To create any action quickly 

  1. In the Activity diagram toolbar, right-click or expand the Action button. The menu opens.



  2. Select the Any Action command. The Select Action Metaclass dialog opens.



  3. Select an Action metaclass from the list, or type the first letter of the metaclass in the Quick filter box. Click OK. The Action is created.

  4. Click the diagram pane. An action symbol is drawn.

Applying duration constraint on the Action


You can create and apply a duration constraint on an Action that states that the output must occur after delay from the input.


To create and apply a duration constraint

  1. Select an Action and create the input and output Pins to specify the Events.
  2. Create a duration constraint for the Action using one of the following way:
    • From the diagram palette:
      1. In the diagram palette, under the Common category, expand the Constraint command, and select the Duration Constraint, Time Constraint, or Constraint button, and create it directly on the action shape.

    • In the Specification window:
            a. In the Call Behavior Action Specification window, click the Constraints group.
            b. Click the Apply button. The Select Constraint dialog opens.
            c. Select the constraint storage place, and click the Create button. In the opened menu, select the Duration Constraint command. The Duration Constraint Specification window opens.

  3. Specify a duration interval. Type the minimum and maximum duration to hold the Activity in the Min and Max property specification cells, e.g., 0 sec and 30 sec.
  4. Assign the Events for the input and output pins:

    1. In the opened Duration Constraint Specification window, click the Specification property specification cell, and click the Show Shortcut Menu button . The following shortcut menu opens:

    2. Select the Open Specification command. The Duration Interval Specification window opens.

    3. Click the Min property specification cell, and and click the Show Shortcut Menu button . In the shortcut menu, select the Open Specification command. The Duration Specification window opens.

    4. In the Event field, click the “...” button. The Select Element dialog opens. Select the activity input pin.

    5. Repeat steps c and d for the Max property - select the action output pin as an event.

  5. Apply the created duration constraint on the action.

The following sample depicts a fragment of the Activity diagram with a duration constraint applied on the Action.

 

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