UML Toolkit (OMG) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Magnus Penker (Author) "The importance of models has been evident in all engineering disciplines for a long time..." (more)
Key Phrases: business objects package, disjoint inheritance, parameterized collaboration, Rational Rose, Cell Handler, System Handler (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) promises to make object-oriented modeling a lot more accessible for software developers. UML brings together popular modeling languages by the so-called "three amigos" (Grady Booch, James Rumbaugh, and Ivar Jacobson) under an open standard and UML Toolkit can help you use it for your next software development project.

The authors detail the dozen or so diagrams available in UML, which feature use-case modeling, class diagrams, dynamic models (including state diagrams), and physical models (which outline the components inside your system and how they will be deployed). They also discuss extensions to UML (through "stereotypes") and document how well UML is actually implemented in today's computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools. The book includes sample implementations of modeling diagrams, written in Java, for most chapters, and the accompanying CD-ROM contains a trial version of the CASE tool Rational Rose.

In addition to outlining the essentials of modeling techniques, the authors do a good job of placing UML in context with other models. They provide a short tour of the software engineering process and tell users who are familiar with the Booch and Rational Objectory methods how to move over to UML. This section compares the diagramming symbols used in each method and discusses patterns--a hot topic in object-oriented design--and how they can be modeled using UML.

The book closes with a useful (though brief) case study of a computer system for a small library, which gives the reader a flavor of how to use UML in the field. With enough depth for the expert and enough simplicity for the novice, UML Toolkit serves as a fine one-volume introduction to the brave new world of UML.

Product Description

Learn how to move to UML for current users of the Booch/OMT/Objectory methods
* Provides numerous real-world examples and a complete case study that walks you through the project life cycle-analysis, design, and construction
* Includes CD-ROM with Rational Rose(r) 4.0 demo, analysis and design models in UML, and Java(TM) code

HANS-ERIK ERIKSSON AND MAGNUS PENKER Quickly acquire the knowledge and skills you need to make the most of this revolutionary visual modeling language

With the release of UML, object-oriented developers at last have a common language for modeling and developing software systems. That means less time wasted sorting out conflicting terms and symbols and more time spent modeling better software systems. Now this powerful book/CD package arms you with everything you need to make the most of UML and the rapidly growing suite of UML-based products.

The authors walk you through the entire language, providing easy-to-follow guidelines and loads of real-world examples. They also give you detailed explanations of all UML diagrams, a full-length case study showing how UML is used to develop an application, a visual glossary of all UML notations, and step-by-step instructions on how to:
* Move to UML from Booch, OMT, and Objectory
* Map Java to UML-including many full-blown examples
* Define design patterns and how to use patterns in UML
* Describe real-time systems in UML
* Employ use cases to capture a system's functional requirements

On the CD-ROM you'll find:
* All UML models from the book
* All the Java code from the book
* Demo version of Rational Rose(r) 4.0

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Bk&CD-Rom edition (October 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471191612
• ISBN-13: 978-0471191612
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,637,786 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you read 1 book on UML make it this one, September 16, 1999

By	Daniel Moth (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When considering which UML book to buy it should be obvious that some complement each other depending on the skill level (novice, experienced) and background of the reader (student, software/embedded engineer, manager). However, having read more than 10 books on UML, I suggest that if you must only buy one book make it this one. There is no other book that real-time extensions, process for UML, design patterns, discussion on UML tools and a complete case study with implementation in Java. In addition, the accompanying CD amongst other things includes a demo version of Rational Rose 4.0. My only wish is that a second/updated version of the book comes out (covering UML 1.3, providing Rose 98i and correcting some of the inevitable mistakes that one finds in detailed books). END

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good intro but not great, November 13, 1998

By	Robert G. Hayes "menchar" (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm using this book as a text for an OO technologies graduate course, and while the book does indeed offer a good intro to the topic, it certainly has room for improvement. There are several errors and inconsistencies in the notation and examples. The book is based on UML 1.0, making it somewhat dated. I felt uneasy about many of the examples offered; many times they didn't seem to illustrate the language feature all that well. I find that I use the UML Notation Guide more so than this text. And the included Ration Rose trial version crashes with great regularity on a Win95 machine.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Giving the author the benefit of the doubt., June 20, 2001

By	Dirk Broer "dirkbroer" (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews

I picked up the book after reviewing the discussion on Use Cases. It's the best intro to the various diagrams I have seen. Big problem though, the symbols he uses doesn't match the latest UML specifications. Anyone that has glanced at UML knows there is a confusing amount of different ways to illustrate the relations between items on a diagram. Lines with open triangles at the end, diamonds (open and filled), and arrow heads intermixed with solid and dashed lines. Each with a differnt meaning. Well, the book gets it wrong. Specifically he keeps using the open triangle at the end of the line to signify things like instantiating templates. Go ... and download the UML spec. He also adds stereotypes that don't seem to exists ( "uses" ? ). Or rather I could find any other reference that talks about them. This would be a major problem if you decided to use a tool like Rose. Design tools like Rose attach certain meanings to different shapes. I find myself constantly rechecking and re-looking up symbols. There is a possibility that some of this stuff is undefine or optional in the UML spec, but I don't want to read an 800 page document to understand this 400 page book. So good discussion, bad applications/examples.

Try "The Unified Modeling Language User Guide" instead. Not as much discussion, but better accuracy.