How to Create a UML Package Diagram

Help|Tutorials|UML|Diagramming|Video Tutorials| 18 November 2024 | Dusan Rodina - softwareideas.net
In this tutorial, we’ll guide you step-by-step through creating a UML Package Diagram using Software Ideas Modeler.

A UML Package Diagram is an essential tool in system modeling. It helps you organize your project into smaller, manageable groups of elements, known as packages. These packages allow you to visually represent the logical grouping of your system components and their dependencies, making it easier to understand and maintain your system's architecture.

Step 1: Create a New UML Package Diagram

  • Navigate to the Project tab in the ribbon and click Add New Diagram.
  • In the New Diagram dialog, select UML from the category list on the left.
  • From the list of diagrams on the right, choose Package Diagram.
  • Enter a name for your new diagram in the Name field (e.g., “Drawing Software”).
  • Click OK to create the diagram. A blank canvas will open, ready for you to start designing.

Step 2: Add Your First Package

  • Locate the Package button in the toolbox (usually on the left side of the interface).
  • Drag the Package button onto the canvas to create a new package.
  • Enter Drawing as the name into the edit box in the diagram editor and press Enter.

Step 3: Add Nested Packages (First Method)

Nested packages represent elements grouped hierarchically within a parent package. The first method to represent nested packages is by placing them directly inside the parent package.

  • Select the Package tool from the toolbox.
  • Inside the Drawing package, click to define the top-left corner of a new nested package, then drag to specify its size.
  • Name the new package Brushes.
  • Repeat the process to create another nested package inside Drawing and name it Shapes.
  • At this point, your Drawing package will contain two nested packages: Brushes and Shapes.

Step 4: Represent Nested Packages Using Containment (Second Method)

An alternative way to represent nested packages is to display them outside the parent package but connect them using a containment relationship.

  • Drag the Brushes and Shapes packages out of the Drawing package to position them separately on the canvas.
  • Select both Brushes and Shapes packages.
  • Use the Containment tool from the toolbox. Drag the tool to the Drawing package to create containment connections.
  • The Containment tool will create connectors with crossed-circle symbols, visually indicating that Brushes and Shapes are contained within Drawing.

Step 5: Add and Use Relationships

UML Package Diagrams also support several relationships to show dependencies between packages.

Use Relationship

  • Create a new package and name it Math.
  • To show that the Drawing package uses classes from the Math package, select the Use relationship from the toolbox.
  • Drag from the Drawing package to the Math package. The arrow will point to Math, indicating that Drawing depends on it.

Import Relationship

  • Add two more packages to the canvas and name them SimpleShapes and ComplexShapes.
  • Select the Import relationship tool from the toolbox.
  • Drag a connection from Shapes to SimpleShapes and another one from Shapes to ComplexShapes.
  • The arrows will point to the packages being imported, indicating that Shapes has access to the public elements of SimpleShapes and ComplexShapes.

Access Relationship

  • Create a new package and name it SystemSettings.
  • To show that another package, for example, Drawing, has private access to SystemSettings, select the Access relationship tool.
  • Drag a connection from Drawing to SystemSettings. The relationship is similar to Import, but it limits access to private use within the importing package.

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