Software Diagrams
Development of Software with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM
ConceptDraw is a tool for technical and business graphics. It provides specialists who create graphic documentation with a possibility to focus not on the process of drawing itself but on the essence of the task. For this ConceptDraw features a huge number of ready-to-use objects (4590 for the moment of writing the article), smart connectors, layers, hyperlinks and many other possibilities.
Design and document development of projects using a wide range of pre-drawn shapes and smart connectors. Develop visualization solutions with the help of the built-in scripting language.
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a perfect tool for:
- Designing and planning tasks such as:
- Jacobson Use Cases Diagram
- SSADMN Diagram
- Yourdon and Coad Diagram
- Command OLE Diagram
- Block Diagrams
- Data Modeling Diagram
- SysML Diagram
- Chen RED Diagram
- Martin RED Diagram
- IDEF0 Diagram
- Booch OOD Diagram
- Gane Sarson Diagram
- Memory Object Diagram
- Data Flow Diagram
- FlowCharts
- Graphic User Interface (GUI)
- UML Diagram
- Program Structure Diagrams
- ORM Diagram
Modern development of program software leads to a large amount of graphic documentation: diagrams describing the work of applications in various cuts and notations, GUI design, documentation on project management. Each of these fields is represented by topical libraries and templates.
To ConceptDraw DIAGRAM new possibilities have been added, thanks to which the program became a sequence higher useful for developers. The most considerable innovations are:
- a set of wizards for automation of widespread tasks built-in scripting language, which helps to automate tasks specific for your
- particular situation.
Let us consider typical applications.
Object-oriented design
Over the recent years object-oriented methodology has become more and more widespread. Thanks to this methodology developers manage to deal with growing complexity of applications. More and more programs are written in such programming languages as C++, Java, Visual Basic and Object Pascal. However, the complexity of the designed systems imposes extended requirements as to design of graphic documentation. ConceptDraw possesses powerful tools for designing of technical documentation for object-oriented projects. The libraries included in the package allow to easily draw class hierarchies, object hierarchies and diagrams of data flows with the use of the most popular notations, including UML and Booch notations. And the library for projecting COM-interfaces will spare developers of ActiveX-servers a headache.
Flowcharts of algorithms and business-processes
Flowcharting is a conventional way of recording algorithms in a graphic form. ConceptDraw is an ideal means for their creation. Easiness of flowcharting in ConceptDraw is really impressive. This functionality is useful for students and teachers of informatics.
At development of real application flowcharts are widely used for clearing processes on which business-logics of the application will be based.
Prototyping Graphical User Interface (GUI)
ConceptDraw allows to more tightly draw art designers, managers and users to the process of GUI design. Now libraries of controls for Windows XP, MacOS and MacOS X are available to all of them and they can share their vision of Windows, menu and web-forms on various platforms with developers.
Project management
For a large-scale project to be completed successfully it should be thoroughly projected. One of the generally recognized and visual tools for projecting and tracking timeliness of the work on a project is a Gantt chart. ConceptDraw offers the wizard for automatic creation of Gantt chart.
The other side of the question of project management is the dynamism of changes. Changes in a project and its documentation are made daily. All updates should be done in time and be available to each developer. ConceptDraw offers many methods of solving this question:
- Cross platform compatibility. ConceptDraw is released in two versions: for PC and for Mac. Its files can be easily read by the both versions. It means you can exchange documents with your colleagues and partners working on different platforms.
- Export to HTML provides the possibility of getting a set of ready web-pages based on a ConceptDraw file, which can be displayed in intranet or Internet for all who care.
- Export to PDF and graphic formats are designed, first of all, for sending information via e-mail.
Automation of management and development process
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM supports XML. XML for ConceptDraw has been created and, at the same time, support for import XML for Visio. All this allows to develop solutions for automation of various aspects of software development.
For instance:
- generation of UML diagrams etc. on the ready initial code
- generation of the initial code
- generation of resources for Windows and MacOS, web-forms
- and a lot more
Visualization of data
ConceptDraw is a good means for visualization of information of any kind. The program features powerful graphic possibilities. Thus, on the ready graphic kernel ConceptDraw the rest products of the line have been developed: ConceptDraw PROJECT, ConceptDraw MINDMAP This powerful graphic kernel (2D-graphics) is supported by a number of open formats (including XML). To this add the flexibility of data processing, connected with the scripting language ConceptDraw Basic (included in version V), and also the flexibility in parameterization of objects, which is provided by the whole table of the object parameters (which is available for editing even from the program's interface). So in the end it becomes clear that visualizing of information in ConceptDraw is a good idea.
So, the typical task for ConceptDraw Basic is to automate the visualization of some data. This data can be obtained as the result of work of an arbitrary application (including ConceptDraw-script) and saved in a text file, ODBC-compatible database or in one of the open formats supported by ConceptDraw. In the first two cases, data will further be read and visualized with the help of ConceptDraw Basic. In case of using a ConceptDraw open format (XML for ConceptDraw or XML for Visio) the obtained document can be simply opened in ConceptDraw, you can then add some details of design and get a presentable diagram. Possibilities of ConceptDraw Basic considerably increase at using in script the functions exported by the shared libraries.
The conclusion is: ConceptDraw is a platform worth considering for writing solutions, connected with data visualization.
Work with databases
Special attention has been given to work with databases. There are libraries for designing databases in various notations: ORM, Chen ERD and Martin ERD, Express-G and relational diagrams. Starting from version V, ConceptDraw supports ODBC-compatible databases. Interaction with them is possible with the help of the scripting language ConceptDraw Basic. Besides, in ConceptDraw Professional package there is Database Model Diagram wizard (it can be found among the templates of the section ERD & Database). It builds a model of an arbitrary presented by the user in the form of DSN database.
Having applied all said above about possibilities of ConceptDraw in fields of projection, automation and visualization of data, we can conclude, that the program is well designed for solving the following tasks:
- design of databases
- ORM-diagrams
- ER-diagrams
- relational diagrams
- reengineering of databases
- visual displaying of data in the form of charts and diagrams
Example 1. Data Flow Diagram
TEN RELATED HOW TO's:Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a language of graphic description for object modeling in the field of software engineering. UML was created for definition, visualization, designing of software systems. UML is an open standard that uses graphic notations for creating visual models of object-oriented software systems. The Rapid UML Solution for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM presentsthe intuitive RapidDraw interface that helps you to make the UML Diagram of any of these 13 types quick and easy.
Picture: UML SoftwareRelated Solution:Users can start drawing their own flowchart diagrams in fast and simple way with ConceptDraw software. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is the only professional diagramming software that works on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. All its documents and libraries are 100% compatible and can be exchanged hassle-free between the platforms.
Picture: Create a Flow ChartRelated Solution:ConceptDraw PROJECT is an effective tool for new and experienced users with a fine balance of usability and powerful functionality.
Picture: ConceptDraw PROJECT Software OverviewIn order to be successful, you have to promote your business on the market. One of the ways for planning this promotion is to create a social media DFD Flowchart which will contain all the details of your business strategy. Social media is a very influential tool, and it's a mistake to ignore it. The following flowchart represents a best way to estimate social media posts, and gives a strategy of responses. This flowchart is designed in the format of cross-functional flowchart. With this format, we can divide the process into three distinct phases. This approach helps to generate well-considered and balanced response on social networks activities. Using ConceptDraw solution for Social Media Response, your reaction to social media posts will positively mirror the values and mission of your business.
Picture: How to Create a Social Media DFD FlowchartRelated Solution:The diagrams with highest level in the hierarchy define the main processes or subsystems with external and internal data sources. To detail them, DFD Library is used to build a system of lower level diagrams. This decomposition continues hereinafter it is meaningless. This data flow diagram of a system of a library management is a context-level DFD. The data flow diagram of this type depicts the large system as a solid process, and does not input any explanation of its content. It is an ordinary practice - creation of a context-level data flow diagram when starting system development. This DFD was made using ConceptDraw solution designed especially for data flow diagrams development. One can find out Data Flow Diagrams Solution in a Solution Park of ConceptDraw and can use in as addition to the common Conceptdraw DIAGRAM diagramming tools.
Picture: DFD Library SystemRelated Solution:UML Sequence Diagram shows object interactions arranged in time sequence, how processes operate with one another and in what order and illustrate the sequence of messages exchanged between the objects and classes involved in the scenario.
Picture: UML Sequence Diagram. Design ElementsCompetitor analysis is a first and obligatory step in elaboration the proper corporate marketing strategy and creating sustainable competitive advantage. Use powerful opportunities of numerous solutions from ConceptDraw Solution Park for designing illustrative diagrams, charts, matrices which are necessary for effective competitor analysis.
Picture: Competitor AnalysisRelated Solution:ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a powerful chemistry drawing software that provides the useful tools to help you design all kinds of chemistry drawings and illustrations, chemical schemes and diagrams of formulas, reaction schemes and lab set-ups of any complexity.
Picture: Chemistry Drawing SoftwareRelated Solution:ConceptDraw MINDMAP software is an advanced tool for creating presentations. You can effectively generate, change, and update your presentation for demonstrating results of your work.
Picture: Demonstrating ResultsRelated Solution:Interactive tool helps you find the appropriate response to social media mentions quickly.
Picture: What Is an Action Mind MapRelated Solution:ConceptDrawDIAGRAM 18