Activity diagrams are used to represent screen processes. They are linked to use cases. They display services invoked by the activities using managing rules. These diagrams are separated into partitions called « Swimlanes ». There are 4 types of « Swimlanes »:

• The customer or screen process.
• The server’s processes called Screen Managing Rules (SMR).
• External screens.
• Reports.

Each « Swimlane » contains activities as well as control flows providing the flows between the various activities. These diagrams contain an initial pseudo-state but no final pseudo-state.

Figure 1 : Screen process display

Figure 2 : Screen process with decision display

Design items

 Initial pseudo-state.

 Activity, in screen and reports.

 Activity, in external screens.

 Swimlane.

 Control flow.

« Swimlane » stereotypes list

• AS_EXTSCREENS

The « Swimlane » containing the external screens.

• AS_SERVER

The « Swimlane » containing the managing rules.

• AS_SCREEN

The « Swimlane » containing the screen.

• AS_REPORT

The « Swimlane » containing the reports.

Activity diagrams and stereotypes

Various stereotypes are defined for use on activity diagrams in order to manage login, menus, or scope functions.

Available Stereotypes

• SEC_ERROR_PAGE

This stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram to indicate that it is the application error page for security authorization violation.

• LOGIN_PAGE

This stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram to indicate that it is the application login page.

• GLOBAL_SCOPE

When this stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram, it describes the links which can be used in the whole application.

• PACKAGE_SCOPE

If this stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram then it describes the links which can only be used on the package level.

• COMPONENT_VIEW

This stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram to indicate that it does not correspond to a screen but to a part of screen used by one or more screens.

• START_PAGE

This stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram to indicate that it is the application homepage.

• PRE_CONTROLLER

This stereotype is allocated to an activity diagram to indicate that it does not correspond to a screen but to the SMR(s) invoked before the screen display.

Example

Rules

• The model may contain only one diagram stereotyped with “LOGIN_PAGE”.
• The model may contain only one diagram stereotyped with “START_PAGE”.
• The model may contain only one diagram stereotyped with “SEC_ERROR_PAGE”.
• Each swimlane is required and unique in any activity.