Data type shape

A data type is an instance of the DataType metaclass defined in the UML metamodel. A data type declares a type of class attribute. That type is available as a string you can include when you define attributes for other elements in a model.

For example, you can use a data type to declare a Money type. Then, you can add price : Money as an attribute to a class called Order. The UML Model Diagram template in Microsoft Office Visio includes the common data types for C++, VB, IDL, and C#, and you can add data types of your own.

Name a Data Type shape and add other property values

Open the element's UML Properties dialog box by double-clicking the icon that represents the element in the tree view or the shape that represents the element in a diagram.

Tip

Control which property values display on a shape in a diagram by right-clicking the shape, and then clicking Shape Display Options. In the UML Shape Display Options dialog box, select and clear options to display or hide property values.

Hide the operations section of a Data Type shape

Right-click the shape, click Shape Display Options, and then, under Suppress, select Operations.

Control which property values are displayed on the Data Type shape

Right-click the shape, click Shape Display Options, and then select or clear options to show or hide values.

Navigate to other views of the data type

Right-click the shape, click Views, select the view you want, and then click OK.

Show, in a view, the relationships between the data type and other elements

Right-click the shape, and then click Show Relationships.

Select a heading below to open it and see the detailed information about properties for this shape.

Data Type properties

Property	Description
Name	Type a name for the data type.
Full Path	The UML Model Diagram template automatically provides full information about the element's path in the system model hierarchy. You can't edit this information but if you move elements the path automatically updates.
Stereotype	Choose the stereotype you want from the drop-down list. If a stereotype you want to use isn't listed, you can add a new stereotype or edit an existing one by clicking Stereotypes on the UML menu.
Visibility	Choose the type of visibility (public, private, or protected) that applies to the data type.
IsRoot	Select to indicate that the data type can't have ancestors.
IsLeaf	Select to indicate that the data type can't have descendants.
IsAbstract	Select to indicate that the data type is abstract and that no instances can be created for the class.
Documentation	Type any documentation you want to add to the element as a tagged value. When you select the shape or icon representing the element, the documentation you type here also appears in the Documentation window.

Enumeration properties of the Data Type shape

Use these properties to define an enumeration data type.

The Enumeration category becomes available when you select Enumeration as the stereotype for a data type (on the Datatype category in the UML Datatype Properties dialog box).

Property	Description
Enumeration Literals	Lists each enumeration and its literal value for the data type. To quickly edit the enumeration name, click a field under Enumeration and type the name. To quickly edit the literal value, click a field under LiteralValue and type the value.
New	Click to create new enumerated literals.
Duplicate	Click to add a new enumeration to the list with the same property values as the selected enumeration.
Delete	Click to delete the selected enumeration from the list.
Move Up/ Move Down	After you select an enumeration, click to change the order in which the enumeration is stored. You can only reorder within the same data type.