Examining the inheritance hierarchy of classifiers in UML models

In UML models, you can browse the inheritance hierarchies of classifiers that support inheritance, such as classes, interfaces, and use cases. Using the Inheritance Explorer view, you can view or change the subtypes and supertypes for a selected model element, as well as the corresponding attributes and operations.

Before you begin

You can examine the inheritance relationships between model elements in a single model or across several models, or between model elements and visualized elements.

You must be in the Modeling perspective and have a diagram open that contains classifiers that support inheritance.

About this task

To examine the inheritance hierarchy for a classifier, right-click the classifier in the diagram editor or Project Explorer view and then click Navigate > Show in > Inheritance Explorer. The Inheritance Explorer view opens, showing the classifier, its subtypes, and its supertypes in a hierarchy at the top of the view and with a list of the selected classifier's operations and attributes at the bottom of the view.

The Inheritance Explorer view of Class3 inherited by Class1, inherited by Class7.

Once you have opened the inheritance hierarchy for a classifier, you can perform a variety of operations on that classifier and its related classifiers:

Select the classifier in the top half of the view to see its operations and attributes in the bottom half.
Add new subtypes or supertypes by right-clicking the classifier and then clicking either Create New Supertype or Create New Subtype.
Double-click a classifier or right-click a classifier and then click Navigate > Show In > Project Explorer to highlight the classifier in the Project Explorer view.

You can filter the Inheritance Explorer view in the following ways:

Use the filter buttons at the top of the view to show only the classifier's supertypes , only the classifier's subtypes , or both its supertypes and its subtypes .
By default, the bottom section of the view shows only the attributes and operations that the selected classifier contains; the attributes and operations that it inherits are filtered out. To show all the attributes and operations that the classifier contains and inherits, click the filter button at the top of the section:.

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