Tutorial:

System structure modeling using

The required UML diagrams and model elements are introduced based on the
Library Management System example used in the lectures.

The following diagrams are featured:

Diagram UML Diagram Type

Note: Existing model elements must be re-used whenever possible (i.e. it is redundant
and usually wrong to create two actors, components, etc., with the same name).

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Project structure
Before starting work on a model, it is good practice to create a clear package
structure that indicates where a particular diagram belongs.

This helps separate the various abstraction levels of the system design such as its
domain analysis, its static structure, its behavior, and its deployment information.

Your project should have the same package structure as the Library Management
System (LMS) case study used throughout the lectures.

Considering the package structure of the LMS case study, the system structure
models presented in this tutorial should be placed in a package called “System
Parts”.

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Project structure:
Creating a package
A new Package is added from the context menu of the containment hierarchy.
Remember to also re-name the containment hierarchy root to your project name.

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Package Structure
Creating a package
After adding the “System Parts” package, the containment hierarchy should look
like the one below (but have your specific top-level package name instead of LMS).

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
A new Use Case Diagram representing the System Context is added to the System
Parts package from its contextual menu.

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
The created System Context diagram is highlighted in the project containment
hierarchy in red below.

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 2: Add actors
Actors included in the system context are added to the diagram using the toolbar
button highlighted in red below.

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 3: Add components
Components included in the system context are added to the diagram using the
toolbar button highlighted in red below.

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 4: Add associations

Associations between actors and components are added to the diagram using the
toolbar button highlighted in red on the next slide.

Note: Actors and components are directly connected by associations. Ports are not
required on the System Context diagram, since UML does not support connecting
actors with ports on a Use Case diagram.

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1. System Context Diagram
Step 4: Add associations

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
A new Use Case Diagram is representing the Domain Architecture is added to the
System Parts package from its contextual menu.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
The created Domain Architecture diagram is highlighted in the project containment
hierarchy in red below.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 2: Add the system
The outermost domain (“the system”) is added to the diagram by dragging it from
the containment tree – in this example it is the LMS component highlighted in red.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 3: Add components
Components representing sub-domains are added from the context menu of the
system (LMS). They must be nested under it in the containment hierarchy.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 3: Add components
The sub-domains nested in the containment hierarchy under the outer domain are
highlighted in red below.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 4: Add use cases
Use cases are added from the context menu of the sub-domain which realizes
them. They must be nested under this domain in the containment hierarchy.

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2. Domain Architecture Diagram
Step 4: Add use cases
The use cases nested in the containment hierarchy under the Media domain are
highlighted in red below. They are also visible on the diagram.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
A new Composite Structure Diagram representing the System Structure is added to
the System Parts package from its contextual menu.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
MagicDraw prompts for a name and context of the new diagram. The context must
be specified as the system being modeled (in this example the LMS component).

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 1: Create the diagram
The created System Structure diagram is highlighted in the project containment
hierarchy in red below.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 2: Add system and subsystems
The system and sub-systems are dragged to the diagram from the containment
hierarchy. They have already been created for the Domain Architecture diagram.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 3: Add actors
Actors that interact with the system are dragged to the diagram from the
containment hierarchy.

They have already been created for the System Context diagram.

Notice the different concrete syntax (shape) that actors have in a Composite
Structure diagram. Instead of stick figures they are now represented as rectangles,
as shown by the Reader actor highlighted in red in the following screenshot.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 3: Add actors

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 4: Add ports
Ports are added by clicking on a system in the diagram and selecting the port entry
from the pop-up menu that appears on screen.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 4: Add ports
A dialog prompting for a port type will pop up. You may select <UNSPECIFIED> for
the purpose of this diagram.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 4: Add ports
The created ports are visible on the diagram. The ports of the Media sub-system are
highlighted in red in the containment tree.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 5: Name ports
Names are set for ports using the Specification entry in each port’s context menu.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 5: Name ports
The example diagram with all ports named is displayed below.

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3. System Structure Diagram
Step 6: Add connectors
Finally, Connectors are added between ports using the toolbar button highlighted in
red below.

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