Toolkit 1.1
Creating Use Case Diagrams

Diagrams

 

Making a Use Case Diagram

Open the toolkit as explained earlier and select the Use Case tab. Your window should look like this:

Use cases are textual descriptions of the interaction between external actors and a system. An use case will have an actor, a system, an use case and the interface. The tool kit has a tool bar which features all the elements that can be used to make a use case diagram.

Working with Elements of the Use Case Diagram

Click on each tab in the tool bar to see all the symbols that the tool kit supports.

First click on the use case  tab and then click on the white screen, You will notice an use case element on the screen. Similarly, try clicking all the element on the tool bar and put them on the screen. Your screen should look like this:

Notice:

  1. The properties applet changes for every element, showing mainly the color, dimensions, HTML link and Graph link. The use case and the system elements have more properties such as the name and border size.

  2. The properties can be changed by changing the text in the respective text areas. Notice the changes appearing on the screen.

Changing the Size of the Elements

Click on the element, you will notice small green boxes on the edges of the selected element. Click on those boxes and simultaneously drag the mouse to adjust its size according to your use.

Elevator Example
Let us take the example of an Elevator system to learn how to make a use case of any system using the toolkit.

Actors: Elevator user, Arrival sensor

As the elevators moves between floors, the arrival sensor detects that the elevator is approaching a floor and notifies the system. The system also determines in which direction the system should move in order to service the request of the elevator user.

  1. Select the actor icon on the tool bar and then place the actor on the screen. Since we have two actors repeat the process for the second actor. 
  2. Now click on the system icon and the click the screen to make the system boundary.

    Your screen should look like this, If not then select the actor or the system on the screen and move it to place them in the positions shown below::

  3. Adjust the system boundary size by selecting it and then click any of the green box to change the size. Change the name of the system using the property applet to 'elevator' and notice the change on the screen when you press enter.
  4. Similarly change the names of the actors using the property applet that appears when each actor is selected.

  5. Now select the use case icon and click the screen where you want to place the use case.

  6. Change the name of the use case using the respective property applet of each use case.

  7. Now we have to connect the actors to the use case. Select the 'Uses' icon on the tool bar and then click the mouse next to the actor. You will see an arrow drawn.

  8. Now click on the yellow box and drag it to point it to the use case. Similarly select the green box and drag it to the actor.

  9. Now connect the use cases to each other as shown below using the Extend icon on the tool bar.