Diagrams and the system model

Diagrams are the visual blueprints for software systems. Together is a tool for modeling such systems and implementing them in any of several supported programming languages. It is unique in its capabilities for synchronizing a system's visual representation with the source code that implements it.
Together supports the following basic UML-defined diagram types:

 

	Class diagram
	Use Case diagram
	Sequence diagram
	Collaboration diagram
	State diagram

In addition to UML diagrams, the Coad notation is also supported in the form of switchable options:

	Coad Class diagram	(A view of Class diagram)
	Coad Scenario	(A view of Sequence diagram)

 

This chapter presents an overview of the basics for creating and working with diagrams using Together's visual modeling tools. The topics covered here apply generally to all the supported diagram types. Subsequent chapters each cover issues related to a specific type of diagram.

Creating diagrams

You generally work with diagrams in the context of a Project. There are a number of ways you can create new diagrams in a Project.

The  "top-level" diagram

One diagram is automatically created when you create a Project (see Getting Started: Chapter 2. Projects). This is a Class diagram and it is often referred to as the top-level diagram of the Project. You can either make this diagram an actual Class diagram with new or imported classes or packages, or simply a container with icons for the Packages that contain your main Class diagrams.

Options for creating new diagrams

You have a number of options for creating new diagrams. The option(s) you choose will largely depend on where you happen to be focused in the Object Model Browser.
 

	Main menu	Choose File | New Diagram... to create a new diagram in the current Package
	Navigation pane	In the Directory tab, use the context menu of any Package icon in the tree to create a new diagram in that Package (the default) or another Package (specify in the New Diagram dialog).
	Hyperlink To tab	Choose New Diagram... from the context menu of this tab in the Inspector.

All the above options display the New Diagram... dialog where you specify the diagram name and type (click the link for details).

Related Information: Getting Started Chapter 2: What's in a Project?

Constructing diagrams visually

When you create a new diagram, the Diagram pane presents an empty diagram background. You must place icons for Nodes, Notes, etc. on the background and draw Links between them in accordance with the requirements of your system model. The main tools you use in constructing diagrams are:
 

	Diagram Toolbars	Place icons for Nodes and Links on the diagram background. (See Creating Nodes and Creating Links in this section).
	Diagram context menu	Show hidden objects, manage the layout, control Zoom, configure diagram Options, update diagrams and hyperlinks
	Icon context menus	The context menus of the various node and link icons provide functions specific to the icon such as adding and deleting members (or the icon itself), cut-copy-paste, quick hiding and sizing, link routing, browse, and more.  These menus are documented in: User Reference: Context menus.
	Inspector tabs	Edit properties, create hyperlinks to diagrams and files, edit project and source code comments.

Related information: Getting Started Chapter 3
 

Creating Nodes

Node refers to a package, class, interface, state, use case, etc. The Toolbar for the current diagram presents the nodes available for the diagram type. For information about diagram Toolbars, see User Reference: Toolbars.

To create a node in the diagram:

1. Click the toolbar button for the node you want (the button remains depressed)
2. Click the desired location in the Diagram pane. The new node icon is placed on the diagram at the point you click.

Creating members

Where nodes can contain members, you can create these using commands on the node icon's context menu. For example, the Class node icon's context menu has New Attribute and New Operation commands that visually create these members in the node (and add declarations to source code).

Creating links

Link refers to an association, aggregation, dependency, message, etc.  The Toolbar for the current diagram presents the links available for the diagram type. For information about diagram Toolbars, see User Reference: Toolbars.

To create links between nodes:

1. Click on a link icon on the Toolbar
2. Click on the first node in the linkage (link source)
3. Drag the link to the second node in the linkage (link destination) and drop it there.
If the second node is not easily accessible, drop on the diagram background to display the Choose Link Destination dialog.  This dialog lists all the nodes on the diagram. Choose one of these to make it the link destination, and click OK to create the link.

Some links are valid only between specific types of nodes. For details see User Reference: Links.

Annotating diagrams

All the diagram Toolbars have Note and Note link buttons that place Note and Note Link icons on the diagram. The Note icon can be used to create free floating notes, or Note Link can be used in conjunction to link notes to other nodes in the diagram. Notes are automatically included when you generate or print system documentation. The text of notes linked to Class diagram elements does not appear in source code. Use the Doc tab of the Inspector to enter source code comments, or enter them directly through the Text pane.
 

Tips for diagram construction

	Using Undo	From the main menu, choose Edit | Undo or press Ctrl + Z  to undo the last change you made to the diagram.  Undo works with changes that affect the visual diagram, layout of nodes, adding of attributes and operations, etc. Undo does not work when the change to the diagram involves the creating or renaming a file or directory (creating and renaming classes, interfaces or packages for example).
	Deleting icons	To delete an icon on the diagram, select the icon and press the <Del> key (or choose Delete from its context menu).
	In-place editing	You can edit the name property of nodes and members in place. (Click once to select the label, then again to activate editing.) For Attributes and Operations you can type in either the full declaration statement or the element name only. The declaration must be full correct syntax for the project's target language.

 

Managing diagram layout

Together makes it easy to manage simple or complex diagrams with automated layout features that optimize the diagram layout for viewing or printing. You can also create your own diagram layout.

Using the automated layout features

The Diagram (background) context menu provides access to the automated layout optimization features with the following commands:
 

	Layout All positions all diagram elements automatically according to the Layout options settings.
	Layout All for Printing positions nodes within page borders. Use Print options to display the print grid.
	Layout Selected, Layout Selected for Printing repositions only selected nodes.

 

Creating your own layout

You can create your own layout by selecting and moving single or multiple diagram elements. You can...
• Select a single node and drag it to a new position
• Select multiple nodes and drag them as a group to a new position.
You can select multiple nodes in either of two ways:
• Select individual nodes by holding down <Ctrl> and clicking on each node (use this method for non-contiguous nodes)

Click on the diagram background and drag the dotted selection rectangle around multiple nodes and drag any one of the nodes in the selected group to move all of the selected nodes.

Resizing node icons

Drag the lower corner of a node icon to the desired size.  Choose Actual Size from the icon's context menu to restore the original size. Manually resized node icons return to the automatically optimized size when their contents change, e.g. when members are added or deleted.

Changing a link's routing

You can alter the routing of a link's line by selecting the link icon, and dragging any point on it in any direction. To remove bending points created this way, select Route Links from the context menu of either connected node icon.

Changing link destination

To change the destination node of a link:
1. Select the link
2. Drag the destination end point of the link to the new destination node.
Alternatively, drop the end point to the diagram background and select the target from the Choose Link Destination dialog (see Creating Links).
In the same ways you can change the source node of a link. The dialog appearing in such a case has the title Change Link Source.

Common diagram operations

Saving diagrams

Whenever you make changes to diagrams you can save the changes using the File menu commands:

• Save - saves the current diagram
• Save All - saves all opened diagrams
Saving a diagram automatically saves a  Metafile  (with the extension .wmf), containing a graphical snapshot of the diagram, in the same folder.

Printing diagrams

Before printing you may want to configure global or local print options.

To configure global printing options:

1. From the main menu bar, choose Edit | Global Options to display the Together Options dialog.
2. Select the Print tab and configure settings as desired.
To configure printing options for the current diagram:
1. Choose Diagram Options from the Diagram context to display the Diagram Options dialog.
2. Select the Print tab and configure settings as desired.
 

To print the current diagram: choose File | Print...  to display the standard operating system print dialog.

To print all diagrams in the project: see Printing System Documentation below.

See Getting Started, Chapter 5, Options Dialog Box for information about configuring options. For reference information on the Print tab, see Diagram Options - Print tab
 

TIP	If you are running Together under Windows, set your printer's True Type Fonts property to Print As Graphics in Font tab of the Windows Printers dialog before printing diagrams.

 

Printing system documentation

You can generate and print documentation for the current diagram or for all diagrams in the current Project. You can direct output to your printer, or specify one or more HTML files to contain the generated documentation. You can print/generate only text (i.e., system specifications), or both text and graphics. In the latter case, diagrams are written out to .gif files hyperlinked from the HTML files.

To generate and/or print system documentation:

1. Choose Tools | Generate Documentation.
2. Set up print or file options as described in the Generate Documentation dialog topic.
3. Click OK to print documentation or generate files (depending on your choices in step 2).

Viewing diagrams

When you open a project, the top-level diagram for Project package displays automatically in the Diagram pane of the Object Model Browser.

To open other existing diagrams, select the diagram's icon/filename in the Navigation pane and choose Browse or Browse in New Window from the Diagram icon's context menu. (These commands are also available on the context menu of Package icons in a package or class diagram.)

You can view diagrams that are hyperlinked to the current diagram (or a selected diagram element) by using the Hyperlink To tab in the Inspector. Select the diagram background or element and the go to the Hyperlink To tab.

When a diagram becomes too large to view in the Diagram pane, you can use the Overview tab on the Navigation pane to navigate quickly around the diagram.

TIP	Use the Find... dialog  to search for text within the diagram. Select the background and choose Edit | Find from the Main menu.

 

Configuring diagram Options...

You can set a number of options that affect the display and printing of diagrams, such as diagram notation, orientation, etc.

To configure options for the current diagram:

1. Choose Diagram Options from the diagram context menu
2. Set options in the Diagram Options dialog as desired.
To understand the impact of setting Diagram Options, see Getting Started, Chapter 5. Configuring Options.

Chapter contents

Diagrams and the System Model
Creating diagrams

"Top-level" diagram
Options for creating new diagrams

Constructing diagrams visually

Creating Nodes

Creating Members

Creating Links
Annotating Diagrams
Tips for diagram construction

Managing diagram layouts

Using the automated layout features
Creating your own layout
Resizing Node icons
Changing Link routing
Changing Link destination

Common diagram operations

Saving diagrams
Printing diagrams

Printing system documentation


Viewing diagrams
Configuring diagram options

 

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