Work with associations in UML static structure diagrams

Add adornments to association ends

1. In a static structure diagram, double-click a Binary Association, Association Class, or N-ary Association shape.

2. Under Association Ends, select the end to which you want to add adornments, and then click Properties.

   Tip: You can directly edit commonly used property settings in the Association Ends list by clicking a field, and then typing or selecting a value.

3. Click Association End, and type or choose the end name, multiplicity, navigability, aggregation and other options you want, and then click OK.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each association end that you want to edit.

5. Type or choose the properties options you want in the Association category and other categories, and then click OK.

Add qualifiers to an association

1. Double-click the Binary Association, Association Class, N-ary Association, or N-ary Association Class shape you want to add a qualifier to.

2. Under Association Ends, select the association end you want to add a qualifier to, and then click Properties.

3. Click Qualifier Attributes, click New, and then click Properties.

4. Type or choose values for the qualifier properties you want.

5. Continue to click OK until the UML Properties dialog box closes.

A small rectangle is added to the association end with the qualifier.

Indicate a composition relationship between classes

1. Drag a Composition shape from UML Static Structure onto the drawing page near the classes you want to relate.

2. Glue the endpoint near the diamond to a connection point on the class the other element is a component of. Glue the endpoint without a diamond to a connection point on the class that is a component.

3. Double-click the Composition shape to add a name and other adornments to the association ends.

4. Click OK.

Tip

You can also indicate composition by adding adornments to the association ends of a Binary Association, Association Class, or N-ary Association shape. Double-click the shape. Select the end to which you want to add a composition diamond, and then click Properties. Click Association End and under Aggregation choose Composite. Click OK, and then click OK again.

Indicate an association between three or more classes

1. Drag an N-ary Association shape from UML Static Structure onto the drawing page near the classes you want to relate.

2. Double-click the N-ary Association shape to open its UML Properties dialog box. Under End Count, set the number of association ends you want, type or choose the other property values you want, and then click OK.

3. Glue the endpoints on the association ends to connection points on the classes you want to relate.

Indicate an association between two classes

1. Drag a Binary Association or Association Class shape from UML Static Structure onto the drawing page near the classes you want to relate.

2. Glue the endpoints on the association shape to connection points on the class shapes.

3. Double-click the Association shape to open its UML Properties dialog box, and then type or choose the property values you want.

4. Click OK.

Indicate an association that has class properties

1. In a static structure diagram, drag an Association Class or N-ary Association Class shape onto the drawing page.

2. Glue the endpoints on the association ends to connection points on two or more class shapes.

3. Double-click the Association Class shape, and in the UML Association Class Properties dialog box type a name for the association class.

4. Click Association Ends, and select the end to which you want to add adornments, and then click Properties.

5. Click Association End, and type or choose the end name, multiplicity, navigability, aggregation and other options you want, and then click OK.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you've added adornments to all the ends, and then click OK.

Set the number of ends on an n-ary association or association class

1. In a static structure diagram, double-click the N-ary Association or N-ary Association Class shape with ends you want to set.

2. Click Association Class, and under End Count, choose the number of ends you want, and then click OK.