SYSML21 — Inconsistent graphical notation for dependencies and other elements

Annotations and successions are consistently represented with short dashes in both the graphical examples in Clause 7 and the graphical BNF. However, the specification does not consistently depict the dashed lines that are used in dependencies and related relationships.

DEPENDENCIES:
Table 1 "Dependency" - long dashes
Table 1 "Dependency - nary" - medium dashes
8.2.3.3 binary-dependency - short dashes
8.2.3.3 n-ary-dependency-*-link - short dashes

IMPORTS:
Table 3 "Import (recursive) - short dashes
8.2.3.5 import - long dashes

EXPOSE:
Table 24 "Expose" - long dashes
8.2.3.26 expose_r and *-expose-r - short dashes

Recommend the graphical BNF and graphical examples in the tables be made consistent in showing these relationships as having long dashes. This will help users to distinguish these types of relationships from those having short dashes, e.g., successions and annotations, and would be more familiar to users having experience with UML, SysML v1, etc.

Added 11 Mar 2026 per GSWG discussion:
Alternatively, if there is not intended to be a distinction between different kinds of dashed lines, it would be helpful to clarify that intent in the specification for clarity.

This issue also impacts reference properties (generally shown with short dashes in the spec) and imported packages (generally shown with long dashes in the spec). To clarify this larger scope, the title was also modified.