[Uml-devel] Re: Uml-devel digest, Vol 1 #499 - 10 msgs

[Jonathan Riddell]

On Fri, 16 May 2003, Sebastian Stein wrote:

> Brian Thomas <thomas at mail630.gsfc.nasa.gov> [030516 08:37]:
> > 	What the user MAY NOT edit is the actual preview of the code itself where
> > 	all of this information is assembled. They must use the largely
> > 	preexisting edit dialogs to change  the appropriate UMLObject in  order
> > 	to affect a change in the (generated) code. The only addition to current
> > 	functionality in Umbrello
> > 	is a text box editor for the body of the code, ideally made part of the
> > 	current UMLObject popup dialogs as appropriate. Otherwise, we provide a
> > 	clickable preview of the code as an aid to user navigation to the
> > 	appropriate popup dialog editor in Umbrello, should they wish to make a
> > 	change.
>
> I agree here as well. We only generate code from class diagrams and so
> nothing will ever be added to the body of a function. If we really start
> generating code using the information given maybe in a sequence diagram, we
> will get into trouble. But I'm not sure if any CASE tool is doing this.
>
> So I think it is very ok to let the user enter code from Umbrello directly
> into an operation body. This can be done using calling a KDE editor part or
> if the user wishes another external editor is called (vim, emacs,...).

It's just then as soon as you allow any sort of direct editing (rather
than just playing with some options) you get people wanting it to be a
full IDE.  I don't see the point when people would much rather just use
whatever IDE/editor they're happiest with outside Umbrello.

But that's just a wee point compared to the big picture, which seems to be
shapeing up good, carry on :)

Jonathan Riddell