Creating an activation

Chapter 5 Building Dynamic Diagrams

Creating an activation

You can create an activation when you create a Procedure Call message or afterwards for any type of message. A Procedure Call generally starts an activation, that is why the message is automatically attached to an activation.

To create an activation at creation of the message:

Select the Procedure Call Message tool in the Palette.

Click the lifeline of the sender object or actor and, while holding down the mouse button, drag the cursor towards the receiver object.

Release the mouse button on the object symbol of the receiver.

The message is created along with activations on the lifelines of both the sender and receiver (note that activations are not created on the lifelines of actors).

To create an activation from a diagram:

Select the Activation tool in the Palette.

Click the lifeline of an object to create an activation symbol at the click position. If you create the activation on top of an existing message, it is automatically attached to the activation.