Output pin (dictionary item)
For automation interface information about an Output Pin, see
Object node view options. For automation interface purposes, an Output Pin is an Object Node that has its Node Type set to Output Pin.
An Output Pin delivers values to other Actions through Object Flows.
Create an Output Pin in the following ways:
• In a Modeler pane, right-click a valid item (see table that follows), and select > > . From the Select Object dialog:
◦ To create an Output Pin from an existing Attribute or Parameter, select the Attribute or Parameter, and then click OK.
◦ To create an Output Pin and a new Attribute or Parameter, click New.
• On an Activity Diagram tab, click the Output Parameter / Pin button, and then click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin; or right-click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin:
Output Parameter / Pin button, and then click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin; or right-click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin:◦ To create an Output Pin from an existing Attribute or Parameter, select New Pin, and then click the command for the Attribute or Parameter for which you want to create the command.
◦ To create an Output Pin and a new Attribute or Parameter, select New Pin, and then click New Attribute or New Parameter.
• Drag the Attribute or Parameter that is to be the Linked Item of the Output Pin from a Modeler pane to the item or frame on the diagram.
 | If you drag a Parameter that has an 'in and out' mechanism, Modeler creates an Input Pin and an Output Pin. |
When you use the New Attribute or New Parameter command, Modeler creates a new Output Pin and a new Parameter or Attribute on the appropriate item (see the table that follows). The Output Pin is scoped to the Activity that owns the Activity Diagram, unless you create the Output Pin on a Structured Activity Node, in which case the Output Pin is scoped to that Structured Activity Node.
When used on an Activity Diagram, an Output Pin's notation is as follows.
The View Options on an Activity Diagram allow you to show or hide the Name of the item, and the Name of its Linked Item. The view options are set through the Pin entry. See
Pin view options - activity diagram for more information.
On an Activity Diagram, you can populate an Output Pin's missing Activity Flows, Comments and Constraints: right-click the Output Pin, select Populate, and then click the appropriate command.
On a Class Diagram, you can show an Output Pin as an Association between an Activity and a Class, that is, between the Activity that owns the Output Pin and the Class that is that Output Pin's type. To add this Association to a Class Diagram: right-click the Activity, and select > . When shown on a class diagram, an Output Pin's notation is as follows.
The View Options on a Class Diagram allows you to show or hide the name of the Output Pin. The View options are set through the Association entry. See
Association view options -class diagram for more information.
On a Class Diagram, you can populate an Output Pin's missing Association symbols: right-click the Output Pin, and select > .
An Output Pin represents a Parameter, Attribute or Return Type (see the table that follows). When an Output Pin represents a Parameter or Attribute, the Output Pin is associated with the Parameter or Attribute through the Linked Item link, which you can view on the Items tab of an Output Pin's property pages. When an Output Pin represents a Return Type, the Output Pin is associated with the Return Type through the Data Type of the Output Pin.
If an Activity Diagram symbol has Output Pins that are not shown on an Activity Diagram, you can add an Output Pin to the Activity Diagram symbol in the following ways:
• Right-click the symbol, point to Populate, and then click Pins (populates all pins).
• On an Activity Diagram, click the Output Parameter / Pin button, and then click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin; or right-click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin: from the popup menu, click the command for the Output Pin you want to show.
Output Parameter / Pin button, and then click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin; or right-click the edge of the item on which you want to add the Output Pin: from the popup menu, click the command for the Output Pin you want to show.The type of the item that owns the Output Pin determines what the Output Pin represents. The following table shows you what an Output Pin's Linked Item is for each owning item types.
Symbol on which the Output Pin Appears | Output Pin's Linked Item |
 Activity (Frame) | For an Output Pin that represents the Activity's Return Type: the Linked Item is the Activity, the Data Type is the Return Type. For an Output Pin that represents an Activity Parameter: the Linked item is the Parameter. The Parameter Mechanism must be 'Out' or 'In and Out'. |
 Accept Event Action Linked to Event of type Call | Parameter of the Operation that is the event trigger for the Event that is the Linked Item of the Accept Event Action. Parameter Mechanism must be 'In' or 'In and Out'. |
Accept Event Action Linked to Event of type Change | Not applicable. Accept Event Actions linked to Events of type Change cannot own Output Pins. |
Accept Event Action Linked to Event of type Opaque | Parameter of the Event that is the Linked Item for the Accept Event Action. Parameter Mechanism must be 'Out' or 'In and Out'. |
Accept Event Action Linked to Event of type Signal | When the Unmarshall check box is cleared, the Accept Event Action has only one Output Pin: The Output Pin's Linked Item is the Signal that is the event trigger for the Event that is the Linked Item of the Accept Event Action. When the Unmarshall check box is selected, the Accept Event Action has an Output Pin for each Attribute of the associated Signal: The Output Pin's Linked Item is an Attribute of the Signal that is the event trigger for the Event that is the Linked Item of the Accept Event Action. |
Accept Event Action Linked to Event of type Time | No Linked Item. |
 Add Structural Feature Value Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Call Behavior Action | For an Output Pin that represents the Activity's Return Type: the Linked Item is the Activity, the Data Type is the Return Type. For an Output Pin that represents an Activity Parameter: the Linked item is the Parameter. The Parameter Mechanism must be 'Out' or 'In and Out'. |
 Call Operation Action | For an Output Pin that represents the Operation's Return Type: the Linked Item is the Operation, the Data Type is the Return Type. For an Output Pin that represents an Operation Parameter: the Linked item is the Parameter. The Parameter Mechanism must be 'Out' or 'In and Out'. |
 Clear Association Action | Not applicable. Clear Association Actions cannot own Output Pins. |
 Clear Structural Feature Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Create Link Action | Not applicable. Create Link Actions cannot own Output Pins. |
 Create Object Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Destroy Link Action | Not applicable. Destroy Link Actions cannot own Output Pins. |
 Destroy Object Action | Not applicable. Destroy Object Actions cannot own Output Pins. |
 Opaque Action | No Linked Item. |
 Read Extent Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Read Link Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Read Self Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Read Structural Feature Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Remove Structural Feature Value Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Structured Activity Node | No Linked Item. |
 Test Identity Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
 Value Specification Action | Can own only the default Output Pin (Result Pin). This default Output Pin does not have a Linked Item.
Tell me more... |
Modeler ensures that the name of an Input Pin or Output Pin matches the name of its linked item:
• If you change the name of the Input Pin or Output Pin, Modeler changes the name of the linked item to match.
• If you change the name of an Input Pin's or Output Pin's linked item, Modeler changes the name of the Input Pin or Output Pin to match.
In the Dictionary pane, Output Pins are listed in the UML\Object Nodes folder.
In the Modeler panes, a short-cut symbol 
on the Output Pin's icon indicates that the item is a stub.
on the Output Pin's icon indicates that the item is a stub.The following sections provide information about how an Output Pin 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 Output Pin has these properties:
Owned by
Attribute
Parameter
Send Signal Action•
Structured Activity Node- Applies only when the Output Pin is scoped directly to a Structured Activity Node.
Structured Activity Node- Applies only when the Output Pin is scoped directly to a Structured Activity Node.Owns
Object Flow- The Object Flow is owned jointly by the Output Pin and the associated item. The access permissions you have to an Object Flow are determined by the access permissions you have to its source item.Defined in these parts of the model
Activity Model
Comment
Constraint•
Dependency- The Dependency is owned jointly by the Output Pin and the other associated item. The access permissions you have to a Dependency are determined by the access permissions of the dependent item.
Dependency- The Dependency is owned jointly by the Output Pin and the other associated item. The access permissions you have to a Dependency are determined by the access permissions of the dependent item.
IO FlowShown on these diagrams
Activity Diagram
Class Diagram
Variant DiagramCan be linked to these dictionary items
In addition to the owning item, an Output Pin can be linked to the following items.
•
Atomic State - through the in states relationship.
Atomic State - through the in states relationship.•
Concurrent State - through the in states relationship.
Concurrent State - through the in states relationship.•
Entry State - through the in states relationship.
Entry State - through the in states relationship.•
Exit State - through the in states relationship.
Exit State - through the in states relationship.•
Final State - through the in states relationship.
Final State - through the in states relationship.•
Fork State - through the in states relationship.
Fork State - through the in states relationship.•
History State - through the in states relationship.
History State - through the in states relationship.•
Initial State - through the in states relationship.
Initial State - through the in states relationship.•
Join State - through the in states relationship.
Join State - through the in states relationship.•
Junction State - through the in states relationship.
Junction State - through the in states relationship.•
Sequential State - through the in states relationship.
Sequential State - through the in states relationship.•
Stereotype - To make an Output Pin valid for a Stereotype, set up Object Node a valid item type.
Stereotype - To make an Output Pin valid for a Stereotype, set up Object Node a valid item type.•
Submachine State - through the in states relationship.
Submachine State - through the in states relationship.