Chapter 1. StarUML Overview

This chapter contains a general overview of StarUML™. Included are brief overviews of StarUML™ and UML, and outlines of StarUML™¡¯s new features and overall organization.

What is StarUML

StarUML™ is a software modeling platform that supports UML (Unified Modeling Language). It is based on UML version 1.4 and provides eleven different types of diagram, and it accepts UML 2.0 notation. It actively supports the MDA (Model Driven Architecture) approach by supporting the UML profile concept. StarUML™ excels in customizability to the user¡¯s environment and has a high extensibility in its functionality. Using StarUML™, one of the top leading software modeling tools, will guarantee to maximize the productivity and quality of your software projects.

UML Tool that Adapts to the User

StarUML™ provides maximum customization to the user¡¯s environment by offering customizing variables that can be applied in the user¡¯s software development methodology, project platform, and language.

True MDA Support

Software architecture is a critical process that can reach 10 years or more into the future. The intention of the OMG (Object Management Group) is to use MDA (Model Driven Architecture) technology to create platform independent models and allow automatic acquisition of platform dependent models or codes from platform independent models. StarUML™ truly complies with UML 1.4 standards, UML 2.0 notation and provides the UML Profile concept, allowing creation of platform independent models. Users can easily obtain their end products through simple template document.

Excellent Extensibility and Flexibility

StarUML™ provides excellent extensibility and flexibility. It provides Add-In frameworks for extending the functionality of the tool. It is designed to allow access to all functions of the model/meta-model and tool through COM Automation, and it provides extension of menu and option items. Also, users can create their own approaches and frameworks according to their methodologies. The tool can also be integrated with any external tools.

Key Features

StarUML™ has the following new features.

Feature Description

Accurate UML standard model

StarUML™ strictly adheres to the UML standard specification specified by the OMG for software modeling. Considering the fact that the results of design information can reach 10 years or more into the future, dependence on vendor-specific irregular UML syntax and semantics can be quite risky. StarUML™ maximizes itself to order UML 1.4 standard and meaning, and it accepts UML 2.0 notation on the basis of robust meta model.

Open software model format

Unlike many existing products that manage their own legacy format models inefficiently, StarUML™ manages all files in the standard XML format. Codes written in easy-to-read structures and their formats can be changed conveniently by using the XML parser. Given the fact that XML is a world standard, this is certainly a great advantage, ensuring that the software models remain useful for more than a decade.

True MDA support

StarUML™ truly supports UML Profile. This maximizes extensibility of UML, making modeling of applications possible even in areas like finance, defense, e-business, insurance, and aeronautics. Truly Platform Independent Models (PIM) can be created, and Platform Specific Model (PSM) and executable codes can be automatically generated in any way.

Applicability of methodologies and platforms

StarUML™ manipulates the approach concept, creating environments that adapt to any methodologies/processes. Not only the application framework models for platforms like .NET and J2EE, but also basic structures of software models (e.g. 4+1 view-model, etc.) can be defined easily

Excellent extensibility

All functions of the StarUML™ tools are automated according to Microsoft COM. Any language which supports COM (Visual Basic Script, Java Script, VB, Delphi, C++, C#, VB.NET, Python, etc.) can be used to control StarUML™ or develop integrated Add-In elements.

Software model verification function

Users can make many mistakes during software modeling. Such mistakes can be very costly if left uncorrected until the final coding stage. In order to prevent this problem, StarUML™ automatically verifies the software model developed by the user, facilitating early discovery of errors, and allowing more faultless and complete software development.

Useful Add-Ins

StarUML™ includes many useful Add-Ins with various functionalities: it generates source codes in programming languages and converts source codes into models, imports Rational Rose files, exchanges model ing information with other tools using XMI, and supports design patterns. These Add-Ins offer additional reusability, productivity, flexibility and interoperability for the modeling information.

System Requirements

The following are the minimum system requirements for running StarUML™.