RE: UML tool
- From: <Nick.Adamson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 09:08:05 +0100
Hi Rick.
At the moment our team uses a UML modelling tool called enterprise
architect.
This has a tree view, very much like visual studio, which details the
model elements. For example a class diagram would be a branch on the
tree and each class on the diagram is then a node on that tree.
By right clicking, or applications key, on each node you can get the
properties of that node. So a class has descriptions, types, function
and attribute information. There is also a way of getting a list of the
other objects which that node links to. From this screen you can then
set the properties of the link such as direction, link type and so on.
Taking a large model from scratch and understanding it can take a while
and does depend on the author filling in comment and description fields
properly.
Another good example is a use case diagram.
Again you've got a branch in the tree view for the use case diagram and
in the branch is the use case node. The properties on the node allow you
to set pre and post conditions and the default flow of actions as well
as alternate paths. As before there is also a list of links to other
nodes on the model. Using this list you can see which actors and
requirements are linked to this use case.
The bigger the model the harder it is to use.
I have found that if I'm involved with creating or modifying its much
more easy to keep relationships in my memory. I've been working on the
same software product for the last 4 years nearly and I've been involved
with the creation of our model since the start. The model is now pretty
big, 25000 elements but because of the way we've managed the model I'm
able to access nearly all of it and understand it.
Coming to your points regarding quickly getting an understanding of new
diagrams quite quickly there's not a current solution that I'm aware of
in a state ready to use commercially.
I do know of a project currently being run by a university which uses a
large table like Braille display which can show diagrams and they are
working on a UML part of it.
I've recently been wondering how something like the IPad could be used,
so that a blind person has some sort of touch screen which they can use
to explore diagrams using spoken output when they run their finger over
the diagram element and then tap it to see its properties. I've never
seen anything like this but all the talk of the IOS interface has made
me wonder.
Thanks.
Nick.
Nick Adamson
Software Engineer
General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited
Bryn Brithdir, Oakdale Business Park, Blackwood, South Wales, NP12 4AA
Telephone: +44 (0)1495 23 6467
Email: Nick.Adamson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.generaldynamics.uk.com
To help reduce waste paper, please only print this email if you really
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-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of RicksPlace
Sent: 07 May 2011 00:20
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: UML tool
Hi Nick: OK, sort of get it. How do you handle the UML Diagrams now? Is
there some type of numbering scheme that UML uses to determine
communications and UI flows and classes?
I am wondering if there is any fundemental data stored that would allow
the
development of a verbal representation of the Massive Diagram in a
usable
manner for blind users. For example, in all charting there is the
underlying
data related to some measurade metrix. In a Communications Flow I would
imagine there would be to and from targets with some type of logic for
dynamic path changes based on some condition.I can understand how a
sighted
person could look at a hundred nodes at one time while a blind person
would
have to navigate the path in some sequential or skip-sequential series
of
readouts but if the data is there...
If the UML application can take a application and generate a diagram
that
might mean that it also defines target to and from paths between
elements
and has to id each element in some way, perhaps a set of properties
about
the element and direct connections or conditionals leading in or out of
the
element. Anyway, how do you manage to get around a UML Diagram now?
Would it
really be worth the effort to try and make them speak in some audible
fashon. Actually I could see where Braille would be better suited to
this
using a full sized Braille Monitor or whatever the current technologies
offer Professionals working in the field who can afford such
equipment.Perhaps a combination of a Braille Monitor and audio output
would
be the fastest method of handling these diagrams. Braille for paths and
element short stub names and audio for the properties related to an
element
or something like that.
Well, I think this is going to be out of my league financially. To do it
right I would want to try the combination approach of Braille and Audio
as I
mentioned above. Just making an audio output might not be efficient
enough
for a Professional environment.
There are some guys out there working at universities who should have
access
to such hardware and that would seem to be a good project to look at.
I have seen the topic of UML come up often on list so I guess it is
something professionals run up against often enough to make it a
priority
project someplace.
Later and thanks for the nice over view Nick:
Oh ya, let me know how you handle UML currently at work if yoo don't
mind -
just curious and might give someone else an idea.
Rick USA
----- Original Message -----
From: <Nick.Adamson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 10:02 AM
Subject: RE: UML tool
Hi Rick.
UML is more than just flow charting.
Its more than just diagrams as well.
UML as a concept allows a software developer or team to design there
software right from requirements to use cases to class diagrams.
A UML modelling tool, and there are a number out there, allows the
software design to be shown in a graphical form which complies to a set
of rules. As you suggest most UML modelling tools allow for code
generation, in my experience this is class prototypes and stubs which
the developer then goes and fills in the blanks. Most can also "reverse
engineer, code in to a UML model. I even saw one tool which claimed you
could write sudo code in the model for each function and it would fill
in the function stubs for you. Personally this seams like a waist of
time to me.
In the team I work in we've been developing our software for nearly 4
years and our model currently stands at 25000 elements. That's because
we use it for everything.
Our customer requirements are captured in the model.
These link, using connections in our modelling tool to our derived
software requirements, which link to use cases, which links to component
designs which link to communication diagrams and class diagrams. Class
diagrams give a view on a particular set of classes, there functions,
members, how they interact with each other and so on.
In this way we can automatically see the impact of any changes, For
example if we want to change the way something works we would update the
use case and then be able to see what links to that use case so what
things may be effected by the change.
Now if I was working on my own, not in a team of sighted developers, I
probably wouldn't be using UML. However it is useable by blind people.
In the end UML is pretty much a defacto standard in most software
development teams so its another one of those things we just have to put
up with. It can be useful though, The project I work on is upwards of
100000 lines of C++. A project that size would be hard to manage with
out something like UML.
Just my thoughts.
Thanks.
Nick.
Nick Adamson
Software Engineer
General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited
Bryn Brithdir, Oakdale Business Park, Blackwood, South Wales, NP12 4AA
Telephone: +44 (0)1495 23 6467
Email: Nick.Adamson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website: www.generaldynamics.uk.com
To help reduce waste paper, please only print this email if you really
need to.
-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of RicksPlace
Sent: 06 May 2011 10:44
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: UML tool
Hi Inthane: I Googled UML just to see what it was about. It seems a
FlowChartting tool of sorts. Is that what it is or is there more to it?
What
features are the UML folks looking for?
I am just curious since I know how to plod around the VS IDE a little.
Rick USA
----- Original Message -----
From: "inthane" <inthaneelf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 2:03 AM
Subject: Re: UML tool
> *sigh* once again this is done in dot net, part appears to be done in
> vb.net and another section seems to be in C#.net
>
> inthane
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stanzel, Susan - Kansas City, MO" <susan.stanzel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 5:30 AM
> Subject: RE: UML tool
>
>
> Hi Elf,
>
> What language is this written in? I am really starting to do work in
Java
> and am very interested in being able to do things others can do with a
> snap of their finger.
>
> Susie Stanzel
> Programmer United States Department of Agriculture in Kansas City,
> Missouri
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jamal
Mazrui
> Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 5:32 AM
> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: inthane
> Subject: Re: UML tool
>
> Hi Elf,
> If it's not a large archive, we found that the list could accept
> attachments. Otherwise, can you post it on a public URL on the Grab
Bag
> site?
>
> Jamal
>
>
> On 5/5/2011 5:45 AM, inthane wrote:
>> ok must have been to large for someone's filters somewhere along the
>> line, I'll set it up for ftp transfer tomorrow and let you grab it if
>> you still want it,
>> elf
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> *From:* E.J. Zufelt <mailto:lists@xxxxxxxxx>
>> *To:* programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> <mailto:programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 04, 2011 10:31 PM
>> *Subject:* Re: UML tool
>>
>> Nope, didn't get it.
>>
>>
>> Everett Zufelt
>> http://zufelt.ca
>>
>> Follow me on Twitter
>> http://twitter.com/ezufelt
>>
>> View my LinkedIn Profile
>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt
>>
>>
>>
>> On 2011-05-04, at 10:25 PM, inthane wrote:
>>
>>> I'm not entirely sure but it was being done in dot net, either
C#
>>> or VB or both
>>> I sent it to you, did you not get it?
>>> elf
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> *From:*E.J. Zufelt <mailto:lists@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> *To:*programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> <mailto:programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> *Sent:*Tuesday, May 03, 2011 2:36 PM
>>> *Subject:*Re: UML tool
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Do you know what language the tool was being developed in
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Everett Zufelt
>>> http://zufelt.ca
>>>
>>> Follow me on Twitter
>>> http://twitter.com/ezufelt
>>>
>>> View my LinkedIn Profile
>>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2011-05-03, at 4:16 PM, inthane wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have the files for a partially worked up UML tool someone
>>>> was fabricating and had gotten working, but it does need
more
>>>> work, would you like a copy.
>>>> the originator became to ill to continue and left it with
me
>>>> to distribute to anyone interested in working on it.
>>>> let me know,
>>>> elf
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> *From:*E.J. Zufelt <mailto:lists@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> *To:*programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> <mailto:programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>> *Sent:*Tuesday, May 03, 2011 5:43 AM
>>>> *Subject:*UML tool
>>>>
>>>> Good morning,
>>>>
>>>> I am wondering if anyone knows of a UML tool that is
>>>> accessible with a screen-reader on Windows, OS X, or
gnome.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Everett Zufelt
>>>> http://zufelt.ca
>>>>
>>>> Follow me on Twitter
>>>> http://twitter.com/ezufelt
>>>>
>>>> View my LinkedIn Profile
>>>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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