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I have a team of architects/designers creating a set of UML models. Most are used to using visio.
To enforce some discipline, i want to create a set of read only UML components that represent applications in the organization.
What I need is a something like a stencil containing these application UML elements.
When someone drags and drops them on a diagram, they will get a non editable object. They can connect it to other elements, and use it in anyway required, but they cannot change the name of the element (and certain other attributes) because this denotes an application in the organization.
How do I achieve this in Visio 2010 Standard Edition?
I have tried the following

  • Created a stencil
  • Created a Copy of a UML component master
  • Named the component after the application that I want it to represent

When I drop this application from the stencil to a diagram, I get a blank UML component with a blank name. I want this component on the diagram to have the name of the application (that I gave the UML element in the stencil).

A j
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    Visio is a drawing tool. If you want to model UML, use an appropriate tool. Do not use a hammer to open bottles, just because it's a tool. – qwerty_so Jun 13 '16 at 10:17
  • Microsoft documentation says Visio can be used for UML modelling. There are several constraints due to which I cannot use other tools. Anyway, please answer the question if you can. – A j Jun 13 '16 at 12:59
  • So you swallow everything that's told from Redmond (or where ever you purchase a product)? It can be used for UML drawing, not for modeling it. That's a huge difference. Visio (aka Mickeysoft) is part of OMG. So they are allowed to post such nonsense officially >:-( – qwerty_so Jun 13 '16 at 13:02
  • I have tried to get people across my organization to use RSA/RTC for the last 2 years, with a huge backlash. You don't want to be in my seat. Democracy does not always work but you have to accept the verdict. Visio is one of the alternatives I have to explore, hence the question. – A j Jun 13 '16 at 14:00
  • I can very well anticipate your situation (have been fighting against windmills too). But my first answer is the only honest one. Of course you can still use Visio to draw UML diagrams. But that's futile. UML is not about diagramming. Rather you should stop using UML in that context. – qwerty_so Jun 13 '16 at 14:16
  • Visio isn't dead, but I would pay money if I could make it dissapear forever. See my answer. :) I do hope to be constructive. – bvdb Jul 01 '16 at 11:38

1 Answers1

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Some history:

  • Microsoft bought the Visio software in 2000.
  • The UML 2.0 standard was only released in 2004.
  • Visual Studio 2005 contained limitted but very intuitive UML modeling tools.

Little changed in Visio, but Visual Studio's modeling tools continued to improve. It looked for a while like Microsoft decided to let Visio go.

Unfortunately, Visio just won't die. It has become an industry standard, not only for UML, but for all kind of drawings. (e.g. electrical circuits, network architecture drawings, ...). And I have to admit, that Visio's integration with Microsoft's SharePoint platform is really great. You can create Visio diagrams online, without the need to install it on your computer.

If you wanted to stick with Visio, and are still looking for a good template. You can find various templates online (e.g. here).

We had been using Visio for over 15 years in our company, when we had a young graduate who asked us if he could use UMLet. Some of us had been using StarUML† secretly already. (Nobody likes to use Visio in all honesty). Today, everybody within our company uses UMLet, but we do use Visio for external documents if our customer really insists to use this format.

Software should be intuitive. You don't need any training to use UMLet. It's free, it's made spefically for UML. The content and markup of each element is textual, which keeps things simple, and saves you hours of time.

UMLet

bvdb
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  • I will give UMLet a try, unfortunately any new software has to go through a long approval process. – A j Jul 05 '16 at 09:13