Re: Newbie: Generating a class dictionary from a class diagram?

Hi Kevin.

There is an XSLT sample in the argouml file sharing area that does XMI 
to HTML conversion. I have not checked it with later versions of ArgoUML 
but it worked for 0.20 and I don't think there are any major differences.
See: 
http://argouml.tigris.org/servlets/ProjectDocumentList?folderID=18&expandFolder=18&folderID=18

I don't think you will be able to generate from the suggested notes. 
Instead you should use the documentation tab and fill it in. ArgoUML 
supports entering documentation for every single model element. That is, 
even for individual arguments for operations. Notes are (last time I 
checked) only available for classes.

A few years back I frequently used notes on class models but my 
experience is that they only clutter your diagrams that should be packed 
with details anyway. So keep documentation where it should be and 
generate the dictionary.

The major drawback by doing like this is that you can only write text in 
the descriptions. Sometimes you need to express things more clearly than 
you can with words. In sweden, and perhaps elsewhere, there is an old 
saying that "a picture says more than a thousand words". Sure, if you 
write a thousand words noone will read it. Draw a nice picture and most 
may catch your intention with the class.

I can highly recommend reading the following:
http://knol.google.com/k/leon-starr/how-to-write-useful-class-descriptions/2hnjef6cmm97l/8

/Leif


Mark Fortner wrote:

>There's a seed project called ArgoPrint which aims to make
>documentation generation easier.  If you're familiar with XSLTs then
>you should be able to put together an XSLT that generates the class
>dictionary you're looking for.
>
>Regards,
>
>Mark
>
>On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 9:55 AM, Zembower, Kevin <[email protected]> wrote:
>  
>
>>If I understand the philosophy of UML programs like ArgoUML correctly, they help keep all documentation synchronized by letting you generate one type of document from another. My instructor in Object Oriented Analysis and Design requires a class diagram and a class dictionary for the next part of our project. I've done the class diagram in ArgoUML (0.26). Can ArgoUML automatically generate a class dictionary consisting of class name and short definition, if I put the definition in a note attached to the class? Any other suggested ways of doing this?
>>
>>Thanks in advance for your suggestions and advice.
>>
>>-Kevin
>>
>>
>>Kevin Zembower
>>Internet Services Group manager
>>Center for Communication Programs
>>Bloomberg School of Public Health
>>Johns Hopkins University
>>111 Market Place, Suite 310
>>Baltimore, Maryland  21202
>>410-659-6139
>>
>>
>>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
>>For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
>
>  
>