Visual Modeler in VS 6

Question

Till date I have used only VB6 Professional for developing apps.

But recently I have joined a company which owns VS 6 Enterprise (or some such version)

I was just exploring what is available in VS 6 Ent. and I found Visual Modeler.

The tutorial provided with it is not good enough.

I was wondering if there is any detailed tutorial(s) for Visual Modeler?

Is Visual Modeler a cut down version of Rational Rose?

I have never used such a tool for developing apps. What are the benefits of developing apps like this?

The document claims that one can speed up development and modifications of VB6 & VC++ 6 applications. How true is this claim?

My company also has Ration Rose 6.

Which is better Rational Rose 6 or Visual Modeler that comes with VS 6 Ent.?

Answer 1

Yes Visual Modeler is a cut down version of Rational Rose. However, I actually found it more usable than Rational Rose.

Modeling tools can be great for doing some analysis and design work, but do not get sucked into the idea of building apps by modelling and then using code gen to write the code. It is a pipe dream. And the claim that you speed up the modifications of legacy apps using these tools to me is a joke.

If you are only maintaining legacy apps why do you care about modelling tools anyway? Are you considering trying to reverse engineer the code into a model to try and understand the structure. If so I wouldn't bother. You will probably get more understanding in less time with pencil and paper.

If you really want a modelling tool that is easy to use and will not break the bank, look at Enterprise Architect by Sparx Systems.