Re: UML 2 shapes and/or related tools

[Stuart Rossiter <stuart p rossiter gmail com>]

From: Michael Ross <michael e ross gmail com>

I am probably extending your last question outside the UML universe and you
intention...

Uh, yes but that's OK :-)

 

"where (if at all) do you need to use shapes outside the UML set? "

I do all my work outside the UML set, and the beauty of Dia is its
flexibility at a low level.  I always need shapes outside the UML set.  My
dia tend towards illustrations for documentation of equipment and its use,
sometimes to get a particular presentation of graphs.  None of it
specialized so that I am dependent on the sheets of shapes, but I pick
among many of the, in particular the electrical, circuit, chemical
engineering (a very handy set which I misuse regularly), assorted and flow
charts sheets.  I often place images in Dia and annotate extensively on top
of them.

Dia is a very nice general purpose tool.

Yes, sure. I use Dia for all my diagramming (and have done for years), only some of which includes UML. I often find that shapes from particular sets can be (ab)used elsewhere (e.g. flowchart's process provides a nice ready-made box-with-centred-text) and obviously grouping allows you to build up your own set of customised 'hierarchical' items.

It's a great tool.

Stuart