|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(text box continued from previous page) |
|
|
|
| | Deployment View | | The Use Case View encompasses all the use-case models, including the actors. The Logical View encompasses the classes and objects needed to support the use-case models. The Component View, like Booch's Physical View, shows the actual location of the files for each class and component (that is, ActiveX controls, other third-party tools, and so on). The Deployment View encompasses the physical locations of key processors and hardware devices in your system domain. Examples of these appear later in this chapter. |
|
|
|
|
|
Using Rational Rose/Visual Basic and Microsoft Visual Modeler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As seasoned software developers will tell you (if you don't already know), having automation tools that ease the process of developing sophisticated software is a must in today's technology-intensive environment. Two tools stand out in this arena: Rational Rose/Visual Basic and Microsoft Visual Modeler. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Similarities and Differences |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Many of you are probably saying, Hey, these tools look alike. Not surprising. There is a reason for this: Microsoft, the master of the graphical user interface, and Rational, the ruler of automated object-oriented software development, joined forces to provide a much needed facelift to Rational Rose. For those readers who remember the previous versions of Rose, you are probably glad the GUI was brought up to speed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Although there are quite a number of similarities between Visual Modeler and Rational Rose/Visual Basic, using both will quickly bring to light the obvious differences. The following are the obvious similarities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Both tools support Microsoft's three-tier (or three-partition) approach to application architecture. The three tiers are User Services (GUI-centered objects), Business Services (rules and entity objects), and Data Services (database objects, recordset objects, flat file interfaces, and so on). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Both tools support the Logical and Physical Views of the application. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The key difference is that Rational Rose/Visual Basic supports the Use Case View. This critical view is missing from Visual Modeler, possibly because of licensing restrictions negotiated by Rational. Whatever the reason, the lack of the Use Case View in Visual Modeler makes it more difficult to enforce traceability from the use cases to the detail design class models. Thus, project risks must be assessed appropriately and allocated to this situation. |
|
|
|
|
|