Class Attributes: How can I delete the {...} field?

[alexnt]

Hi,

I have a problem with some classes in our EA model. In a class diagram all attributes of some classes have an additional "field" right after the data type of the attribute (text in curly brackets {}) . I do not know how to upload an image of the class diagram but it looks like that:
+----------------------------------------+
|                  Class                         |
+----------------------------------------+
| - flag: unsigned short {bag}     |
| - seqNo: unsigned short {bag} |
+----------------------------------------+

I have asked my colleagues but no one knows were these additional text came from or even how to remove it!
Does anyone know how I can remove the "{bag}" text right after the data type?

I am using EA version 13.0

[qwerty]

I only can add this by typing it in the Type field of the attribute. Is it visible there? If so: remove it manually. If not:

q.

[alexnt]

No it is not visible. Both type fields only contains "unsigned short", nothing else.

[qwerty]

I skimmed the specs and found this on p. 111:

Code: [Select]

<property> ::= [<visibility>] [‘/’] <name> [‘:’ <prop-type>] [‘[‘ <multiplicity-range> ‘]’] [‘=’ <default>] [‘{‘ <prop-modifier > [‘,’ <prop-modifier >]* ’}’]
(see also below in the specs). So I altered he Union and IsConst drop downs which showed {readOnly,union}. I couldn't find the bag, except you mean the foo bar here xD

q.

[Geert Bellekens]

Click on the multiplicity [..] and unselect "Allow Duplicates"

Geert

[qwerty]

Indeed. If you read on at p. 111 you find

‘seq’ or ‘sequence’ means that the property represents an ordered bag, i.e., isUnique = false and isOrdered = true

The keyword "bag" is not mentioned, though. I guess, this is a bug in EA.

q.

[Simon M]

Open the diagram properties.
Go to the features page.
Uncheck 'Show Property String'

For the source of the notation, see Table 7.1 Collection types for MultiplicityElements in UML 2.5.

[qwerty]

Interesting. How can you set the other 3 from that table then (OrderedSet will probably mean "ordered" as EA displays)?

And as I poked in that area: How can you remove a Property once you set it. OK is disabled when you erase the name.

q.

[Simon M]

Sorry, the reference I provided doesn't list that as the notation for that type. The notation doesn't appear to match UML 2.5. It could come from SysML, or it could be from an older version of UML. Of course, it could also be a misinterpretation of the specification like my previous post.

[alexnt]

Hi all,

Thanks for your help.
As Geert mentioned if "Allow Duplicates" is checked the {bag} property appears.
If "Multiplicity is Ordered" is checked the property is {ordered} and if both "Allow Duplicates" and "Multiplicity is Ordered" are checked the property is {sequence}.

Is this a bug or a feature? What does it mean in UML, I have never seen it before...

If you look in the EA user guide the {...} property seems to be editable. In the "Customer" class the Account attribute is set to {id}:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/13.0/modeling_tools/attributes.html

[qwerty]

Look into the UML 2.5 spec with the references mentioned above. It's sort of a historic deviation but not completely wrong. The values in the curly brackets are properties which are partially pre-defined per UML and partially seem to come from historic UML versions.

q.

[KP]

{bag} was replaced by {nonunique} for UML 2.2. EA hasn't caught up yet.

^{(I prefer bag. Why use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice?)}

[alexnt]

OK I got it.
So the {id} in http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/13.0/modeling_tools/attributes.html has nothing to do with the multiplicity properties, it is something else...

[qwerty]

It's the IsID property (when set to True).

q.

[Glassboy]

{bag} was replaced by {nonunique} for UML 2.2. EA hasn't caught up yet.

^{(I prefer bag. Why use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice?)}

I don't like bag.  It's not descriptive and it has negative connotations.