Violet UML Tool

Overview

Violet UML is an open source UML tool

enables the easy creation of simple UML

diagrams.

Violet UML can function independently as a

stand-alone application or

as a plug-in for the Eclipse IDE

Eclipse is a cross-platform, open source,

integrated development environment).

UML Diagram Types

UML diagrams can be assigned to two broad

categories:

structure diagrams and

behavioural diagrams.

Structure diagrams are

static

consider the relationship between the structural

components of the system, without considering the
system's behaviour over time.

6 structure diagrams: class, component, composite

structure, deployment, object, and package.

Behavioural diagrams are

dynamic and

consider processes and how the system functions

over time.

7 classes of behavioural diagram: activity,

communication, interaction overview, sequence,
state, timing, and use-case.

Violet UML supports the production of usecase, class, sequence, state, activity and object
diagrams.

Drawing Diagrams With Violet UML

All UML diagrams are, in a general sense,

made up of symbols.
Diagrams have symbols representing entities
like classes, actors, use cases, etc and

symbols representing relationships between

these entities like associations, messages, etc.
Conceptually, these correspond to the nodes
and edges (links) within graph theory.

Placement of 'Node' Entities

Left click (select) the desired symbol on the

Violet sidebar (e.g. the class symbol, when
creating a class diagram).
Left click somewhere on the canvas to place a
new symbol.
Right click on the symbol to edit its properties.
Edit the fields to the desired values and click
OK.

Creation of 'Link' Entities

To join two symbols with some kind of link:
Select the desired link symbol on the sidebar
(e.g. the association symbol, when creating a
class diagram).
With the tool selected place the mouse cursor
over the symbol to link from.
Hold down the left mouse button, drag the
cursor over the symbol to link to, and release.

The symbols are now linked by the desired link

(shown as some form of line graphic).

 The properties box can again be brought up by

right clicking on this line.
Edit the fields to the desired values and click
OK.

USE CASE

Use-case diagrams
To prepare a new blank canvas,
create a new use case diagram
Actor
Select "Actor" on the Violet sidebar
and place the symbol.
In the Actor's properties, alter the
name string to the desired value.

 Select "Use case" on the Violet sidebar and

place the symbol.
In the properties box of the use case, alter the
name string to the desired value.

Association Relationship
Use the "Interaction" tool to link an actor to a use
case.
The actor and use case will now be linked by an
association relationship symbol (a line).

Include Relationship
Use the "<<include>>" tool to link one use case
with another.
The use cases will now be linked by an
<<include>> relationship symbol.

The include relationship's arrow symbol should

point from one use case (A) to another (B) that
represents some subset of the functionality of
use case A.

Extend Relationship
Use the "<<extend>>" tool to link one use case
with another.
The use cases will now be linked by a dotted
line with an open arrow head. The text
<<extend>> is present above the line.
The extend relationship's arrow symbol should
point from one use case (B) to another (A),
where use case B represents an extension of
the functionality of use case A.

Generalisation Relationship
Use the "Generalization" tool to link one use
case with another.
The use cases will now be linked by an arrow
with a triangular head.

The generalisation relationship arrow should

point from the more specific use case to the
more general use case.

CLASS DIAGRAM

Class, Attribute, Operation

Select "Class" on the Violet sidebar and place
the symbol.
In the Class's properties fill out the name,
attributes and methods(operations).

Class names consist of a lowercase noun or

nouns.
The first letter of each word should be
capitalised.
Attributes should also be nouns.

 Each attribute can have its visibility (public,

protected or private) shown to the left of the
attribute name .
Public visibility is shown with a "+" symbol,
protected with "#" and
private with "-

An operation (or method) is a function or

procedure performed by instances of that class.
It is written lowercase and usually has a verbnoun structure.

 Operations are followed by a set of brackets

containing any variables supplied when the
operation is activated .
- empty if no variables are needed to call the
operation.

Operations can also be assigned public,

protected or private

Association
Use the "is associated with" tool to link two
classes, creating a unidirectional association
relationship
- whereby one class calls an operation in
another class but not vice versa.

The association can be made bidirectional by

removing the arrow via the association's
property box.
In the properties box, enter the multiplicity
details in the "Start label" and "End label" fields.

Aggregation (a-part-of)
Use the "Is an aggregate of" tool to create a link
from one class to another.
The include relationship's diamond symbol
should be adjacent to class (A) linking to another
(B) that represents some subset of the
functionality of class A (indicating that B is a part
of A).

Generalisation (a-kind-of)
Use the "Inherits from" tool to link one class with
another.
The generalisation relationship arrow should
point from the more specific use case to the
more general use case.

SEQUENCE DIAGRAM

Object and Actor

Select "Object lifeline" on the Violet sidebar and
place the symbol.
To designate an object as an actor enter
<<actor>> as the first line in the object's name
field.

Lifeline
When an object is placed a lifeline is
automatically created underneath.
This line will grow as messages are added.
Execution Occurrence (Focus of Control)
Use the "Activation bar" tool to create an
execution occurrence on one of the lifelines.

Using the Select tool the execution occurrence

(focus of control) can be moved up and down
the lifeline as required.

Message (Operation Call, Return)

To create an operation call use the "Call /
Create message" tool to
- create a link from one execution occurrence bar to

another,
- to a lifeline of another object (in which case an
execution occurrence is created automatically).

To create a return use the "Return message"

tool in an equivalent fashion.
As messages are added the lifelines and
execution occurrence boxes will extend
automatically.

Object Destruction
Object destructions, symbolised by a black X at
the base of a lifeline, indicate the point where an
object is no longer required and its existence
ends.

STATE DIAGRAM

Initial State
Select "Scenario start" on the Violet sidebar and
place the initial state symbol.
This symbol represents the state of the object
when it first appears within the system.

State
Select "State" on the Violet sidebar and place
the symbol.
The name entered in the properties box should
convey the state of the object.

Transition and Event

Use the "Event / Action" tool to link two states
with a transition arrow.
.

 A transition occurs whenever the state/attributes

of the object in question are modified in a way
that is in some way significant, or relevant, to
the functioning of the system.

The properties of the transition can be edited to

enter the name of the event leading to the
transition

Guard Condition
Where a state may transition to 2 or more
possible future states then guard conditions are
required.
The event name of each transition leading from
the single state to other states is written as a
guard condition.
Guard conditions set the transition to occur if the
condition matches the specified criteria.