Tools?

[Jason Kretzer]

What tools do you use to generate your code and UML? I understand there are several out there and was wondering if you could share your thoughts or tell what is used in the book?
Best Regards,

[Pradeep bhatt]

You can use IDE like JDeveloper,Eclipse for writing code.
For UML, you can use Rational rose.

[David O'Meara]

There are a couple of free plug-ins for eclipse. I use the Omondo plugin and it's not too bad. I cut my teeth years ago on TogetherJ and nothing compares (still!!) but it's expensive. There is a TogetherJ plugin for Eclipse too, but I haven't tried that one.
Dave

[iain skelton]

i agree eclipse is a good development tool but think that rational rose is quite a complex UML tool to get started in.
maybe try UML studio instead. I found it much easier.

[Jason Kretzer]

Sorry, I meant to address this to the author of the book. I appreciate your replies as well. I personally prefer Dia for uml. Although some IDE's I have used also include UML and code generation:
BlueJ
Eclipse(with Omondo)
jGrasp
Eclipse is by far the best of the three though.

[Michael Cleary]

If you use Linux, Umbrello is a good UML Modeller, especially for beginners like me!
http://uml.sourceforge.net/index.php
The current stable version covers Class, Sequence, Collaboration, Use Case, State and Activity Diagrams.
And, it's free of course...

[Dave Hewy]

Does anyone know of a decent UML modelling/diagramming tool for Windows based systems?
And on that very same subject, is there a plugin for Eclipse?
Dave

[Jason Kretzer]

For the Eclipse plugin, google for Omondo and you will find it there. As for the other, Dia is available for windows. Visio is also nice but is very large and capable of doing so much more( good or bad? your choice ).
Best Regards,

[Pradeep bhatt]

Here is the link
http://www.omondo.com/

[Jacquie Barker]

The choice of tools that one uses is indeed quite a personal matter! I tend to err on the side of simplicity, because in my many years of developing software, I've been "burned" several times by buggy IDEs that have corrupted my projects.
One important factor in choosing an IDE, in my opinion, is making sure to choose a tool that doesn't force vendor-proprietary solutions into your application. To use the analogy of a cake baking, if we were to ask three master chefs to each produce a "Death by Chocolate" cake, each would choose his/her favorite tool to mix the batter: one might use a super deluxe commercial mixer; one might use a hand-held mixer; and one might use an old-fashioned wooden spoon. But, when sampling the three cakes, we should not be able to tell what tools were used -- that is, there should be no telltale wooden splinters or metal shavings in the result!
I tend to choose the simplest tool that will get the job done; sometimes, that's simply the vi editor! ) In producing the UML portion of my book, I used a VERY OLD version of a free demo copy of Rational Rose.
The great thing about developing in Java is the wide variety of free software tools available! Please visit my website, http://objectstart.com, for a list of reader-recommended UML tools and Java IDEs. I'd be delighted to hear your recommendations, as well.
Regards,
Jacquie

Originally posted by Jason Kretzer:
What tools do you use to generate your code and UML? I understand there are several out there and was wondering if you could share your thoughts or tell what is used in the book?
Best Regards,

[Fintan Conway]

I use a tool called Enterprise Architect - it does what Rational Rose does and more and is 1/10th the cost!

[Jason Kretzer]

Originally posted by Jacquie Barker:
because in my many years of developing software, I've been "burned" several times by buggy IDEs that have corrupted my projects.

Same thing happened to me with J++. It was not pretty to fix.

Originally posted by Jacquie Barker:
One important factor in choosing an IDE, in my opinion, is making sure to choose a tool that doesn't force vendor-proprietary solutions into your application.

See above.

Originally posted by Jacquie Barker:
The great thing about developing in Java is the wide variety of free software tools available! Please visit my website, http://objectstart.com, for a list of reader-recommended UML tools and Java IDEs.

Thanks for the link, I will. I have tried to stay away from big IDE's because they usually suffer from 'feature overkill.' Or they want you to use their special directory structure or your projects won't compile and any number of other odd things. Which is why I keep going back to using Visual SlickEdit for coding. To me, it has just the right combination of features and simplicity. UML is almost always done on Dia. Again, very simple and no feature overkill.
Best Regards,
[ October 15, 2003: Message edited by: Jason Kretzer ]

[Jason Kretzer]

Jacquie,
The link you posted was broken. Here is the actual link for everyone.
http://www.objectstart.com
Best Regards,
[ October 15, 2003: Message edited by: Jason Kretzer ]

[Pradeep bhatt]

Jacquie,
Which tool are you using for UML diagrams?

[Jason Kretzer]

Here you go Pradeep.

Originally posted by Jacquie Barker:
In producing the UML portion of my book, I used a VERY OLD version of a free demo copy of Rational Rose.

Best Regards,

[Dirk Schreckmann]

Moving this to the IDEs and Other Tools forum..

[Dan Kehn]

Originally posted by Jason Kretzer:
I have tried to stay away from big IDE's because they usually suffer from 'feature overkill.' Or they want you to use their special directory structure or your projects won't compile and any number of other odd things. Which is why I keep going back to using Visual SlickEdit for coding.

You probably already know but just in case FYI... SlickEdit ships a VSE Eclipse Plug-in. I helped them enable it as part of our Eclipse ISV enablement program (AKA, "Jumpstart"). In the end, their developers took quite a liking to the Eclipse / VSE combo. Believe me, convincing their CTO, Clark Maury, to integrate VSE with Eclipse was no small matter. He's now an enthusiastic Eclipse supporter.
-- Dan

[Jason Kretzer]

I have heard of it but have not tried it yet. Does it make Eclipse behave like VSE as far as projects and directory structure go?
Best Regards,

[Dan Kehn]

No, the VSE Eclipse plug-in adopts similar views and behaviors of the Eclipse environment rather than provide its own. It does provide its own Outline view that shows a more literal view of resources, similar to the "normal" VSE. The target market is for Eclipse developers seeking a more powerful editor with macro capability and former VSE developers who want to try an IDE w/o giving up what they've learned to rely on editing-wise.
It was my job to help them make it as seamless as possible. I think SlickEdit did a good job of blending the best of both environments, given the time allotted. Some of their developers came to prefer the Eclipse / VSE combo. Of course, they were summarily fired (*).
-- Dan
(*) Just kidding Clark!!!