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Operations

Operations are features of a Class or other element that represent the behavior or services an element supports. For a Customer Class, 'UpdateCustomerName' and 'GetCustomerAddress' can be operations. Operations have several important characteristics, such as type, scope (visibility), static, abstract and notes.

Access

Create and Modify Operations

You can create the operations of an element on the 'Operations' tab of the Features window, and modify the basic properties. You use the Properties window for operations to provide more detailed properties of the operations you need for an element.

Appearance on diagram

In diagrams, elements with operations (typically Classes) list the operations in a properties compartment, in colored text, as shown.

The text color can be defined on the 'Standard Colors' page of the 'Preferences' dialog. Some characteristics modify the display; for example, static operations display underlined, whilst abstract operations are italicized.

Appearance in Project Browser

In the Project Browser, operations are listed underneath their parent element name, each preceded by a pink box.

Notes

• If the parent element provides source or target roles for a connector, the connector can be attached to a specific operation
• You can also drag, copy or move existing operations between elements; this facility is only available if the target element supports operations

Learn more

• Define Properties of Operations
• Properties Window for Operations
• Standard Colors
• Behavior Parameters
• Connect to Element Feature
• Copy Features Between Elements
• Move Features Between Elements