Object Modeling in Microsoft Visio

[pargat_g]

I am a Java Developer trying to learn C#. Can someone tell me which
tools are available to do OO modelling for dot net applications?

I tried Microsoft Visio 2003 but I want something which will allow me
to keep the model and code in synch.

Can Visio generate the c# classes?

 

[Nick Malik [Microsoft]]

Visio will do a little. Better tool is built in to Visual Studio 2005 (now
available for download).

If you want a mature product that is not beta and handles all of the UML,
try Enterprise Architect from Sparx.

--
--- Nick Malik [Microsoft]
MCSD, CFPS, Certified Scrummaster
http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmalik

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a
programmer helping programmers.

 

[Jimbo]

I am a Java Developer trying to learn C#. Can someone tell me which
tools are available to do OO modelling for dot net applications?

I tried Microsoft Visio 2003 but I want something which will allow me
to keep the model and code in synch.

Can Visio generate the c# classes?

You're in trouble mate. If you've used IDEs such as Oracle JDeveloper or
Eclipse then don't expect too much from the MS tools.

Jimbo.

 

[Joanna Carter \(TeamB\)]

I am a Java Developer trying to learn C#. Can someone tell me which
tools are available to do OO modelling for dot net applications?

I tried Microsoft Visio 2003 but I want something which will allow me
to keep the model and code in synch.

Take a look at ModelMaker; it is a two way tool that has been available for
Delphi for many years.

Now it is in beta for C# in both Delphi 2005 and Visual Studio 2003 & 2005.

You should be able to draw UML diagrams and generate C# code or the other
way around. ModelMaker doesn't simply use the code as a model, it has an
internal model which is reflected in both the diagrams and the code. Thus
changes to either the diagram or the code are reflected automatically in the
other.

Go to this website and drop them a note if you are interested in
beta-testing; I beliave it is nearly ready and ModelMaker has a terrific
reputation for stability, even in beta releases. Their speed in bugfixing
and updating is also something you don't often see.

http://www.modelmakertools.com/modelmaker/index.html

Joanna

P.S. It's not very expensive either

 

[Guest]

Hi Jimbo,

You've got me curious...

If you've used IDEs such as Oracle JDeveloper or
Eclipse then don't expect too much from the MS tools.

I have used JDeveloper extensively, albeit version 3, back in 2001, and I've
had a quick look at Eclipse. My opinion is the overall MS tools (VS and
Visio) are vastly superior to both of these, so your comment has me puzzled.

Do you mean that JDeveloper and Eclipse have better UML modelling? If not
(ie. if you mean that they are better than MS in other ways), then I fear
that I am missing something - in what other ways are they better? If your
comment is just focused on integrated UML modelling, then I agree with you,
that the other tools do it better, but I also wonder "what does it matter?".
I've been in the business for 20 years, and have found that the best way to
do UML is with a pencil & paper at the start, then a good code editer (VS
2003), and then a good diagramming tool (Visio) to document it. I've used
Rational Rose as an integrated UML modeller, and found it be just pain - it
gets in the way of getting the job done.

So, you comment has me puzzled, as it contradicts my own experience. This is
a sincere question, not an argument. I'm really curious to know in what ways
you have found JDeveloper or Eclipse to be superior to Visual Studio & Visio.

- Javaman.

 

[Jimbo]

Hi Jimbo,

You've got me curious...



I have used JDeveloper extensively, albeit version 3, back in 2001, and I've
had a quick look at Eclipse. My opinion is the overall MS tools (VS and
Visio) are vastly superior to both of these, so your comment has me puzzled.

Do you mean that JDeveloper and Eclipse have better UML modelling? If not
(ie. if you mean that they are better than MS in other ways), then I fear
that I am missing something - in what other ways are they better? If your
comment is just focused on integrated UML modelling, then I agree with you,
that the other tools do it better, but I also wonder "what does it matter?".
I've been in the business for 20 years, and have found that the best way to
do UML is with a pencil & paper at the start, then a good code editer (VS
2003), and then a good diagramming tool (Visio) to document it. I've used
Rational Rose as an integrated UML modeller, and found it be just pain - it
gets in the way of getting the job done.

My only experience of JDeveloper is JDeveloper 10 - which was released
last year. The UMLing capabilities of which I found were excellent and
produced good quality code. But also if you changed the code then the
UML diagram is also automatically updated. From a design purists view
this is a bit naughty, but I've never known a design a to be 100% right.

JDeveloper 10 enables Use Case, Component, Class and Activity diagrams
to be created.

Like you I always sketched things out on paper first - in fact I always
hated computer stuff getting in the way, all too often the computer
decides it knows best and doesn't let you do what you want. For years I
coded using vi, and only recently started using IDEs.

As for Eclipse (which I've been using since 2002) I haven't used any
UMLing capabilities - which I believe are available as plugins from
Visual Paradigm. The comment with Eclipse was based more around the IDE
itself. Eclipse has a great number features which Visual Studio 2003
would benefit from. These include all the refactoring features as well
as things like automatic compilation on save which are invaluable for
rapid application development. I haven't seen Visual Studio 2005 to
comment on it.

Cheers
Jimbo

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jimbo,

It looks as if our disagreement comes down to familiarity - you are more
familiar with JDeveloper and Eclipse, I'm more familiar with Visual Studio.
I've got VS2005-beta and it seems to have the features you are looking for -
UML modelling, and refactoring. Of course, it is unlikely that they are as
mature as in JDeveloper and Eclipse. I said that I think Visual Studio is
vastly superior (IMHO). Admitting that my experience of JDeveloper is dated
(2001), and Eclipse is very limited, the things I think Visual Studio does
better - more template projects, over a bigger range of application areas
(WinForms, Console, Server, WebForms, etc..); fantastic support from third
party component developers; better integration with the Windows OS (eg. COM,
installation program, Windows API calls); more languages supported.

So you use vi? I'm still a vi fan (vim actually), and I've got a nice C#
command line programming environment, which I use in addtion to the IDE. ...

Cheers,

Stephen