Connectors between connectors

You can create connectors such as generalizations, realizations, and dependencies between other connectors in XDE. While UML 2.0 supports connectors between connectors in certain situations, there are many more restrictions in the Rational® UML modeling products than in XDE.

Generalization connector between two associations before import

In the diagram editor in the Rational UML modeling products, you cannot accurately display a connector that has another connector as one of its end points. The Rational XDE Model Import wizard migrates any connectors between connectors that UML 2.0 allows, and those connectors are visible in the Model Explorer view. Any views of such connectors on diagrams will not appear in the diagram editor after import.

In the figures later in this topic, the first figure represents XDE, while the second figure represents the same diagram or construct in the Rational UML modeling products after import.

In XDE, you can place connectors between connectors in the XDE diagram window. In the following figure, a generalization resides between two association connectors.

Generalization connector between two associations in Rational XDE.

Generalization relationship between two associations after import

In the imported diagram, the generalization connector between the association does not appear. However, the underlying relationship is in the model and appears in the Model Explorer view. You cannot use connectors between other connectors; further, in UML 2.0, you can only use generalization between classifiers.

The generalization that was connecting both associations does not appear in the diagram editor; however, it does appear in the Model Explorer view.

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