UML class diagrams ERGHHH!

stoke1863 · 4 Mar 2010 at 18:00

Bloody don't get these class diagrams in the slightest.

My scenario is a recruitment website and the case im doing it on is the process of searching for a job.

So i have done all my level 1 and 2 cases quite easily. But i just don't get how to do this class diagram properly. I have the lectures power point next to me and its next to useless.

Has anyone got any experience with this? To be honest i dont even think it needs to be very complicated we just need to show all the different uses. So far all i have done is put down a few classes i know i need.

This is the Level 2 case its needs to be based off,

daz · 4 Mar 2010 at 18:27

Job class and applicant class?

aceface57 · 4 Mar 2010 at 18:57

I remember doing all this some years ago now, never really made all that much sense to me really.

J.B · 4 Mar 2010 at 18:59

aceface57 said:
I remember doing all this some years ago now, never really made all that much sense to me really.

stoke1863 · 4 Mar 2010 at 19:09

ha ha i think we have all been in the same boat

Jimmeh · 4 Mar 2010 at 19:32

My lord, flash back. I haven't seen one of these since my second year of University in 2001. Show's how relevant they were to the real world.

As for any help, none here!

Tonyator · 4 Mar 2010 at 19:33

I can't be of any help... but good luck with it.

I remember doing these... I didn't understand them then.... and I still don't!

daz · 4 Mar 2010 at 19:53

A class is basically an object you want to hold data about.

I'd imagine you'll have three main classes:-

Applicant (information about the applicant)
Job (information about the job)
JobApplication (this will keep track of which jobs an applicant has applied for, and on what date, and the status of that application etc)

The class diagram basically lays out that data, and any methods you'll have within/to act on a class... you don't have to specify how you'd code those methods, just that the methods would exist.

stoke1863 · 4 Mar 2010 at 19:56

daz said:
A class is basically an object you want to hold data about.

I'd imagine you'll have three main classes:-

Applicant (information about the applicant)
Job (information about the job)
JobApplication (this will keep track of which jobs an applicant has applied for, and on what date, and the status of that application etc)

The class diagram basically lays out that data, and any methods you'll have within/to act on a class... you don't have to specify how you'd code those methods, just that the methods would exist.

Yea this is exactly how i have don it so far

Amleto · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:12

Doesn't the white arrow head mean generalisation/specialisation? Because a 'Search' isn't any kind of an 'Apply'.

I'd argue that apply doesnt use search as well.

IcE-ColD · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:22

Here's one i did last semester for a cash machine application i had to create using java. Baically just come up with some classes and give them some attributes (variables) and methods that might be within the class. Research the arrows i can't quite remember which one means what but its to do with relationships between the classes. The numbers represent one to one or many to one or one to many relationships between the classes.

Hope this helps.

Dj_Jestar · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:29

UML.. Useless Muddled Lines.

The idea of drawing up a design is well worth while.. but UML is just so overkill.

IcE-ColD · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:31

I hate it to be honest but i had to do it for my OOP module. Just read up some stuff on the UML site and it's not that hard to understand.

stoke1863 · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:34

thanks for the help people.

MrWhippy · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:38

Dj_Jestar said:
... but UML is just so overkill.

i develop in Rhapsody. i draw out my implementation in UML and the tool auto generates the code for me. i then add small sections of code manually.

UML can be overkill, but it can be a great way to communicate ideas.
and with model driven development you can design and implement a solution in one stage, with no need to prove the implementation fulfils the design, it is the design.

stoke1863 · 4 Mar 2010 at 20:44

IcE-ColD said:
I hate it to be honest but i had to do it for my OOP module. Just read up some stuff on the UML site and it's not that hard to understand.

got a link to the site mate?

GingerNinja1989 · 4 Mar 2010 at 21:38

Dj_Jestar said:
UML.. Useless Muddled Lines.

The idea of drawing up a design is well worth while.. but UML is just so overkill.

Problem is, it's surprising how many employers see to inisist on it (which is why I'm trying to swot up on it

)

Pho · 4 Mar 2010 at 21:41

What do you lot use instead of UML? UML has far too many different diagrams nowadays which makes it extra fun (read: annoying)

.

crunchman · 4 Mar 2010 at 21:43

aceface57 said:
I remember doing all this some years ago now, never really made all that much sense to me really.

Most boring lectures in the world as well, mind this was only last year for me !

Supercow · 4 Mar 2010 at 21:48

Pho said:
What do you lot use instead of UML? UML has far too many different diagrams nowadays which makes it extra fun (read: annoying) .

I'm a lead business analyst/Techncal product manager/Scrum master/office gimp

Do you know what we use?
Photos taken with my phone of the whiteboard while were discussing functionality, maybe some screen mockups, some scenarios, spreadhseet with meta data fields and use cases and possibly some acceptance criteria. Anything that gets the message across loud and clear.

Although I must say that the devs do produce a class diagram like the above mentioned, or DB schema