Help with workflow: Use Case to Class Diagram

Regarding VP-UML 6.0 Professional Build sp1_20070420
On Mac OS X 10.4.9

I am using the following work flow which seems to work very well, except for two steps where I have to copy and paste or manually recreate existing data.

Current development workflow.

  1. Create Use Case Diagram.
  2. Fill in all Use Case Details.
  3. Create Textual Analysis as a sub-diagram from Use Case Details.
    • Getting the details text into Textual Analysis seems to require a copy, paste and formatting from Use Case Details.

Question: Is there a way to create a new Textual Analysis based on a selected Use Case Detail and automatically copy the detail text?

  1. Create classes in Textual Analysis.
  2. Create Actions in Textual Analysis which will become class methods.
  3. Create Class and Action models.
  4. Create Class diagram.
    • Classes can be dragged from Model to Diagram.
    • Actions can be dragged from Model to Diagram, but not to a class.
    • Class Operations must be created manually.
    • Operation details must be copied and pasted from Actions to Operations via the Properties pane, Documentation tab.

Question: Is there a way to add Operations to a Class by dragging Actions from the Model onto a Class or other method?

  1. Complete Class diagram in all detail.
  2. Generate code from Class diagram.
  3. Continue developing code outside VP-UML

If you could advise me on how to overcome the manual steps in the questions above or a better work flow, that would be very much appreciated.

If there currently is no way to accomplish what I have described, please consider an enhancement request.

Regards,

-Glen

Hello gihrig,

Thank you for your post.

Question: Is there a way to create a new Textual Analysis based on a selected Use Case Detail and automatically copy the detail text?

I tried your steps, the text written in use case detail will be brought to the textual analysis. (see attached image)

Question: Is there a way to add Operations to a Class by dragging Actions from the Model onto a Class or other method?

Actually operation and actor are in two different levels. Action cannot be an operation. But we are now considering to support identifying operation and attribute from textual analysis.

Best regards,
Jick

use-case-detail-to-textual-analysis.png

Hi Jick,

Thanks for looking into this. I am not getting the same results as you.

I have also tried these steps on Windows XP with VP-UML ver 6.0 (Build sp1_20070324) and still, no text.

In exact detail, this is what I did, with the same results (no text) on Mac and Windows.

  1. Open VP-UML and Close the current project, then close VP-UML.
  2. Open VP-UML.
  3. Create a new project
    • File New Project
    • Project name “Test”
    • Create Blank Project
  4. Create a new Use Case diagram
    • Right click Use Case Diagram in Diagram Navigator
    • Select New Use Case Diagram
  5. Drag a System onto the canvas
  6. Drag an Actor onto the canvas
  7. Drag an Association Use Case from the Actor’s Resource Centric to the System
  8. Open Use Case Details
    • Right Click the use case
    • Select Use Case Details
    • Leave all settings at default and click OK
  9. Create Flow of Events
    • Click the Description tab
    • Enter text into Actor Input field
    • Press Tab
    • Enter text into System Response field
  10. Create Textual Analysis diagram
  • Click Diagrams tab
  • Click Add button
  • Select Textual Analysis, a new Textual Analysis is created.
  • Click the Open button at the bottom of the screen
  • The Textual Analysis window opens, showing three empty window panes, just as a new Textual Analysis, not associated with a Use Case would.

Have I missed something?

Remember I have tried this on Windows as well as the Mac, so I don’t think it likely that there would be a problem with my installation.

What do you recommend next?

I have attached the sample project file in case it may be helpful.

Regards,

-Glen
Test.vpp

HI Jick,

Regarding the question about creating Operations and Attributes.

But we are now considering to support identifying operation and attribute from textual analysis.

That would be wonderful, it is exactly what is needed!

Regards,

-Glen

Hello Glen,

Thank you for the detailed instruction. Actually, I was creating the textual analysis through the cascade menu of the use case shape. Please read the attached image.

But I think your path make sense, in fact, much intuitive. I will ask our engineers to support that path as well. Thanks for your post.

Best regards,
Jick

Actually, I was creating the textual analysis through the cascade menu of the use case shape. Please read the attached image.

I did not see an image attached… But I presume you were referring to:

  1. Right-Click Use Case shape in Use Case Diagram
  2. Select Sub Diagrams
  3. Select Textual Analysis

This did work as expected, Thank you.

I do agree that creating a Textual Analysis from the Use Case Details/Diagrams screen is the more intuitive way. This should be a useful addition to VP-UML.

Thanks again for your help on this.

-Glen

Hello Glen,

You got what I meant. :slight_smile:

Best regards,
Jick

Dear gihrig,

The problem you reported about missing use case detail content in textual analysis is fixed. I will send you a patch shortly.

Best regards,
Jick

Hello gihrig,

Here is the patch:
http://files3.visual-paradigm.com/200705/Patch/sp1_20070421n/vpplatform.jar

Hope this can help. Have a nice weekend!

Best regards,
Jick

Hello Jick,

I installed the patch, it works perfectly!

Thanks,

-Glen

Hello Glen,

From the other posts you created, I believe that you are already using Service Pack 2. But I still wanted to let you know that you can run the updater inside $vp-suite-install-dir/bin to advance to the latest release of Service Pack. Because you were using a patch, upgrading to the latest stable release is preferred.

Best regards,
Jick