To draw a Message Flow between two elements or Pools, do one of the following


  • On the Collaboration diagram pallet, click Message Flow button and connect appropriate shapes.
  • Select the Pool header and on the Smart manipulator toolbar, click the Message Flow button.

    A Message Flow must connect two different Pools or inner elements of different Pools.

To create a new Message for a Message Flow, which is typed by a classifier, by using drag and drop operation


  • Select the classifier (Class, Input Set, Output Set, or Error) in the Containment tree and drag it to a Message Flow on a Collaboration diagram.


To create a Message for a Message Flow from the Smart Manipulator toolbar


You can create a Message in a BPMN Process, Collaboration, Choreography, or SubProcess element.

  1. On the diagram pane, select a Message Flow path and on the Smart Manipulator toolbar, click the Referenced Messages button. The Select Message dialog opens.
  2. Select a Collaboration where you want to create a new message and click the Creation Mode button.
  3. Select a Collaboration element and click the Create button.
  4. Click OK.


To change a Message display mode


  • Right-click a Message Flow and from the shortcut menu select one of the following:
    • Show Message and select a message display mode.
    • Symbol(s) Properties and select the needed Show Message property value.


To change direction of Message Flow


  • Right-click the Message Flow and from the shortcut menu, select Refactor > Reverse Direction.