Actors are OUTSIDE the system, subsystem, or whatever you are trying to see
as your "system"; it can even be a class as far as UML is concerned.
So, if you would say that some server subsystem X is at some moment in time
your "system", then other subsystems of the actual total system (comprising
of client and server subsystems) could be actors of your subsystem, namely
the ones that directly interface with your subsystem.
In most cases the use cases offered by such a subsystem to a particular
actor would not be described in end-user terminology but in the terminology
of the one using that subsystem, i.e. another developer. Maybe that
developer would only want to see some scenario's of sample code to be able
to get a grip on how the subsystem should be addressed/used.
Slight warning: Don't overdo it. See if it really gives you value. It might
be enough to just model the interfaces of the subsystem, and per interface
describe how to use it, instead of describing the subsystem's requirements
with a use-case model.
Regards,
Dik van Leeuwen
(R)UP/UML Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED]
ICT Groep +31-(0)570-50.48.00
Deventer, The Netherlands
----- Original Message -----
From: Eric D. Tarkington <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: ROSE_FORUM <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday 28 March 2001 22:11
Subject: Re: (ROSE) actors/subsystems
>
>
>
> IMO, treating a subsystem as an actor can make sense if the subsystem is
> behaving like one.
>
> What is the difference between an actor and a use case, anyway? To me
> the chief differences are that 1) you don't get to edit and recompile an
> actor, and 2) actors are outside the system boundary. On closer
> inspection, 1) and 2) are roughly the same.
>
> You set the system boundary to meet the needs of the project. A
> subsystem whose interface absolutely, positively will not be altered
> during the project is behaving like an actor, and you won't suffer harm
> from modelling it as an actor within that project.
>
> With regard to having each subsystem in a separate .mdl file, that
> naturally follows the logic of making the subsystem an actor in the use
> case model of another system. In your situation, this could be a very
> good strategy.
>
> -Eric
>
>
> Moin Ahmad wrote:
> >
> > Can we have subsystems as actors in use cases? And then can the
> sub-systems
> > be modelled in the same '.mdl' file in rose. I am developing a server
> with
> > many subsystems(registration, email, messageboard, chat etc) and a
> front-end
> > and am not clear how to model each sub-system and their internal
> > interaction. The internal interaction can be say sending mail after
> > registration or configuring the messageboard after registration.
> > Or should I put actors only as external people?
> >
> > HELP!
> > regards
> > Moin Ahmad
> > ENS
> > India
> >
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