Draw a sequence or dynamic view
A scenario is a story the system tells over time, such as "a policyholder submits a claim". iyedy draws each scenario twice, as a Sequence view with lifelines and messages and as a Dynamic view with numbered steps on the structure, and you can trace it on any other view.
On this page
Before you start
- A diagram with the elements that take part, for example the Claims Platform's Mobile app, API gateway, Claims Service, Claims DB and Payments. See Add elements and relationships.
- Credits for the Assistant: the Assistant shows the estimate before you send.
Add a scenario
- Open the Assistant
Press Ctrl J. Describe the scenario step by step, with the elements by their names:
“Draw a sequence view for this scenario: a policyholder submits a claim in the Mobile app, the API gateway forwards it to the Claims Service, the Claims Service stores it in Claims DB, then asks Payments to schedule the payment and confirms to the policyholder.” - Read the proposal, then apply
The Assistant proposes the scenario. Nothing changes before you select Apply; applying saves a version.
- Open its two views
In the Views list, iyedy has added a Sequence view and a Dynamic view for the scenario. Open the Sequence view.
Sequence or Dynamic
| Sequence view | Dynamic view | |
|---|---|---|
| Reads | in time, top to bottom | on the structure, by number |
| Shows best | the order of the calls and the replies | who talks to whom, where they sit |
| Show to | a developer or a reviewer walking the flow | an audience that already knows the containers view |
Both come from the same scenario: change a step once and both views follow.
Trace a scenario on another view
On the Containers view, run Trace scenario on this view… from the palette (Ctrl K) and pick the scenario. iyedy lights up each step in turn: a strip says Trace ‘Submit a claim’ · step 2 / 6, the arrow keys move between steps and Esc ends the trace.
Change a scenario
You cannot place shapes on a Sequence view: iyedy says Ask the Assistant to add to sequence views. Ask for the change in the Assistant, for example:
“In the scenario Submit a claim, add a fraud check by the Claims Service before it asks Payments.”Select a step in a view to see it in the Inspector, as a Scenario step of its scenario.
Show it well
- Step numbers and trust boundaries (drawn as boxes around the lifelines) are layers of the Sequence view: see Layers, annotations and grid.
- Present a Sequence view and each message appears in turn: see Present a diagram.
- Export it to PlantUML for a sequence in full, or to Mermaid with its fragments and step numbers: see Export formats.
If it doesn't work
Sequence is greyed out in the New view menu
The model has no scenario yet: Needs a scenario in the model. Add one with the Assistant first, as above.
“The model has no scenario to trace.”
Trace needs a scenario. Add one, then run Trace scenario on this view… again.
In the Dynamic view, a step is drawn as a missing flow
The legend calls it Missing flow (unbound step): the step names a call that no relationship of the model carries. Add the relationship between the two elements, or ask the Assistant to fix the scenario.
More symptoms in Diagram troubleshooting.
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