General Tab

The first tab presented in all specifications is labeled General and usually contains information such as Name and Documentation.

Figure 12 General Tab

Name

Every model element and each relationship can be labeled with a word or phrase that denotes the semantics or purpose of the relationship. You can enter the name in the diagram or in the Name field of a specification.

• If you enter the name in the diagram, Rational Rose displays the entry in the Name field.
• If you enter the name in the specification, Rational Rose displays the new name in the icon and updates the information in the model.

You can rename an element using one of the following methods:

• Change its name in the diagram or browser.
• Change its name in the specification.

Documentation

Use the Documentation field to describe relationships. The description can include such information as the roles, keys, constraints, purpose, and essential behavior of the element. You can enter information in the Documentation field in one of two ways:

• Enter text directly in the free-form text field.
• Click View > Documentation.

Rational Rose does not display this field in the diagram.

Note: If you document a class and identify the concepts or functions represented by the entity, you can use the field to form a basis of a more traditional data dictionary. You can also list the statements of obligation to provide certain behavior with the class. You can use this entry as a placeholder for the responsibilities of the class that you will determine during development.