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Constraints are one of the extension mechanisms provided
for UML. ArgoUML is equipped with a powerful constraint editor
based on the Object Constraint Language
(OCL) defined in the UML 1.4 standard. ![[Caution]](images/caution.png) | Caution |
|---|
The OCL editor implementation for ArgoUML V0.26
doesn't support OCL constraints for elements other than
Classes and Features. This is something of a general restriction of OCL.
Although the UML specification claims that there may be a
constraint for every model element, the OCL specification
only defines classes/interfaces and operations as allowable
contexts. It is not before OCL 2.0 that a more general definition
of allowable contexts is introduced. The key issue is that
for each context definition you need to define what is the
contextualClassifier, i.e., the classifier that will be
associated with the self keyword. The creators of the OCL
specification claim that this is not an issue for the OCL
specification, but rather for UML or some integration task
force. Conversely, it seems that the UML specification people
seem to expect this to be defined in the OCL specification
(which is why we did a first step in that direction in OCL
2.0). So, to cut a long story short, it appeared that the
simplest solution for ArgoUML at the moment would be to
enable the OCL property panel only for those model elements
for which there actually exists a definition of the
contextualClassifier in OCL 1.4. These are (s. above)
Class/Interface and Feature. |
The standard pre-defines a small number of constraints
(for example the xor constraint over a set
of associations indicating that only one may be manifest for
any particular instance). The standard also envisages a number of circumstances
where general purpose constraints may be useful: To specify invariants on classes and types in the
class model; To specify type invariants for stereotypes; To describe pre-conditions and post-conditions on operations
and methods; To describe guards; As a navigation language; and To specify constraints on operations.
Figure 13.14, “A typical Constraints tab on the
details pane” shows a
typical constraint tab for a model element in ArgoUML (in this case
a class). Along the top of the tab are a series of icons. 
New Constraint. This creates a new
constraint and launches the constraint editor in the
Constraints tab for that new constraint
(see Section 13.7.1, “The Constraint Editor”).
The new constraint is created with a context declaration
for the currently selected model element.
![[Warning]](images/warning.png) | Warning |
|---|
It seems logical, that when a new constraint is
created, it needs to be edited. But ArgoUML V0.26 fails
to start the OCL editor upon creation; you have to do
this by primo selecting the new constraint first, secundo
rename it, and tertio press the Edit
Constraint button. It is essental for
successfully creating a constraint to follow these 4
steps accurately: create, select, rename, edit. The step
to rename is necessary, because the validity check will
refuse the constraint if its name differs from the name
mentioned in the constraint text. For the same reason,
renaming a constraint afterwards is impossible. |
Delete Constraint. The constraint
currently selected in the
Constraint Name box (see below) is deleted.
| Caution |
|---|
In V0.26 of ArgoUML this button is not downlighted
when it is not functional, i.e. when no constraint is
selected. |
Edit Constraint. This launches the
constraint editor in the Constraints tab
(see Section 13.7.1, “The Constraint Editor”).
The editor is invoked on the constraint currently selected
in the Constraint Name box.
| Caution |
|---|
In V0.26 of ArgoUML this button is not downlighted
when it is not functional, i.e. when no constraint is
selected. |
Configure Constraint Editor. This a
dialog to configure options in the constraint editor (see
Figure 13.15, “Dialog box for configuring constraints”
).
The dialog box has a check box for the following
option. At the bottom are two buttons, labeled
OK (to accept the option changes) and
Cancel (to discard the changes).
The main body of the constraints tab comprises two boxes,
a smaller to the left and a larger one to the right. The two
are separated by two small arrow buttons which control the size
of the boxes. 
Shrink Left. Button 1 click on this icon
shrinks the box on the left. Its effect may be reversed by
use of the Shrink Right button (see
below).
Shrink Right. Button 1 click on this
icon shrinks the box on the right. Its effect may be
reversed by use of the Shrink Left
button (see above).
Finer control can be achieved by using button 1 motion to
drag the dividing bar to left and right. The box on the left is titled Constraint
Name and lists all the constraints (if any) so far
defined for the selected model element. A constraint may be selected
by button 1 click. The box on the right is labeled
Preview and contains the text of the constraint. This
box only shows some contents if a constraint is selected. Where
a constraint is too large for the box, a scroll bar is provided
to the right. 13.7.1. The Constraint EditorThis is invoked through the use of the
Edit Constraint button on the main
Constraints tab. The constraint editor takes up the
whole tab (see
Figure 13.16, “Dialog box for configuring constraints”). Along the top of the tab are a series of icons. 
Cancel Edit Constraint. This exits the
constraint editor without saving any changes and returns
to the main Constraints tab.
Check OCL Syntax. This button invokes
a full syntax check of the OCL written in the editor. If
the syntax is valid, the constraint is saved, and control
returns to the main Constraints tab.
If the syntax is not valid, a dialog box explains the
problem.
| Warning |
|---|
Whether type checking is included should be
configurable with the
Configure Constraint Editor button (see
below). But ArgoUML V0.20 does always check, and
refuses to accept any constraint with the slightest
error. |
Configure Constraint Editor. This a
dialog to configure options in the constraint editor. It
is also available in the main
Constraints tab and is discussed in detail
there (see Section 13.7, “Constraints Tab”
).
To the right of the toolbar is a check box labeled
Syntax Assistant (unchecked by default),
which will enable the syntax assistant in the constraint
editor. If the syntax assistant is enabled, six drop down menus
are provided in a row immediately below the toolbar. These
provide standard templates for OCL that, when selected, will
be inserted into the constraint being edited. The syntax assistant can be made floating in a separate
window by button 1 motion on the small divider area to the
left of the row of drop-down menus. General. General OCL
constructors. Entries: inv (inserts an
invariant); pre (inserts a
pre-condition); post (inserts a
post-condition); self (inserts a
self-reference); @pre (inserts a
reference to a value at the start of an operation); and
result (inserts a reference to a
previous result).
Basic Operators. Relational
operators and parentheses. Entries: =;
<>; <;
>; <=;
>=; and
().
Numbers. Arithmetic operators
and functions. Entries: +;
-; *; /;
mod; div;
abs; max;
min; round; and
floor.
Strings. String functions.
Entries: concat;
size; toLower;
toUpper; and
substring.
Booleans. Logical functions.
Entries: or; and;
xor; not;
implies; and
if then else.
Collections. Operators and
functions on collections—bags, sets and sequences. The
large number of functions are organized into
sub-groups.
General. Functions that
apply to all types of collection. Entries:
Collection {} (insert a new collection);
Set {} (insert a a new set);
Bag {} (insert a new bag);
Sequence {} (insert a new
sequence); size;
count; isEmpty;
notEmpty; includes;
includesAll;
iterate; exists;
forAll;
collect; select;
reject; union;
intersection;
including; excluding;
and sum.
Sets. Operators and
functions that apply only to sets. Entries:
- (set difference); and
symmetricDifference.
Sequences. Functions that
apply to sequences. Entries:
first; last;
at; append;
prepend; and
subSequence.
The remainder of the tab comprises a writable text area
containing the text to be edited. The mouse buttons have
their standard behavior within an editable text area (see
Section 8.2, “General Mouse Behavior in ArgoUML”). In addition, cut, copy and paste operations may be
invoked through the keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl-X, Ctrl-C and
Ctrl-V respectively.
|
