In this lesson, you will create a direct association between a
use-case requirement and a use case in the UML linkable domain. This lesson
also demonstrates the use of the Link Clipboard view.
This lesson requires the installation of the UML linkable domain,
which is not included in some IBM® Software Delivery Platform products.
If you do not have access to this domain, you can still review these steps
and the Show Me viewlet to understand direct associations,
or skip to the next lesson.
A direct association links a domain element and a requirement.
This link associates the domain element and requirement and synchronizes both
artifacts so you can manage them as a single, conceptual item. Creating direct
links does not generate proxy requirements. The direct link capability is
configured by default for use cases, and therefore best demonstrated in the
UML linkable domain; however, you can customize the link policy for other
requirement types and linkable domain elements in the project properties.
This
example demonstrates how a systems architect or development manager can associate
UML use cases with use cases created in Rational® RequisitePro® by a requirements analyst. The direct association creates a direct link
and synchronizes the name and documentation of the UML use cases with the
name and text of the requirement use cases.
To create a direct association between
use cases:
- In the Project Explorer view, right-click My
Tutorial Project and click .
- In the New UML Model wizard, accept the standard
template, type Tutorial Model as the model name and
click Finish.
- In the Project Explorer view, right-click
the Tutorial Model and click .
- Accept the default name of the use case (UseCase1). Repeat the
preceding step to create UseCase2.
- In the Requirement Explorer view, expand the Use
Cases folder in the Learning Project.
- Expand the Arrange Shipment folder, and
drag the UC1 Arrange Shipment use case to the UseCase1 model
element.
- In the RequisitePro Requirement Synchronization window,
accept the requirement name and text. This overwrites the
name and documentation of UseCase1 with the Arrange Shipment use-case name
and text from Rational RequisitePro.
- In the Requirement Explorer view, expand the Check
Order Status folder, right-click the UC2 Check Order Status use
case, and then click .
- In the Project Explorer view, right-click
the UseCase2 model element and click .
- In the RequisitePro Requirement Synchronization window,
accept the requirement name and text for the use case and click OK.
You have created direct associations between requirements and model
elements in two ways: the drag-and-drop and the Link Clipboard methods. The
direct links are marked with a horizontal arrow

on each artifact icon.