Which you think is the best class design tool for .net?

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+2 Q:

Which you think is the best class design tool for .net?

Do you use visual studio's class diagram generator? Or, do you suggest any other better tool?

The main features I'm expecting out of such a tool are:

Ability to generate C#/VB.net code skeletons
Ability to reverse engineer C#/VB.net code (Ability to update class diagram if I modified my source code)
Integration with Visual Studio, if possible
SVN integration (To keep track of the changes in the class diagram)

I am using the built-in class designer. It's specialized for .NET code, has all the features you mentioned and worked quite well in any cases I experienced.

OregonGhost 2008-09-28 15:12:29

+1 A:

I just use code. I see no reason for any 'class designer'.

I don't understand what the rest of your list has to do with what you are asking either.

Visual Studio
Reflector

3/4. Ankh SVN

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:13:06

The rest of the list is the feature list Vijesh expects from the class designer.

OregonGhost 2008-09-28 15:14:56

@OregonGhost: Yes I gathered that. It still makes no sense.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:16:08

1 and 2 mean that the designer should work both ways (i.e. changes in the diagram are reflected in code and vice versa) and 4 means that the class diagram should be in a SVN-friendly format.

OregonGhost 2008-09-28 15:17:09

@OregonGhost: Again, I think you miss the point.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:17:52

Rich, I'm basically looking out for a tool which could help me to generate class diagrams during design phase. Once I'm done with the class design I want to generate the code skeletons out of the diagram, so that I can add further logic into my classes.

Vijesh VP 2008-09-28 15:18:14

@ Rich: Huh? Then tell me what Reflector and Ankh SVN have to do with a class designer tool?

OregonGhost 2008-09-28 15:19:10

@OregonGhost: There is no tool for what he wants. Except VS. And both integrate into VS. Therefore he wants what I provide in my answer.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:25:30

@Vijesh: My list will enable you to do any of that.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:26:09

@Rich: So you provide some random tools that integrate into VS, because Vijesh wants a class designer tool that integrates into VS and plays well with SVN?

OregonGhost 2008-09-28 15:28:46

@ Rich: Just to make my point clear, "reverse engineering source code" in the context of a class deisgn tool means the ability to update class diagram if I modified my source code.

Vijesh VP 2008-09-28 15:32:29

@OregonGhost: Again, I don't think you understand the train of thought here. Integrating source control into a class designer is silly. Using the SVN integration in VS that will store the class files it generates is correct. Everything he needs is in VS or in my list.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:32:57

@Vijesh: Sure, and VS class designer does that for you. Problem solved.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:33:33

@OregonGhost: Please explain where you answered his list since you seem to be so critical of mine.

Geoffrey Chetwood 2008-09-28 15:34:07

Your list is fine, but Vijesh didn't want a decompiler and he didn't want to integrate SVN with the class designer, nor an SVN tool. He wanted the class designer to be easily used with SVN, i.e. have text files that can be diffed. Your point 1 (VS) alone is the answer to questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 :)

OregonGhost 2008-10-01 20:26:40

Wow, it's hard to say so much with just 300 characters.Anyway. Guess in the end we both meant the same ;)

OregonGhost 2008-10-01 20:27:18

+2 A:

The only thing which I use from such tools is a nice, generated Diagram to present. I won't ever use something like this to generate sourcecode.

MADMap 2008-09-28 15:15:36

+7 A:

A whiteboard and peer developers.

Translating that into code is a reasonably straightforward task, in my experience. The downside of this with traditional whiteboards is that even if you take a photo, it's hard to edit later. Ideally I'd like a digital whiteboard for this kind of thing.

The tactile, ad hoc, not-on-a-monitor nature of it is quite important to me though. In particular, because I'm not constrained by UML etc, I can express the important concepts and talk through them with other developers, potentially adding extra relationship types which aren't normally covered by tools but which are important in the design.

Jon Skeet 2008-09-28 15:15:45

If you are after a low cost / free option, I like StarUML. It has a few missing features but is great for class diagrams. It has the facility to create the code too but, like other people who have answered, I prefer to create the code myself.

Having said that, I usually start out on a Whiteboard or a pad of paper.

BlackWasp 2008-09-28 15:17:58

We use Sparx System's Enterprise Architect for creating UML diagrams of classes, and generating code. (Not for c# but I believe it can). It can do the forward and reverse generation.

Douglas Leeder 2008-09-28 15:18:37

+1 A:

I have used the CRC Card approach described by Cunningham / Beck and many others for a number of years. Works well. Its fast, flexible and allows me to make progress quickly

http://c2.com/doc/oopsla89/paper.html

Thomas Wagner 2008-09-28 15:21:19

I would recommend using a pen and paper or a white board because of the ease of use and the fact that you do not have any constraints. but in case you wish to have a tool on your computer I would recommended Visual Paradigm solution for UML modeling with visual studio integration.

Dror Helper 2008-09-28 15:24:32

I use Visio for Enterprise Architects. It doesn't have SVN integration though.

Robert S. 2008-09-28 15:45:45

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Which you think is the best class design tool for .net?

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