UML
Design and UML Class Diagrams
January 24, 2011
CSE 403, Winter 2011, Brun
How do people
draw / write down
software architectures?
Example architectures
person
sea agent
VerizonWireless
UW student
lake agent
GPS satellite
CSE 403
student
amphibious
agent
Cell phone
Big questions
What is UML?
Why should I bother? Do people really use UML?
What is a UML class diagram?
What kind of information goes into it?
How do I create it?
When should I create it?
Design phase
design: specifying the structure of how a software
system will be written and function, without actually
writing the complete implementation
a transition from "what" the system must do, to
"how" the system will do it
What classes will we need to implement a system that
meets our requirements?
What fields and methods will each class have?
How will the classes interact with each other?
How do we design classes?
class identification from project spec / requirements
nouns are potential classes, objects, fields
verbs are potential methods or responsibilities of a class
CRC card exercises
write down classes' names on index cards
next to each class, list the following:
responsibilities: problems to be solved; short verb phrases
collaborators: other classes that are sent messages by this class
(asymmetric)
UML diagrams
class diagrams (today)
sequence diagrams
...
UML
In an effort to promote Object Oriented designs,
three leading object oriented programming
researchers joined ranks to combine their
languages:
Grady Booch (BOOCH)
Jim Rumbaugh (OML: object modeling technique)
Ivar Jacobsen (OOSE: object oriented software eng)
and come up with an industry standard [mid 1990s].
UML Unified Modeling Language
The result is large (as one might expect)
Union of all Modeling Languages
Use case diagrams
Class diagrams
Object diagrams
Sequence diagrams
Collaboration diagrams
Statechart diagrams
Activity diagrams
Component diagrams
Deployment diagrams
.
But its a nice standard that has been embraced by
the industry.
Introduction to UML
UML: pictures of an OO system
programming languages are not abstract enough for OO
design
UML is an open standard; lots of companies use it
What is legal UML?
a descriptive language: rigid formal syntax (like
programming)
a prescriptive language: shaped by usage and convention
it's okay to omit things from UML diagrams if they aren't
needed by team/supervisor/instructor
Uses for UML
as a sketch: to communicate aspects of system
forward design: doing UML before coding
backward design: doing UML after coding as documentation
often done on whiteboard or paper
used to get rough selective ideas
as a blueprint: a complete design to be implemented
sometimes done with CASE (Computer-Aided Software
Engineering) tools
as a programming language: with the right tools, code can
be auto-generated and executed from UML
only good if this is faster than coding in a "real" language
UML class diagrams
What is a UML class diagram?
UML class diagram: a picture of
the classes in an OO system
their fields and methods
connections between the classes
that interact or inherit from each other
What are some things that are not
represented in a UML class diagram?
details of how the classes interact with each other
algorithmic details
how a particular behavior is implemented
Diagram of one class
class name in top of box
write <<interface>> on top of interfaces' names
use italics for an abstract class name
attributes (optional)
should include all fields of the object
operations / methods (optional)
may omit trivial (get/set) methods
but don't omit any methods from an interface!
should not include inherited methods
Class attributes
attributes (fields, instance variables)
visibility name : type [count] = default_value
visibility:
+
public
#
protected
private
~
package (default)
/
derived
underline static attributes
derived attribute: not stored, but can
be computed from other attribute values
attribute example:
- balance : double = 0.00
Class operations / methods
operations / methods
visibility name (parameters) : return_type
visibility:
+
public
#
protected
private
~
package (default)
underline static methods
parameter types listed as (name: type)
omit return_type on constructors and
when return type is void
method example:
+ distance(p1: Point, p2: Point): double
Comments
represented as a folded note, attached to the
appropriate class/method/etc by a dashed line
Relationships between classes
generalization: an inheritance relationship
inheritance between classes
interface implementation
association: a usage relationship
dependency
aggregation
composition
Generalization relationships
generalization (inheritance) relationships
hierarchies drawn top-down with arrows pointing
upward to parent
line/arrow styles differ, based on whether parent is
a(n):
class:
solid line, black arrow
abstract class:
solid line, white arrow
interface:
dashed line, white arrow
we often don't draw trivial / obvious generalization
relationships, such as drawing the Object class as a
parent
Associational relationships
associational (usage) relationships
1. multiplicity
*
1
2..4
3..*
(how many are used)
0, 1, or more
1 exactly
between 2 and 4, inclusive
3 or more
2. name
3. navigability
(what relationship the objects have)
(direction)
Multiplicity of associations
one-to-one
each student must carry exactly one ID card
one-to-many
one rectangle list can contain many rectangles
Car
Association types
aggregation: "is part of"
symbolized by a clear white diamond
composition: "is entirely made of"
stronger version of aggregation
the parts live and die with the whole
symbolized by a black diamond
aggregation
Engine
Book
composition
1
*
Page
dependency: "uses temporarily"
symbolized by dotted line
often is an implementation
detail, not an intrinsic part of
that object's state
dependency
Lottery
Ticket
Random
Composition/aggregation example
If the movie theatre goes away
so does the box office => composition
but movies may still exist => aggregation
Class diagram example
No arrows; info can
flow in both directions
Aggregation
Order class
contains
OrderDetail
classes. Could
be composition?
UML example: people
Lets add the visibility attributes
Class diagram: voters
24
Class diagram example: video store
Multiplicity
Customer
Class
Simple
Aggregation
Rental Invoice
Abstract
Class
Rental Item
1..*
0..1
Composition
Simple
Generalization
DVD Movie
Association
VHS Movie
Video Game
Checkout Screen
Class diagram example: student
StudentBody
+ main (args : String[])
Address
- streetAddress : String
- city : String
- state : String
- zipCode : long
+ toString() : String
100
Student
- firstName : String
- lastName : String
- homeAddress : Address
- schoolAddress : Address
+ toString() : String
Tools for creating UML diags.
Violet (free)
[Link]
Rational Rose
[Link]
Visual Paradigm UML Suite (trial)
[Link]
(nearly) direct download link:
[Link]
(there are many others, but most are commercial)
Class design exercise
Consider this Texas Hold 'em poker game system:
2 to 8 human or computer players
Each player has a name and stack of chips
Computer players have a difficulty setting: easy, medium, hard
Summary of each hand:
Dealer collects ante from appropriate players, shuffles the deck, and deals
each player a hand of 2 cards from the deck.
A betting round occurs, followed by dealing 3 shared cards from the deck.
As shared cards are dealt, more betting rounds occur, where each player can
fold, check, or raise.
At the end of a round, if more than one player is remaining, players' hands are
compared, and the best hand wins the pot of all chips bet so far.
What classes are in this system? What are their responsibilities?
Which classes collaborate?
Draw a class diagram for this system. Include relationships between
classes (generalization and associational).
