Re: [soa-rm-ra] quick poll on identifier and description

[Ken Laskey <klaskey@mitre.org>]

Frank,

There may not be a single identifier (argh! for figuring out when two references point to the same thing) but a known identifier should resolve uniquely.  I don't think having identifier in Description and Identifier in Resource makes sense unless we somehow justify how the two are different.

Now, when is there a limit in Description being a Resource?  Well, obviously somewhere along the way you have a Description, which although considered a Resource, does not have a description of itself.  How does this show up in the UML?  It appears an override of the parent class, and I believe that is possible but don't remember how.  Otherwise, Description sure looks and feels like a Resource.

Ken

On Nov 14, 2007, at 6:01 PM, Francis McCabe wrote:

Ken

 I think that there is not likely to be a single identifier, nor is there a 'standard' way of getting from a resource to its identifier.

 I notice that the original diagram (and yours) had arrows on the associations; including a navigability from resources to identifiers. On reflection, I am not sure that that is correct.

Frank

On Nov 14, 2007, at 12:52 PM, Ken Laskey wrote:

Today's discussion talked about description being a resource and a resource having an identifier, so description has an identifier.

In the most recent (general) Description diagram (sent out in an email 10/16), Resource has a Description and Identifiers are a component of Description.

Which is our preference?

I'm thinking of something like the following diagram

<pastedGraphic.png>

where Resource has both a Description and an Identifier, the Description of a Resource has a reference to that Identifier (so you unambiguously know what is being described), and Description being a subclass of Resource thus has its own Identifier. (Ignore the ' on Resource and Identifier.)

Note, a version of this also needs to show up as an artifact diagram.

Your vote?

Ken

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Ken Laskey

MITRE Corporation, M/S H305     phone:  703-983-7934

7515 Colshire Drive                        fax:        703-983-1379

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Ken Laskey

MITRE Corporation, M/S H305      phone: 703-983-7934

7151 Colshire Drive                         fax:       703-983-1379

McLean VA 22102-7508

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