TCD: A Text-Based UML Class Diagram Notation and Its Model Converters

Abstract

Among several diagrams defined in UML, the class diagram is particularly useful through entire software development process, from early domain analysis stages to later maintenance stages. However conventional UML environments are often inappropriate for collaborative modeling in physically remote locations, such as exchanging models on a public mailing list via email. To overcome this issue, we propose a new diagram notation, called “TCD” (Text-based uml Class Diagram), for describing UML class diagrams using ASCII text. Since text files can be easily created, modified and exchanged in anywhere by any computing platforms, TCD facilitates the collaborative modeling with a number of unspecified people. Moreover, we implemented model converters for converting in both directions between UML class diagrams described in the XMI form and those in the TCD form. By using the converters, the reusability of models can be significantly improved because many of UML modeling tools support the XMI for importing and exporting modeling data.