Graphical editor for UML 2.0 sequence diagrams

Abstract

The thesis takes a look at the new UML 2.0 specification, with focus on sequence diagrams. It deals with development of a sequence diagram editor for the new specification.

Sequence diagram editors have more functionality than simple box and arrow diagram editors. This is because we are dealing with a language. A language with syntactical and semantical constraints and rules. To have a fully functional editor for a language it should support these constraints and rules. To add an extra level of complexity the constraints and rules for sequence diagram are in two dimensions. This means the placement of elements have significance both in the vertical and the horizontal direction.

The thesis shows that it is possible, with limited resources, to develop a sequence diagram editor supporting the new UML 2.0 specification. The thesis will also show a systematic approach to defining editing behavior in a sequence diagram editor.

The editor was also used to look at the possibility of integration with other tools. The editor was made to generate a file in an existing standard and tested against a tool using this standard.