2.3 How To Add a Stereotype

When specifying a model diagrammatically in RSA, the objects in the diagram must be stereotyped in order to access their properties.

The stereotypes you might wish to use include
Components: application, ejbJar, uiJar
Class: entity, dataview, session, page, wizardPage
Association: relation, dataviewRelation (event, wizardEvent)
directedAssociation: event, wizardEvent (relation, dataviewRelation)
Associations and directedAssociations can have their navigability altered to become the required object, but events and wizardEvents should always only be navigable one way.

Components and classes can be stereotyped on creation by selecting a stereotyped component/class from the pallet by clicking on the Component/Class Diagram Drawer in the palette to open it, finding the component/class creation section, clicking on the arrow on the right, which will bring up a menu allowing you to select a stereotyped component/class. Then pick "Create new entity/dataview/application, etc component/class" when placing it on the diagram.

Alternatively you can create a standard component/class from the same place in the palette and add the relevant stereotype using the Add Stereotype button in the stereotype tab of the properties view. The stereotype selected should always be one picked from the JeeWizProfile.

Classes have sub-objects which you may want to stereotype:
Attributes/Ends: attribute, dataviewField, end, dataviewEnd
Operations: businessMethod

The data attributes of an entity should be stereotyped as an attribute. The data attributes of a dataview should be stereotyped as a dataviewField. By selecting the attribute on the diagram or in the model explorer you can add the stereotype in the stereotype tab of the properties view. This will also make the JeeWiz attribute/field properties available.

When associating entities or dataviews, RSA adds an end attribute to a class from which the association is navigable, it's name being the role of the other end of the association. These accessor attributes need to be stereotyped, but they don't appear as standard in the diagram, so you can't select them from there. Instead you should use the model explorer view to select them (select the class, open the attributes in the properties window, select the accessor attribute, right click and Select in Explorer) then add the stereotype end or dataviewEnd as appropriate, using the Add Stereotype button in the stereotype tab of the properties view. Although events and wizardEvents do create an accessor attribute on a page, there are no JeeWiz properties associated with it, the properties are all on the event itself, so there is no need to stereotype it.

In release 3.9 there is no need to stereotype parameters in RSA. In release 3.10 and above you only need to stereotype those attributes, realtionships and ends that you want to set properties for. This facility has been added to allow faster prototyping alongside users.

If no JeeWizPofile stereotypes, such as application or entity, are appearing you have not created your project correctly. Models need to have an extra profile added which contains the stereotypes and all the properties. This will be added for you automatically if you create your project using the JeeWiz provided tools. We have also noticed that earlier versions of RSA sometimes lose stereotypes when multiple projects are open. If this is the case, closing down all projects and the opening up the one you are working on is usually sufficient to bring the information back.

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