WaterProcessingPlant - FlowProperty and ItemFlow example with Ports (in IBD with verbose Port compartments)

This shows an IBD "white-box view" of the WaterProcessingPlant, with verbose information about the FlowProperty definitions on each Port's type exposed in compartments on the Port symbols.

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The following capability of SysML, called here IBD :features compartments, is super:

SysML permits any property shown on an internal block diagram to also show compartments within the property box. These compartments may be given standard or user-customized labels just as on block definitions.

SysML-1.6: 'The label of any compartment shown on the property box that displays contents belonging to the type of the property is shown with a colon character (“:”) preceding the compartment label. The compartment name is otherwise the same as it would appear on ...'

Nice! But not so easy to find in the tool at first:

MagicDraw/Cameo: the (not so well named) "Enable Parts Compartment" feature on Ports is highly recommended and can make diagrams much easier to read.

The MagicDraw/Cameo feature "Enable Parts Compartments" really means "Enable SysML Compartments"

However, this display mode currently hides any FlowProperty direction indicator arrows:

TIP: MagicDraw/Cameo: Consider showing the Port name and type label inside the Port symbol! CAVEAT: This loses the direction indicators on Ports typed by Blocks with flow properties (but is fine if ItemFlows show the direction, or for "contract ports").

MagicDraw/Cameo: Using the display option to show labels inside Port rectangle symbols or to use SysML compartments on Port symbols hides any flow direction indicators.

But if you are showing ItemFlows this does not matter so much, because the flow direction is made clear by the ItemFlow direction arrows on the Connectors.

Up next

09:06: ProxyPorts and FullPorts

Notes

[NAMING, POLICY]{STRONG} Webel: For SysML Blocks and InterfaceBlocks used to type Ports with physical flows use 'F_UpperCamelCase' [may be combined with acronymn conventions]. The trailing part (after the underscore '_') may indicate the type that flows.

[POLICY] For Blocks and Interface blocks with one or more FlowProperty items, choose a direction convention and use it across one project.

[NAMING, POLICY, STYLE]{STRONG} SysML: Webel: "Trust the Type!" - Often the name of the Type of an anonymous Property or instance-level element is completely sufficient to indicate its role - unless multiple Properties of the same Type have different roles within the same owner context!

[CAPABILITY, DISPLAY, TOOL] MagicDraw/Cameo: the (not so well named) "Enable Parts Compartment" feature on Ports is highly recommended and can make diagrams much easier to read.

[CAPABILITY, DISPLAY, TOOL] The MagicDraw/Cameo feature "Enable Parts Compartments" really means "Enable SysML Compartments"

[CAPABILITY, FEATURE, STYLE, TIP] TIP: MagicDraw/Cameo: Consider showing the Port name and type label inside the Port symbol! CAVEAT: This loses the direction indicators on Ports typed by Blocks with flow properties (but is fine if ItemFlows show the direction, or for "contract ports").

[CAVEAT, DISPLAY, TOOL, WARNING] MagicDraw/Cameo: Using the display option to show labels inside Port rectangle symbols or to use SysML compartments on Port symbols hides any flow direction indicators.

Snippets (quotes/extracts)

[SysML-1.6] SysML permits any property shown on an internal block diagram to also show compartments within the property box. These compartments may be given standard or user-customized labels just as on block definitions.