A line symbol is a line that can be drawn between two symbols, such as a relationship line, an inherits line, an association, a flow line, and so on. You can create a new line symbol type in an encyclopedia. You must specify that it looks and behaves like an existing line symbol type on another diagram. You use the same RENAME SYMBOL command as for a regular (“node”) symbol, but later in the USRPROPS.TXT, you must also specify how the line symbol is drawn, using the DEPICT LIKE command.
User defined symbols (User 1 through User 150) are provided for both regular (“node”) symbols and line symbols; be careful that you do not use the same User number for two different symbols.
Example
The following example adds a new line drawing symbol to USRPROPS.TXT:
RENAME DIAGRAM "User 1" To "Wireless Network" RENAME SYMBOL "User 1" TO "Satellite" RENAME SYMBOL "User 2" TO "Computer" RENAME SYMBOL "User 3" TO "Server" RENAME SYMBOL "User 4" To "Relates To" ASSIGN "State" IN "State Transition Ward & Mellor" TO "Wireless Network" SYMBOL "Satellite" {ASSIGN TO "Wireless Network"} SYMBOL "Computer" {ASSIGN TO "Wireless Network"} SYMBOL "Server" {ASSIGN TO "Wireless Network"} SYMBOL "Relates To" { DEPICT LIKE "Dependency" IN "UML Class" ASSIGN To "Wireless Network" }
Limitations of assigning a symbol type to a diagram type
The following limitations exist for assigning symbol types to diagram types:
No assignment can be made to any of the following diagram types:
•DB2 Physical
•Entity Relation
•Logical Data Model
•Logical View
•Physical Data Model
None of the following symbols can be assigned because of special code in System Architect:
•“Associative Entity” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Entity” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Identifying Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Inconsistent Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Non identifying Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Non-specific Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Super-sub Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Weak Entity” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Association” in diagram “OMT Object Model”
•“Class” in diagram “OMT Object Model”
•“Identifying Constraint” in diagram “Physical Data Model”
•“Non identifying Constraint” in diagram “Physical Data Model”
•“Table” in diagram “Physical Data Model”
•“Class” in diagram “UML Class”
•“Interface” in diagram “UML Class”
•“Actor” in diagram “UML Use Case”
•“Boundary” in diagram “UML Use Case”
•“Case Worker” in diagram “UML Use Case”
•“Control” in diagram “UML Use Case”
•“Entity” in diagram “UML Use Case”
•“Worker” in diagram “UML Use Case”
None of the following symbols can be assigned to another diagram because their definitions are keyed by Model
•“Access Path” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Relation” in diagram “Entity Relation”
•“Relation Diamond” in diagram “Entity Relation”
Notes
•Some symbols both have special code and also are keyed by Model; they are shown only in the first list of symbols.
•Many symbols can normally be in more than one diagram type. Only one diagram type is shown for any symbol in the above lists.