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1.3 Relationship Tool

See also the Menu Reference, Section 3.1.

The Relationship Tool works similarly to the Object Tool. Its appearance (Figure 1-6) and functions are similar with the obvious exception that it is used only for viewing and editing specifications of relationship types. Examples of relationship types are Flow in Data Flow Diagrams, or Message Passing and Inheritance in Object Diagrams.



Figure 1-6. Relationship Tool.

The fields in the Relationship Tool are the same as the Object Tool. Relationships can have properties and the arrangement of the property dialog can be modified as in the Object Tool. Relationship types can have symbols as well. For example, in Data Flow Diagrams the symbol for Flow is just the Flow name located on the line. If no symbol is defined, relationships have no visible component in Diagram and Matrix Editors, just the simple default line (actually defined as part of the Role symbol).

Note that the rules about which objects can be connected by which relationships are not part of the relationship type, but rather are defined by bindings and constraints in the Graph type (see Section 1.5).

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