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Instance-diagram Conventions

Introduction

This page explains the conventions used by instance diagrams included in this guide as well as the documentation of individual BIS schemas.

Colors

For Elements, colors are determined by the type of the element:

  • Information - light cyan (#EDF4F6)
  • Physical - light blue (#96C8FF)
  • Functional or Analytical - light green (#C8FFC8)
  • Spatial Location - light yellow (#FFFF96)
  • Drawing - purple (#C896FF)

Element colors

All Models are colored white (#FFFFFF) since their type can be inferred from their modeled-element.

Model colors

Shapes and outlines

Models are represented by a nested node.

Both Models and Elements have a rounded rectangle shape and solid line, thickness 1 outline.

Element colors

Relationships

All relationship arrow are represented by a solid arrow with thickness 1.

  • Parent owns child - arrow pointing from child element to its parent element. By default no label should be added, but custom label are added if a specialized parent-child relationship is relevant for the given context.
  • Model sub-models Element - arrow pointing from model to a sub-modeled element (i.e. element that the model breaks down).
  • Other relationships - arrow pointing from the source element to the target element with a label describing the relationship.

Relationships

Content

The following conventions apply to all Element instances (aspects included).

Instance contents in order:

  • Class name - bold text, first line
  • Code/UserLabel - (optional) right after class name, surrounded by quotation marks e.g. "The Taj Mahal"
  • Properties - (optional) list of properties in the form: '- <name> <operator> <value>' where:
    • name - name of the property
    • operator - "=" if it's a regular property or "->" if it's a navigation property
    • value - value of the property. In case of a navigation property the Code/UserLabel is added e.g. "The Taj Mahal"

Content

Models have an optional label added denoting their concrete type of the model or context specific information like the what real world entity is being modeled. See shapes and outlines example.

Example

Example

Last Updated: 21 November, 2022