Equivalent classes

The Concept Modeler can specify equivalence between two classes, import equivalent classes from OWL, and export equivalent classes to OWL. Class equivalence expresses a generalization relationship stereotyped as «Equivalent Class». The Concept Modeler will draw this with a double-headed arrow.

Two equivalent classes in Concept Modeler.

From the figure above, the equivalence class relationship, identified by the «Equivalent Class» stereotype, defines that the two classes are semantically equivalent to each other. For more information on how to create equivalent classes, see Create Equivalent Classes.

Note

When there are two equivalent classes:

• If classes do not share the same name, one class will show Equivalent to and the other will show See.

Classes with different names in the Natural Language Glossary.

• If both classes share the same name, it will appear as one class with all the properties from both classes.

  

            Classes with the same name.

           Two equivalent classes appear as one class with all their properties displayed.

• If Class is equivalent to a Union, the Class will be shown with its properties and the subclasses of Union will be shown under Class.

A class equivalent to a union.

• If both classes are Unions, both unions will be merged and follow the same pattern as the Class/Union combinations.

The following information explains how to determine which Class shows Equivalent to or See.

• If only one class has documentation:
  • This class will show Equivalent to and list the rest of the classes it is equivalent to.
  • The rest of the classes will show See with the link going back to the class that shows Equivalent to.
• More than one class has documentation:
  • First class with documentation in alphabetical order will show Equivalent to and list rest of the classes it is equivalent to.
  • The rest of the classes will show See with the link going back to the class that shows Equivalent to.
• None of the classes have documentation:
  • First class in alphabetical order will show Equivalent to and list rest of the classes it is equivalent to.
  • The rest of the classes will show See with the link going back to the class that shows Equivalent to.

  

The merging of definitions of the equivalent classes when more than one class has documentation.

Note

• The class that shows Equivalent to lists all properties and annotations from all the classes it is equivalent to.
• The class that shows See does not show any of the properties or annotations.
• All same named classes show (package name) to differentiate each same named class.

Each different package name assigned to each class having the same name.

Related page

• Concept Modeling Semantics