Better UML Modeling Tools?

PimpBot writes: "I'm taking a class in software engineering. To model our project, we're using UML, but I'm running into a problem - the software we're using, TogetherJ, is written in Java. The program has obscene memory requirements (128MB RAM min, 512 recommended), and being a poor college student, my box isn't close to supporting that. Are there any UML modeling clients out there that are dirt cheap, and don't use Java?"

Comments

three ideas

[StandardDeviant]

One: memory is dirt cheap right now. seriously. a 128mb stick of pc100 is like $40 where I live. see pricewatch.com for more US prices. If you live somewhere else I don't know if this point would be relevant. So you could probably at least approach the "ok performance" range, especially if you have family that would be sympathetic for your school-related need of an upgrade.

Two: argoUML, a GPLd and reasonably decent java UML program. (argouml.org) It performs just fine on my machine (450mhz, 128 mb of pc100 ram).

Three: TCM, the toolkit for conceptual modelling. Haven't played with it much but it looks pretty nifty. Also it isn't in Java. Again it runs fine on my machine. Does stuff besides UML too, I'm new to this whole modeling/specifying bit, so some of the functionality didn't make much sense to me.

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My suggestions

[jfunk]

I'll have to agree with the guy recommending ArgoUML. I've tried it and it's pretty zippy on my 400MHz, 96MB machine, despite the Java.

I'll also have to point you to KUML, which is for KDE2. It should run even faster, but is not as full featured.

Why UML?

[geophile]

Yes, I know this is off-topic, and please don't take this as a flame, but I'm really interested in the answer to this question: Why are they teaching UML? The absolute best software engineers I've known disdain UML. On projects where I've seen UML applied, it's been, at best, a minor distraction, and at worst, a project destroyer.

What do you have to do to apply UML successfully, and what does it buy you that you couldn't get from simply thinking carefully about things up front?

UML tools

[Snowfox]

For smaller-scale UML diagrams on an underpowered machine, dia works just fine, and it couldn't be faster.

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My opinions are mine -- not those of my employer.

Re:GnomeOffice Dia! + code generator

[ksheff]

And there is a program that will convert Dia UML diagrams into code: http://dia2code.sourceforge.net/.

From the website:

Features

• Reads UML diagrams.
• Can handle UML - Generalization, UML - Realization and UML - Implements.
• Selective code generation.
• User-defined output directory.
• Stereotype handling: interfaces, abstract classes.
• "Import" and "include" based on the parent classes, the type of attributes and return type of methods iff they're declared in the same diagram.
• Support for JavaBeans(tm): will create automagically methods to access and modify each attribute.

What isn't here yet

• Template handling.
• UML - Dependencies, UML - Association

More on Dia

[JohnZed]

If you use Dia, also check out Dia2Code, which turns Dia UML diagrams into source code. Dia's nice, but UML isn't really its main focus. Personally, I have 256 megs of RAM and I enjoy working with TogetherJ. It's really nice of them to put out a high-quality free edition, especially for us students. Definitely look into buying that RAM. . . --JRZ

GnomeOffice Dia!

[BitMan]

GnomeOffice Dia is a UML-based diagramming and vector graphics app. You can extend it with XML/UML (and conforms to the full UML spec as defined by its XML DTD) and it supports a plethora of standard graphics formats for inport and export. There are numerous documents on the web that use Dia as an example of learning XML/UML programming to a DTD spec.

-- Bryan "TheBS" Smith

Re:GnomeOffice Dia! + code generator

[StandardDeviant]

Just a side note, I think that argoUML can do this as well. I don't know how full featured it is. :-) Hey, options are good!

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Fuck Censorship.