Class Diagrams

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 1

(Design) Class Diagrams (1)

 A class diagram is a visual representation of various

classes and their relationships as identified during
design.
 Information in class diagram includes:
 classes, associations, and attributes
 interfaces with operations and constants
 methods
 attribute type information
 navigability
 dependencies
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 2
Class diagrams (2)

 Class diagrams are generally created after or in

parallel with the interaction diagrams.
 Interaction diagrams are used to identify classes
and the methods they provide.
 Conceptual model is also useful in deriving
classes by addition of detail.
 Classes are considered software entities and not
real-world concepts.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 3

Making class diagrams (1)

 Identify all classes by examining interaction

diagrams.
 Draw them in a class diagram.
 Duplicate the attributes from the associated
concepts shown in the conceptual model.
 Add method names by examining interaction
diagrams.
 Add type information to the attributes and
methods.
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 4
Making class diagrams (2)

 Add the associations needed for visibility.

 Add navigability arrows to indicate the direction
of attribute visibility.
 Add dependency relationships to indicate non-
attribute visibility.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 5

Conceptual model versus class diagrams (1)

 A Sale in a conceptual model represents a

system concept. A Sale in a class diagram
represents a software entity.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 6

Conceptual model versus class diagrams (2)

captures Sale
POST 1 1
Date
isComplete: boolean
Conceptual model time

POST Sale
captures Date
1 1
isComplete:boolean
Date
isComplete:boolean time
time makeLineItem()
Software components
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 7
Class diagrams: notables (1)

 create is a special language independent UML

message to indicate instantiation and
initialization. As this is a common operation, it is
often omitted from class diagrams.
 Access methods for class attributes are also
omitted from class diagrams to reduce clutter.
 Messages to a multiobject are not shown as
methods in the class whose objects are
contained in a multiobject.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 8

Class diagrams: notables (2)

 It is recommended that UML syntax be used for

method naming. This will keep naming language
independent. UML format:
methodName(parameterList)
 Should all type information be shown in a class
diagram?
 If automatic code generation is desired then YES.
 If the sole purpose is to use the diagram as a
communication aid, then all type information is not of
any significant value. (See Fig 21.7 of T1.)
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 9
Class diagrams: navigability (1)

Navigability arrow: POST

POST will likely have an
objects are connected
attribute pointing to Sale.
uni-directionally to Sale
objects.
POST Sale
captures Date
1 1
isComplete:boolean
Date
isComplete:boolean time
makeLineItem()
time
No navigability arrow..Sale
does not have connection
to POST.
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 10
Class diagrams: navigability (2)

 It is recommended that associations be adorned

with navigability arrows.
 Navigability is determined by visibility.
 A sends a message to B.
 A creates an instance of B.
 A needs to maintain a connection to B.
 Example: Examine Figures 21.9 and 21.10 on pages
266-267.
Why are navigability arrows not provided in the
conceptual model ?
October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 11
Class diagrams: dependency

 In UML a dependency relationship indicates that

one element has knowledge of another element.
 It is illustrated with a dashed arrow.
 Non-attribute visibility…arising from parameters,
global, or locally declared items is illustrated by
dashed arrows.
 See Figure 21.11, page 268, for dependency
relationships.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 12

Class diagrams: other notations

 Initial values of attributes

 Return value type
 Abstract method
 Parameters
 Visibility

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 13

Summary

 What did we learn?

 What is a class diagram ?
 How to derive a class diagram from
interaction diagrams ?
 Notational details for class diagrams.

October 16, 2001 Class Diagrams 14