Complexity of edge presentations
Figure 160 also shows the second aspect mentioned, namely the fact that graphic edges in diagrams represent both direct relationships between the packages – the edges between packages and their contained packages – and also other UML elements that are used to link the packages to one another, for example, the Dependency relationship.
Figure 161 shows an association as a graphic edge in a Class diagram. It represents three UML elements and their relationships with one another and with the two classes: the association A_item_order item, the two association ends (UML type Property) order and itemline, the relationships between the associations and their two association ends (UML property Association::memberEnd), and the relationships between the association ends and the two classes (UML property TypedElement::type).
The UML edges outlined thus represent totally different content.
The edges representing the package hierarchy in Figure 160 represent a hierarchy relationship between two groups. This relationship is not mapped using connection definitions in ARIS, but represents a direct reference from the subordinate group to the superior group.
The relationship between the comment and the class in Figure 161 represents the UML property Comment::annotatedElement and is thus a single connection definition.
The generalization in Figure 161 is mapped to a group that is subordinate to the derived class. The link to the base class is created using a connection definition. Thus the generalization edge represents a hierarchy relationship, a group, and a connection definition.
The association in Figure 161 represents a total of three groups and five connection definitions.
Classic connection occurrences in ARIS always represent a single connection definition. Therefore, they are not suitable for representing all edge types in UML diagrams. To cope with this, the ARIS object model has been extended with a new type of connection occurrence, which is only used by ARIS UML Designer and is capable of representing any content. The new type of edge presentations is also used in UML diagrams for edge presentations that actually represent a single connection definition.