Association Class Reference - modelint/shlaer-mellor-metamodel GitHub Wiki

Consider an Association formalized by an Association Class as shown below:

images/formalization-subsystem/association-class-reference-5.png

In the example above, the Association Class is the origin of two References. One refers to the Process class while the other refers to the Workstation class.

Each such Reference is an association class reference since it originates in the Association Class formalizing R3.

For any Association formalized by an Association Class, two Association Class References are required. Each such Reference refers to the Identifier of one of the Classes participating in the Association (other than the Association Class).

As shown below, these two required Association Class References are considered T and P reference types. In an asymmetric Association, the T Reference will refer to the Identifier of the Class on the T Perspective with the P Reference referring to the Identifier of the Class on the P Perspective.

images/formalization-subsystem/association-class-reference-10.png

In the case of a symmetric Association, there will be only one T Perspective and both T and P Association References will refer along that same Perspective to the same Identifier.

images/formalization-subsystem/association-class-reference-20.png

Identifiers

1. Ref type + Association class + Participating class + Rnum + Domain

Attributes

No non-referential attributes