from the pop-up menu.

Change fork node orientation

Moreover, if you want to show the caption of fork node, right click the diagram and select Presentation Options > Show Shape Caption > Fork Node from the pop-up menu.

Creating interaction

To create an interaction, move the mouse over a shape and press its resource icon Control Flow -> Interaction.

Create interaction

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. An interaction is created and connected to the shape you selected with a control flow.

A new sequence diagram is created and associated with an interaction by default. To open it, right click on the interaction and select Associated Diagram > (target diagram name).

Open associated diagram of interaction

Draw the sequence diagram.

Sequence diagram

When you return to the interaction overview diagram, you can see the interaction shows the thumbnail of the sequence diagram.

Updated diagram thumbnail in interaction

Creating join node

To create a join node, move the mouse over a shape and press its resource icon Control Flow -> Join Node.

Create join node

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. A join node is created and connected to the shape you selected with a control flow.

The join node created is vertical by default, to change it to horizontal, right click on the join node and select Orientation > Horizontal from the pop-up menu.

Moreover, if you want to show the caption of join node, right click the diagram background and select Presentation Options > Show Shape Caption > Join Node from the pop-up menu.

Creating activity final node

To create an activity final node, move the mouse over a shape and press its resource icon Control Flow -> Activity Final Node.

Create activity final node

Drag it to your preferred place and then release the mouse button. An activity final node is created and connected to the shape you selected with a control flow.

Activity final node and control flow created

If you want to show the caption of activity final node, right click on the diagram background and select Presentation Options > Show Shape Caption > Activity Final Node from the pop-up menu.

Continue to complete the diagram.

Completed diagram