UML drawing tool

[dpatriarche]

Cadifra UML Editor[^] is a nice lightweight UML diagramming tool. Cadifra diagrams can be OLE embedded in Office docs. The XML output is simple and clear -- it only took me a half a day to write a code generator from the output of Cadifra's FSM mode. Regards, Doug

[geoffs]

Yeah, I'll second Enterprise Architect. Pricewise it is pretty reasonable and you do get a lot of capability. Yes, there are things about it that bug me but there's nothing there that's a deal breaker. I used to use Rational Rose, and while it too is quite capable, it was buggy as all heck.

[Johann Gerell]

Haven't tried it yet, but tangible modelling tools[^] at least looks nice.

-- Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time - Bertrand Russel

[urbane tiger]

I'm using Cadifra UML Editor, it gets the job done. Gave up on EA as is too cumbersome, buggy, bloated etc, gave up on RR for similar reasons. I'm not sure that Cadifra would suit large corporate environment, but its good for individuals or small loosely coupled teams (e.g. working on an open source project). I use OOo instead of Office, Cadifra works fine within it too. Was thinking of trying StarUML and or BOUML, but after reading Ed Corazon's response maybe I wont. If one has to fight with the tool one is using then a) one is liable to injure oneself and b) one is probably using the wrong tool - Cadira has it's limitations but I don't feel I'm fighting it.

[jonty2]

For free it's hard to beat StarUML. http://www.staruml.com/[^] It's C++ reverse engineering I have to say is pretty darn good (which is something about it that interests me. Dunno know what you might be interested in). General UML functions are fine.

[SanderSaares]

I hate that monster! The features are good but the usability is rubbish. Of course, fiding a good alternative is difficult, since most others don't offer either of the two (usability + features). However, after a month of searching, I found Visual Paradigm for UML, which is much better from a usability standpoint and still offers good features. I recommend it.

[benjymous]

I always use Word - Especially Word 2007, which seems to have had lots of extra niceties (like arrows snapping to the sides of boxes, and moving in unison when you rearrange stuff)

-- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit! Buzzwords!

[v6Max]

Hmm don't know about when you tried it but the reverse engineering doesn't like any classes that use generics which is a bit of a showstopper for me.

drummer -> photographer -> track day addict

[Stuart Dootson]

BoUML[^] - the price is right...

[RealNMN]

StarUML on sourceforge.net

[Jay B]

I have use and evaluated many UML CASE tools and for the money my vote is on Enterprise Architect from www.sparxsystems.com.au. If you are looking for a free tool take a look at poseidon for uml

Jay Springfield, IL

[Wauna]

I too, am in the process of trying to locate a UML tool. I have used tried Visio, StarUML and UMLPad. I have been trying a free tool called UMLPad. It's very basic, but does the basics pretty well. It's very portable, and does not require an install, and can convert to images for inserting into emails or design documents. To my knowledge, it does not do any reverse engineering, or code generation. It's really a step above pen and paper, but for some that is what is needed. I also tried StarUML for a bit. It is a step above UMLPad and offers many more features. To be honest, I'm the kind of person that just wants to get the job done and I found that with UMLPad I was faster. StarUML does have many more features though that might be a closer match for what you are looking for. I also used visio for a short time. I didn't pay for it though. When the time elapsed and I needed to shell out the money, I just couldn't do it. The free options just seemed to make more sense. Hope that helps, ~ Wauna? ~

[Mustafa Ismail Mustafa]

Shog9 wrote:

The severed heads of those who oppose me.

Have you been taking your feel good sweets Josh? :~

"Every time Lotus Notes starts up, somewhere a puppy, a kitten, a lamb, and a baby seal are killed. Lotus Notes is a conspiracy by the forces of Satan to drive us over the brink into madness. The CRC-32 for each file in the installation includes the numbers 666." Gary Wheeler "The secret to a long and healthy life is simple. Don't get ill and don't die." Pete O'Hanlon, courtesy of Rama "I realised that all of my best anecdotes started with "So there we were, pissed". Pete O'Hanlon

[Andy Brummer]

To crush your enemies -- See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women! That or the satisfaction of charting out a well designed database schema in UML.

This blanket smells like ham

[User 3959169]

I have played around with several tools, and I have an aversion to buying software unless I absolutely cannot find something open source. I used StarUML, but wasn't overly please with its functionality on the round-trip for c#. I settled on the topcoder UML tool, works well with Java and C# [^]

[Ernest Laurentin]

I'll recommend it as well

God bless, Ernest Laurentin

[Steve Floyd]

I've used Computer Associates - ERwin Data Modeler for many years. It is fairly buggy and UI is weak, but I've learned what not to do and can whip-out diagrams in no time. It's really good at reverse engineering an existing DB.

[rikimaru55]

If you work with Java, i really recommend JUDE Community, really nifty, it generates Java Classes, and does a lot of other diagrams like Sequence, Use Case, etc... :)

[leJuan]

i second that!

[Kent K]

Some previous Q and A's here on codeproject.