Modeling Toolset

Move project data (i.e. model elements/diagrams) from current to referenced project through model refactoring. This ease the sharing of common project data, improves readability as well as to reduce complexity of project.

Model refactoring

Step 1 of 4: Open the project

Open the project file where the part you want to refactor is stored.

Step 2 of 4: Refactor

Open the Model Explorer. Right click on the model element(s) you want to refactor to referenced project and select "Refactor to Referenced Project..." from the popup menu. Alternatively, you can also refactor a diagram by right clicking on diagram background and selecting "Utilities > Refactor to Referenced Project..." from the popup menu. Choose Yes when you are prompted for confirmation.

Step 3 of 4: Include related diagram

If the master view of any of the selected elements is being visualized on a diagram, you will be asked to include those diagram as well. You can either include the diagrams or remove the master views from the diagram in order to refactor. Click Include Diagram at bottom right corner to proceed.

Step 4 of 4: Review elements to refactor

Check and elements to refactor. If everything alright, click Continue. If succeed, you will find the selected elements moved to the referenced project.

Current project file

Referenced report file

Tutorial

• Identify and move classes to library project
• Move identified glossary terms to base project

Define and manage glossary terms in a base project and reuse them in all referencing projects.

Compare and generate differences between two diagrams automatically with visual diff. Identify differences between two databases by compare two entity relationship diagrams. The first of the following movies shows how to use visual diff to compare the as-is and to-be business process diagrams. The second movie shows how to use Visual Diff to compare the changes between two database versions. Latest release export the differences to PDF for reporting purpose.

User's Guide

• Comparing logical and physical ERD
• Comparing as-is and to-be business process diagram

YouTube

• Compare Logical and Physical Data Model Using Visual Diff

Know-how

• Compare databases with Visual Diff

It is not possible to put everything in a single visual paradigm project in enterprise scale project. Visual Paradigm for UML allows visualizing different projects' model elements in a single diagram. The following movie shows how to configure referenced project and show the model elements in diagram.

Tutorial

• Mirror Referenced Project's Model Element
• Establish Project References

Online training

• Reusing Model Element with Referenced Projects (Free)

View sub-project diagrams in the master project without switching project back and forth.

Automatic copy reference project model elements to current project. All model element members and properties will be copied at the same time.

Tutorial

• Clone Referenced Project's Model Element

Mirror model elements feature are similar to reference model elements feature that allows visualizing model elements from other projects. The referenced model element will not keep a local copy of the model element in the project and not allow adding child to the model elements. Mirror model elements feature keeps copies of the model elements in local project and allows adding child model elements to the mirrored model elements.

Tutorial

• Mirror Referenced Project's Model Element

Reusing, refining, elaborating or transcribing portion of previous project's diagram can increase modeling efficiency dramatically. Visual Paradigm for UML supports the use of Design Pattern, which enables you to define diagram or portion of the diagram as pattern, and apply the pattern in future. The defined patterns are highly configurable and customizable to fulfill any needs. All diagrams in Visual Paradigm for UML supports design pattern. The defined patterns can be shared within the team through VP Teamwork Server, Subversion, Perforce or CVS. The following movie demonstrates the definition and applying pattern in class diagram.

Tutorial

• Working with abstract factory design pattern

User's Guide

• Applying design pattern

Nick name:OriginalFrenchGermanSimplified Chinese

Nicknaming is a unique feature of Visual Paradigm for UML. It offers a means for users to define multiple sets of model element names and documentations for a single model. For example, you can define one set in Spanish and another in Chinese. With this, a business process diagram can be presented in different languages without keeping multiple copies of diagrams of project files. And switching between languages is only a few clicks away!

What's more? Nicking can make an entity-relationship diagram more readable for humans. In some cases, you may want to define a set to give more meaningful names (e.g. Order instead of FRM_ORD_0324). The following videos show you how to maintain a business process diagram in two language and how to make a more readable ERD.

Tutorial

• Modeling with nickname

User's Guide

• Using nickname

Traceability between model elements helps to identify and locate the source of origin of specify model element in project. For example, "Process Order" use case is derived from a task called "Process customer order" in a business process diagram. Visual Paradigm for UML supports model transitor to manage and maintain the traceability between model elements. The following movie shows you how to derive user goal from business process (create traceability) and navigate back and forth between use cases and tasks (use of traceability).

User's Guide

• Model transitor for shape
• Model transitor for diagram (diagram transitor)

YouTube

• Transition between Logical and Physical Data Model

Know-how

• Transition and navigation with model transitor

A new diagram type, "Profile Diagram" is introduced for designing stereotypes and tagged values visually. Profile diagram supports defining stereotype with generalization and composition. Addition of integer and floating number tagged values are also supported.