Introduction / Context:
Engineering documentation evolves, but older notations rarely vanish completely. “Dependency notation” refers to a style of indicating how one signal or event depends on another within timing or sequence diagrams. This question asks whether such notation is truly no longer used.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Dependency notation encompasses marks/arrows/labels that express causal or conditional relationships.
- Modern EDA tools and standards (timing diagrams, waveform viewers, HDL comments) still require expressing dependencies.
- Organizations may use mixed documentation conventions.
Concept / Approach:
While standards have shifted (for example, toward more detailed timing constraints or formal properties), the need to express dependencies persists. Many teams still annotate timing diagrams with dependency cues, and training materials continue to show such notation. Therefore, stating it is “no longer used” overgeneralizes.
Step-by-Step Reasoning:
Identify purpose: show causal links between signals/events.Check current practice: datasheets, app notes, and lecture materials still depict dependencies.Conclude: Notation remains in use, even if styles vary by context and tool.
Verification / Alternative check:
Review contemporary vendor timing diagrams; you will find annotated dependencies or equivalent constructs (enables, valid windows, setup/hold callouts).
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Correct: Overstated; usage persists.Only used in analog timing charts: Digital documentation also uses dependency cues.Replaced exclusively by UML diagrams: UML serves different abstraction levels and is not a one-to-one replacement for signal-level timing.
Common Pitfalls:
Assuming a local team’s style reflects an industry-wide standard.Confusing the obsolescence of a specific symbol set with the broader concept of depicting dependencies.
Final Answer:
Incorrect
Discussion & Comments