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Free UML and ER Modelling Tools for teaching/learning

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  • 15-06-2013 11:42am
    #1
    blatantrereg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,743 ✭✭✭


    I'm teaching a module on systems analysis/design soon. I want to introduce UML and ER Modelling to level 6 (eg cert) students who might not have much pre-existing knowledge. I want to recommend modelling tools for both.

    So I need something that is accessible to novices rather than something that with extensive features. Really just being able to draw the diagrams is sufficient for purposes. The more features it has, the more likely it is to overwhelm them at this point. It needs to be free. Preferably it would not be a large filesize.

    I'm thinking of using MySQL Workbench for ER Modelling... just because MySQL is a good system to be familiar with in general and because they are likely to use it in a different module. However it uses Enhanced ER-Diagrams, so that might make it a little more complex than ideal for novices.

    I'm going to look at StarUML first and see if that seems appropriate.

    I don't want to use Creately or Gliffy or similar for a few reasons (including the fact I want to release a competing product of my own soon) - but mainly because they will need to submit an assignment: Having their work publically available online is far from ideal when you are trying to prevent plagiarism.

    Thanks for reading. Or if you didn't read:

    tl;dr: What are good free easy-to-use tools for ER Modelling and UML?

    Any thoughts?

    Edit: StarUML seems to fit my purposes very well, so I'll go with that one. (Still considering options for ER modelling.)


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    #2
    croo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 1,334 Mod ✭✭✭✭croo


    Dia is a simple diagramming tool with templates for UML (& ERD).

    ArgoUML is a fully fledged UML modelling app.


    Both Open Source and free!


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    #3
    GreenWolfe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,731 ✭✭✭GreenWolfe


    If you're using Linux Umbrello is an easy to use UML modeller. The last time I tried the Windows port it wasn't particularly stable though.


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    #4
    Deliverance XXV
    Registered Users Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭Deliverance XXV


    Came across this recently: https://www.draw.io/ Do it all online - export as an image or save for further use -excellent application. Everything there to cover most System Analysis diagrams.

    I used Paint.net in college for Systems Analysis :o


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    #5
    Ellery
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Ellery


    My teacher used <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/dia-installer/files/dia-win32-installer/0.92-pre1-1/dia-0.92-pre1-1-setup.exe/download?use_mirror=heanet&download=">DIA</a&gt; when I was in school.

    It is open source and not advanced as PowerDesigner or Rational Rose or anything like that.

    I tried it. It is ok to draw ER diagramming. But as far as I can figure out, it does NOT seem to support enhanced er (EER) diagramming, which would involve specialization, generalization or inheritance in EER diagramming.


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    #6
    Ellery
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Ellery


    And it does NOT support automatically transforming ER to Relational Database Schema either. Need to map from ER to Relational DB by hand.

    But for basic usages and exercises I think it's enough.


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    #7
    Ellery
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭Ellery


    And for just the class diagrams for UML, Eclipse has a plugin to do that. That is what my teacher used too.

    As for other types of UML diagrams, I don't know.


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    #8
    ARGINITE
    Registered Users Posts: 2,717 ✭✭✭ARGINITE


    Violet uml editor


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    #9
    ChRoMe
    Registered Users Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭ChRoMe


    ARGINITE wrote: »
    Violet uml editor

    You cruel cruel person, I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than use that god damn application again. </rant>


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    #10
    ARGINITE
    Registered Users Posts: 2,717 ✭✭✭ARGINITE


    ChRoMe wrote: »
    You cruel cruel person, I'd rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than use that god damn application again. </rant>

    I never said it was good :D


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    #11
    KonFusion
    Registered Users Posts: 2,588 ✭✭✭KonFusion


    +1 for ArgoUML

    Used RationalRose in the past too and much preferred Argo (mostly because I wanted RR to die in a fire).


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    #12
    Fussgangerzone
    Registered Users Posts: 371 ✭✭Fussgangerzone


    LucidChart has a free trial for a few months, and costs a measly few euro a month after that. Nice online tool.

    Really pleasant interface, works fantastically well for printing diagrams.


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    #13
    bundaegi
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭bundaegi


    I've used Visual Paradigm Community Edition to teach UML in the past.


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    #14
    blatantrereg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,743 ✭✭✭blatantrereg


    Thanks for all the responses!

    I changed my mind about using StarUML after I tried actually drawing a few diagrams with it! I tried Argo, Dia and Visual Paradigm CE. I'm going with Visual Paradigm as it seems by far the most usable, and it can be used for ER diagrams as well as UML.


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