Activity Diagram Context Commands

All of the UML diagram types share common context menu commands. To use the context menu for a diagram, simply right click in the Diagram view.

To view the common context menu commands, see Common Diagram Context Commands.

You can model activity diagrams using either UML 1.4 or UML 2.0 features.

UML 1.4

The activity diagram offers a special context command, named New with a submenu for adding new elements to the activity diagram:

New

The New command for the activity diagram offers a submenu with the following options:

Activity

Choosing Activity adds an activity element to the diagram.

Decision

Choosing Decision adds a decision element to the diagram.

Signal Receipt

Choosing Signal Receipt adds a signal receipt element to the diagram.

Signal Sending

Choosing Signal Sending adds a signal sending element to the diagram.

Vertical Fork/Join

Choosing this command adds a vertical fork/join element to the diagram.

Horizontal Fork/Join

Choosing this command adds a horizontal fork/join element to the diagram.

State

Choosing State adds a state element to the diagram.

History

Choosing History allows you to draw a history element within a state.

Object

Choosing Object adds an object element to the diagram.

Start

Choosing Start adds a start state element to the diagram.

End

Choosing End adds an end state element to the diagram.

Swimlane

Choosing Swimlane adds a swimlane element to the diagram.

Note

Choosing Note adds a note element to the diagram.

Shortcut

To refer to an element located outside of the current diagram, or to another diagram, you can use shortcuts. Invoking the Shortcut command displays a selection dialog, where you can choose the desired element (or diagram) from the appropriate location.

UML 2.0

When working with UML 2.0 features, the activity diagram offers the special context menu named, New, however, you will notice that there are different elements that appear in the submenu: Activity Invocation, Activity Partition, Iteration Activity Group, Interruptible Activity Region, Flow Final, Initial Node, and Activity Final.

New

The New command for the collaboration diagram offers a submenu with the following additional options:

Activity Invocation

Choose Activity Invocation from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Activity Partition

Choose Activity Partition from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Iteration Activity Group

Choose Iteration Activity Group from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Interruptible Activity Region

Choose Interruptible Activity Region from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Flow Final

Choose Flow Final from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Initial Node

Choose Initial Node from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.

Activity Final

Choose Activity Final from the New submenu to add this element to the activity diagram.