Model Parts, Diagrams, Dictionary Items, and Properties > Dictionary items > Object flow (dictionary item)
Object flow (dictionary item)
For automation interface information about an Object Flow, see Activity flow (automation interface). For automation interface purposes, an Object Flow is an Activity Flow that has its Flow Type set to Object Flow.
An Object Flow can have objects or data passing along it. An Object Flow models the flow of values to or from object node items.
Create an Object Flow on an Activity Diagram: click the Object Flow button, click the source item, and then click the destination item.
To mark an Object Flow as interrupting an Interruptible Region (applies only when the Object Flow starts inside an Interruptible Region and ends outside the Interruptible Region): Through the Interrupts property on the Items tab of the Object Flow's Property Pages, select the Interruptible Region.
The following items can be the source and destination elements of an Object Flow:
• Activity Final Node
• Central Buffer
• Data Store
• Decision Node
• Flow Final Node
• Fork Node
• Initial Node
• Input Pin
• Join Node
• Merge Node
• Output Pin
When used on an Activity Diagram, an Object Flow's notation is as follows.
When the Object Flow is marked as interrupting an Interruptible Region, an Object Flow's notation is as follows.
On an Activity Diagram, you can populate missing Object Flows (and Control Flows and Exception Handlers): right-click the diagram background or a symbol, and select Populate > Activity Flows.
The View Options on an Activity Diagram allow you to show or hide the Name, Guard and Weight of the Object Flow. The view options are set through the Activity Flow entry. Tell me more...
Through the Object Flow's property pages you can specify its guard, weight, selection Activity, transformation Activity, and whether the Object Flow is multicast and multireceive.
In the Dictionary pane, Object Flows are listed in the UML\Activity Flows folder.
In the Modeler panes, a short-cut symbol on the Object Flow's icon indicates that the item is a stub.
The following sections provide information about how an Object Flow is used in the model. For more information about a property, item, model part or diagram, click it.
Properties
In addition to the standard properties an Object Flow has these properties:
• Guard
• Multicast (Is Multicast through the automation interface).
• Multireceive (Is Multireceive through the automation interface).
• Selection (Selection association through the automation interface).
• Transformation (Transformation association through the automation interface).
• Weight
Owned by
An Object Flow is owned by the two items it links. The access permissions you have to an Object Flow are determined by the access permissions you have to its source item.
Activity Final Node
Central Buffer
Data Store
Decision Node
Flow Final Node
Fork Node
Initial Node
Input Pin
Join Node
Merge Node
Output Pin
Owns
Comment
Constraint
Dependency —The Dependency is owned jointly by the Object Flow and the other associated item. The access permissions you have to a Dependency are determined by the access permissions of the dependent item.
Defined in these parts of the model
Activity Model
Shown on these diagrams
Activity Diagram
Variant Diagram
Can be linked to these dictionary items
In addition to the owning items, an Object Flow can be linked to the following items.
IO Flow —An IO Flow can be realized by an Object Flow.
Interruptible Activity Region —Specifies that the Object Flow is an interrupting flow for the linked Interruptible Activity Region.
Stereotype —To make an Object Flow valid for a Stereotype, set up Activity Flow a valid item type.
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