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revision 1.77 by humppake, Sat Feb 15 19:29:54 2003 UTC revision 1.78 by tuukkah, Sat Feb 15 19:37:05 2003 UTC
# Line 842  Practical use Line 842  Practical use
842  =============  =============
843    
844  The UML and linking tools are currently in everyday use in the Gzz  The UML and linking tools are currently in everyday use in the Gzz
845  project [gzz]_. For now, the projects covers about 380 Java classes  project [gzz]_. For now, the documentation covers about 380 Java classes
846  and over 80 pages of design documentation have been written  and over 80 pages of design documentation exist [gzz_doc_himalia]_.
847  [gzz_doc_himalia]_. There are only about 30 different human drawn UML  We have only about 30 human-drawn UML
848  diagrams embedded within the design documentation pages, but the  diagrams embedded within the design documentation pages, but the
849  amount of them is continuosly growing. For all those diagrams the  amount of them is continuously growing. For all those diagrams, the
850  linking tool generates more than 150 different differently focused  linking tool generates more than 150 separate differently focused
851  versions and by simply calculation the linking tool has embedded a  versions, and by simple calculation the linking tool has embedded
852  single diagram implicitly on an avarage into four distinct design  each diagram implicitly on average into four distinct design
853  documentation or Javadoc pages. The UML tool description language  documentation or Javadoc pages. The UML tool description language
854  covers currently 26 different diagram itemtypes and its being extended  covers currently 26 different types of diagram items and is extended
855  always when necessary.  regularily as necessary.
856    
857  .. figure:: umldoc-screenshot.gen.eps  .. figure:: umldoc-screenshot.gen.eps
858     :environment: figure*     :environment: figure*
# Line 867  Discussion Line 867  Discussion
867  ==========  ==========
868    
869  In this article we have discussed the hypertextualization of  In this article we have discussed the hypertextualization of
870  our software project's documentation.  documentation in our software project.
871  Using  Using
872  existing free software tools  existing Free Software tools
873  and a little new glue code we have made UML diagrams into  and a little new glue code we have made UML diagrams into
874  contextual menus for switching between the architectural design  contextual menus for switching between the architectural design
875  documentation and the detailed Javadoc documentation.  documentation and the detailed Javadoc documentation.
# Line 880  hypertext [gzz_doc_himalia]_ of the proj Line 880  hypertext [gzz_doc_himalia]_ of the proj
880  The software automatically creates multidirectional links  The software automatically creates multidirectional links
881  based on simple directives in the UML diagram source code in our documentation.  based on simple directives in the UML diagram source code in our documentation.
882  Only web pages generated during the documentation build  Only web pages generated during the documentation build
883  process are affected, which makes the task of our software easier than that of other web  process are affected, which makes the task of our software easier than that of
884  augmentation tools [weinreich00-linkvis]_.  some other web augmentation tools [weinreich00-linkvis]_.
885    
886  Earlier concept-based navigation and map-based navigation have added  Earlier concept-based navigation and map-based navigation have added
887  horizontal links on top of hierarchical hypertext [brusilovsky02-mapnav]_.  horizontal links on top of hierarchical hypertext [brusilovsky02-mapnav]_.
# Line 899  to Java classes and packages and other Line 899  to Java classes and packages and other
899  documents.  documents.
900  Methods (and fields) should also be linked, especially in interaction diagrams, as well  Methods (and fields) should also be linked, especially in interaction diagrams, as well
901  as associations, whenever there is a suitable object in the code documentation.  as associations, whenever there is a suitable object in the code documentation.
902    The plugin interface for using other documentation tools also needs
903    to be firmed up.
904    
905  The layout of the diagram is also currently  The layout of the diagram is also currently
906  more difficult than it should be.  more difficult than it should be.
907  While the creation of the diagram structure is easier using  While the creation of the diagram structure is easier using
908  written text than direct manipulation,  written text than direct manipulation,
909  the layout of the resulting structure would benefit from a click-and-drag interface.  the layout of the resulting structure would benefit from a click-and-drag interface.
910  However, this approach will also lose some expressive power:  However, this approach would also lose some expressive power:
911  in metapost the user is now allowed to draw anything on the diagram.  in MetaPost layout the user is now allowed to draw anything on the diagram.
912  It is possible that this can be solved by another stage after metapost,  This can possibly be solved by another stage after metapost,
913  where the locations of the nodes could be interactively defined into  where the locations of the nodes could be interactively defined into
914  metapost variables.  MetaPost variables.
915  On the other hand, there are also arguments against metapost:  On the other hand, there are also arguments against MetaPost:
916  the error messages receive on erroneous input to the UML tool  the error messages received on erroneous input to the UML tool
917  are difficult to decipher due to the translation layer between.  are difficult to decipher due to the translation layer between.
918  This might also speed up the compiling process.  Abandoning MetaPost might also speed up the compiling process.
   
 The plugin interface for using other documentation tools also needs  
 to be firmed up.  
919    
920  Once some of these issues are resolved, we are planning  Once some of these issues are resolved, we are planning
921  to release the glue code as a standalone free software package;  to release the glue code as a standalone Free Software package.
922  until then, the code is still publicly accessible at our CVS version  
923  control server as part of the larger project [gzz]_ (note to referees:  Finally, we'd like to point out that this tool could benefit from a less
924  the project will likely be renamed by the final version).  limited presentation layer than currently supported by web browsers. Ideally,
925    hypertext browsers would directly support navigation maps in their
926  Finally, we'd like to point out that this tool  user interface, stabilizing the map positions during browsing.
927  is only intended as a temporary system: using web pages for the  
 presentation/UI layer of a hypertext system is useful and standard  
 but also very limiting from a UI perspective.  
 The system we are using this UML tool to develop is  
 intended for better user interfaces to similar structures.  
928    
929  Acknowledgments  Acknowledgments
930  ===============  ===============

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