Stereotypes are the main extension mechanism of UML, providing a way to derive specializations of the standard metaclasses. Stereotype is a sub-class of GeneralizableElement in the UML metamodel. Stereotypes are supplemented by constraints and tagged values.
New stereotypes are added from the property tab of almost
any artifact. Properties of existing stereotypes can be reached
by selecting the property tab for any artifact with that
stereotype and using the navstereo button (
)
within the property tab.
The details tabs that are active for stereotypes are as follows.
- ToDoItem
Standard tab.
- Properties
See Section 15.5.2, “Stereotype Property Toolbar” and Section 15.5.3, “Property Fields For Stereotype” below.
- Documentation
Standard tab. See Section 12.4, “Documentation Tab”.
- Source
Standard tab. This contains the representation of the stereotype on diagrams (its name between « and »).
![[Warning]](images/warning.png)
Warning You can edit this entry, but it has no effect and when you return to the entry it will be restored to its original value.
- Tagged Values
Standard tab. In the UML metamodel, Stereotype has the following standard tagged values defined.
derived (from the superclass, ModelElement). Values true, meaning the class is redundant—it can be formally derived from other elements, or false meaning it cannot.
![[Note]](images/note.png)
Note This indicates any element with this stereotype has the derived tag set accordingly.
![[Caution]](images/caution.png)
Caution Tagged values for a stereotype are rather different to those for elements in the UML core architecture, in that they apply to all artifacts to which the stereotype is applied, not just the stereotype itself.
Go upNavigate up through the package structure of the model.
Add stereotypeThis creates a new stereotype (see Section 15.5, “Stereotype”) within the model (which appears on no diagram), navigating immediately to the properties tab for that stereotype.
DeleteThis deletes the stereotype from the model.
- Name
Text box. The name of the stereotype. There is no convention for naming stereotypes, beyond starting them with a lower case letter. Even the standard UML stereotypes vary between all lower case (e.g. metamodel), bumpy caps (e.g. systemModel) and space separated (e.g. object model).
Note ArgoUML does not enforce any naming convention for stereotypes
- Base Class
Drop down selector. Any stereotype must be derived from one of the metaclasses in the UML metamodel Abstraction, Actor, Association, AssociationEnd, Attribute, BehavioralFeature, CallEvent, Class, Classifier, Collaboration, Comment, Component, Constraint, DataType, Exception, Flow, Generalization, Interface, Link, Model, ModelElement, Node, NodeInstance, ObjectFlowState, Operation, Package, Permission, Signal, Subsystem and Usage) or the artifact classes that derive from them. The stereotype will then be available to artifacts that derive from that same metaclass or that artifact.
- Namespace
Drop down selector. Records the namespace for the stereotype. This is the package hierarchy.
- Modifiers
Check box, with entries Abstract, Leaf and Root.
Abstract is used to declare that artifacts that use this stereotype cannot be instantiated, but must always be specialized.
Leaf indicates that artifacts that use this stereotype can have no further sub-types, while Root indicates it is a top level artifact.
Caution Remember that these modifiers apply to the artifacts using the stereotype, not just the stereotype.
Warning ArgoUML neither imposes, nor checks that artifacts using a stereotype adopt the stereotype's modifiers.
- Generalizations
Text area. Lists any stereotype that generalizes this stereotype.
Caution It is not clear that generalizing stereotypes makes much sense.
- Specializations
Text box. Lists any specialized stereotype (i.e. for which this stereotype is a generalization.
Caution It is not clear that specializing stereotypes makes much sense.