SysML Sequence Diagram Modeling Guidelines

The Sequence Diagram describes the flow of control between Actors and Systems (Blocks) or between Parts of a System. This diagram represents the sending and receiving of messages between the interacting entities called lifelines, where Time is represented along the vertical axis.OMG Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysML™) Version 1.6.

The following guidelines apply:

Destruction Events

Destruction Events do not exist in the target tool.

The Publisher transforms these elements to the closest approximation which is a Delete Message.

A Delete Message in MagicDraw cannot exist inside an Operand in the same way a Destruction Event could. The only method to transform this functionaly would be to break out the Operands in the source tool prior to publish.

Diagram Frame Settings

The following guidelines apply to the diagram frame:

• Diagram Frame is not shown by default due to automatic sizing, justification and routing functionality.
• sd is the abbreviated diagram type (Show Abbreviated Type Property + Show Diagram Type Property)
• Interaction is the Context type (Show Context Type Property)
• DiagramName is the Context Name (Show Context Name Property)
• DiagramName is the Diagram Name (Show Diagram Name Property)
• The Context (Type and Name) between Rhapsody and MagicDraw are different
• A SequenceDiagram is owned by an Interaction in MagicDraw

Execution Occurrence

The properties.ini file in the release folder includes a property setting to turn on and off the display of Execution Occurrences.

• SYSML_SEQUENCE_DIAGRAM.SHOW_ACTIVATIONS to false Default Setting
  
  
• SYSML_SEQUENCE_DIAGRAM.SHOW_ACTIVATIONS to true
  
  
• When set to true some Message to self lines are distorted.

Reference Block

There are differences in the capabilities between the source and the target tool for reference blocks.
In Rhapsody, a ref block shows all the elements in that area.

In Magicdraw, a ref block hides every elements (such as ConditionMark, etc…) that are in the same area.
Rhapsody

MagicDraw

Time Interval/Time Constraints

In a SequenceDiagram, a DurationConstraint is a constraint attached between two elements of a SequenceDiagram.
In Magicdraw, you can create a DurationConstraint only on prexisting elements, so it is drawn between two messages. Them we have the DurationConstraint constraining both messages.:

In Rhapsody, you can create a TimeInterval anywhere in the Sequence. It is not attached to a message, and can be drawn closed, or far from a message:

The Publisher will create a self message that will hold the DurationConstraint at the same position as the TimeInterval.