Object-Oriented Software

Engineering
Lecture # 07

MODELING WITH UML

2
 Outline

• Overview of sequence Diagram

• Syntax and Semantics

• Examples

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intro
an overview of sequence diagrams

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What is a U M L sequence diagram?

• Sequence diagram: an “interaction diagram” that models a

single scenario executing in a system
• 2nd most used UML diagram (behind class diagram)
• Shows what messages are sent and when

• Relating UML diagrams to other design artifacts:

• CRC cards → class diagrams
• Use cases → sequence diagrams

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Key parts of a sequence
diagram

• Participant: an object or an
:Client :Server
entity; the sequence diagram
actor checkEmai
• sequence diagram starts with an l sendUnsentEma
il
unattached "found message"
arrow newEmail
response
[newEmail]
get

deleteOldEmail

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Key parts of a sequence
diagram

• Participant: an object or an
:Client :Server
entity; the sequence diagram
actor checkEmai
• sequence diagram starts with an l sendUnsentEma
il
unattached "found message"
arrow newEmail
respons
• Message: communication between e
[newEmail] get
objects
deleteOldEmail

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Key parts of a sequence
diagram

• Participant: an object or an
:Client :Server
entity; the sequence diagram
actor checkEmai
• sequence diagram starts with an l sendUnsentEma
il
unattached "found message"
• Message: communication between
arrow newEmail
objects
respons
• Axes in a sequence diagram: e
[newEmail] get
• horizontal: which participant is
acting deleteOldEmail

• vertical: time (↓ forward in time)

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Key parts of a sequence
diagram

• Participant: an object or an
:Client :Server
entity; the sequence diagram
actor checkEmai
• sequence diagram starts with an l sendUnsentEma
il
unattached "found message"
• Message: communication between
arrow newEmail
objects
respons
• Axes in a sequence diagram: e
[newEmail] get
• horizontal: which participant is
acting deleteOldEmail

• vertical: time (↓ forward in time)

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Sequence diagram from a use
case

1. The user presses the “check email”

:Client :Server
button.
2. The client first sends all unsent email checkEmai
l sendUnsentEmail
to the server.
3. After receiving an acknowledgement, newEmail
the client asks the server if there is response
any new email. [newEmail]
getEmail
4. If so, it downloads the new email.
deleteOldEmail
5. Next, it deletes old thrashed
email from the server.

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basics
sequence diagrams: syntax and semantics

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Representing objects

objectname:classna
me
• An object: a box with an Named Anonymous
underlined label that specifies the object object
object type, and optionally the
object name. Smith:Patient :Patient Smith
• Write the object's name if it clarifies
the diagram. Object of unknown
class

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Representing objects

objectname:classna
me
• An object: a box with an Named Anonymous
underlined label that specifies the object object
object type, and optionally the
object name. Smith:Patient :Patient Smith
• Write the object's name if it clarifies
the diagram. Object of unknown
• An object's "life line" is represented class
by a dashed vertical line. Lifelin
• Represents the life span of the object e
during the scenario being modeled.

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Representing messages between
objects

• A message (method call): :Hospital

horizontal arrow to the receiving
object.
admit(patientID,
• Write message name and arguments roomType)
above the arrow.

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 Different types of messages

:Controller
• Type of arrow indicates types of
messages:
• Synchronous message: solid arrow with a solid
head.
• Asynchronous message: solid arrow with a stick
head.
• Return message: dashed arrow with stick head.

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Indicating method execution

:Controller
• Activation: thick box over object's life line,
drawn when an object's method is on the stack
• Either that object is running its code,
or it is on the stack waiting for another object's
method to finish
• Nest activations to indicate an object calling
itself. :Controller

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Lifetime of objects

• Object creation: an arrow with new :Handler

written above it
queryD
• An object created after the start of the B new
scenario appears lower than the others. :Query

• Object deletion: X at the bottom execute

of object's lifeline results
.

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Alternatives, options, and loops

• Frame: a box around part of a sequence diagram

• if → (opt) [condition]
• if/else → (alt) [condition], separated by horizontal
dashed line
• loop → (loop) [condition or items to loop over]

:Order careful:Distributor regular:Distributor

dispatc
h
loop [for each line item]

alt [value>1000 dispatc

] h

[else dispatc
] h

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Linking sequence diagrams

• If one sequence diagram is too large or refers to another

diagram:
• An unfinished arrow and comment.
• A ref frame that names the other diagram.

The flow is
customerInf
re
pars continued in
o e
f Diagram 2.
Verify Customer Credit
approve
d

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W h y use sequence diagrams? W h y not code
it?

• A good sequence diagram is still above the level of the

real code (not all code is drawn on diagram)
• Sequence diagrams are language-agnostic (can be
implemented in many different languages)
• Non-coders can read and write sequence
diagrams.
• Can see many objects/classes at a time on same
page

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study
sequence diagrams: example

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Online bookstore example

1. The customer begins the interaction by searching for a book by title.

2. The system will return all books with that title.
3. The customer can look at the book description.
4. The customer can place a book in the shopping cart.
5. The customer can repeat the interaction as many times as desired.
6. The customer can purchase the items in the cart by checking out.

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Online bookstore sequence diagram

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Summary

• A sequence diagram models a single

scenario executing in the system.
• Key components include participants
and messages.
• Sequence diagrams provide a high-
level view of control flow
patterns through the system.

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