Wrap conditional into a function or not represent it at all in a sequence diagram?

Question

I've this PHP controller class (belongs to Symfony2 bundle):

class ReptoolController extends PageController
{
    // ...

    private function _get($request, $action, $case)
    {
        $app_id = $this->getRequested('app_id');
        if( ( $repappConfig = $this->getDoctrine()->getRepository('PDOneBundle:RepappConfig')->findOneBy(array("app_id"=>$app_id))) )
        {
            $current_timestamp = new \DateTime(date('Y-m-d'));
            if($repappConfig->getExpireDate())
                $expire_date = $repappConfig->getExpireDate()->getTimestamp();
            else
            {
                $temp = $current_timestamp;
                $temp->modify("+7 day");
                $temp->format("Y-m-d");
                $expire_date = $temp->getTimestamp();
            }
            if($expire_date < $current_timestamp->getTimestamp())
            {
                $response = new \stdClass();
                $response->status = FormUtilities::RESPONSE_STATUS_BAD;
                $controller_response = new Response( json_encode($response) );
                $controller_response->headers->set('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
                return $controller_response;
            }
        }

        switch($case)
        {
            // ...
            case FormUtilities::CASE_BRAND_CUSTOM_MESSAGES:
                return $this->getBrandCustomMessages($request, $action, $case);
                break;
            // ...
            default:
                $response = new \stdClass();
                $response->status = FormUtilities::RESPONSE_STATUS_BAD;
                $controller_response = new Response( json_encode($response) );
                $controller_response->headers->set('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
                return $controller_response;
                break;
        }
    }

    // ...

    private function getBrandCustomMessages($request, $action, $case)
    {
        $id = $this->getRequested('app_id');
        $reptool_records = $this->getRequestedSync();

        $response = new \stdClass();
        $response->status = FormUtilities::RESPONSE_STATUS_BAD;

        $repappConfig = new RepappConfig();
        $repappConfig = $this->getDoctrine()->getRepository('PDOneBundle:RepappConfig')->findOneBy(array("app_id"=>$id));
        $project_id = $repappConfig->getProjectId();
        $brand_table = $this->getDoctrine()->getRepository('PDOneBundle:Brand')->findBy(array("project"=>$project_id));

        if($brand_table)
        {
            foreach($brand_table as $bt)
            {
                $brand_id = $bt->getID();

                    $brandCustomMessages = new BrandCustomMessages();
                    if( $brandCustomMessages = $this->getDoctrine()->getRepository('PDOneBundle:BrandCustomMessages')->findBy(array("brand_id"=>$brand_id) ))
                    {
                        $sync = array();
                        foreach ($brandCustomMessages as $brandCustomMessage)
                        {

                            $response->status = FormUtilities::RESPONSE_STATUS_VALID;

                            $brandCustMess = new PDOneResponse(
                                                                                    $brandCustomMessage->getID(),
                                                                                    strtotime($brandCustomMessage->getModifiedAt()->format("Y-m-d H:i:s"))
                                                                                    );


                            $brandCustMess->id = $brandCustomMessage->getID();
                            $brandCustMess->message_text = $brandCustomMessage->getMessageText();
                            $brandCustMess->message_code = $brandCustomMessage->getMessageCode();
                            $brandCustMess->brand_id = (int)$brandCustomMessage->getBrandId();

                            $reptool_records = $brandCustMess->setRecordStatus($reptool_records);

                            // ADD BACKEND RECORD TO SYNC
                            if($brandCustMess->status != FormUtilities::RESPONSE_STATUS_OK ) $sync[] = $brandCustMess;
                        }
                        // COMPOSITE SYNC WITH REPTOOL RECORDS
                        $sync = PDOneResponse::compositeSync($sync, $reptool_records);
                        $response->sync = $sync;

                    }

            }
        }

        $controller_response = new Response( json_encode($response) );
        $controller_response->headers->set('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
        return $controller_response;
    }

    // ...

I need to build a sequence diagram (SD) for the flow from the actor PDOneApp (which is an iPad application making get|set request to that controller). This is what I have done in the SD Version1, SD Version 2:

Version 1

Version 2

About the diagrams shown above I have the following doubts and taking as example the code shown above also:

• Which diagram is the right one?

• The calls (meaning the representation at diagram) for the entities: RepappConfig and Brand are right? In the code this calls are made from within the method getBrandCustomMessages() and I have them directly from the controller ReptoolController which makes me think that's wrong. If this is the case how they should be represented?

• I know that SD is not mean to be for represent code as it is but, how do you represent conditionals on the function? Perhaps I can wrap the conditional in a function and call that function from within the getBrandCustomMessages() is this one the right way? What did you recommend me on this doubt?

• As you will see on the function the last return is a Response object, is that part right on the diagram? Or the line should be dashed with return label?

Can any give some help for finish this diagram and understand the conditional part for UML SD?

Answer 1

Your 2nd diagram shows the internal call to getBrandCustomMessages correctly.

If you really want to show if then use fragments (http://www.uml-diagrams.org/sequence-diagrams-combined-fragment.html). You can divide fragments into single partitions (if/else or case; whatever fits).

The last response should not go to an entity but as return message (from after the internal call) to the actor. That's likely what you intend to show.