Reverse engineering source code into a VS 2010 UML class model?
I have a bad feeling that this is not supported in VS 2010 (I’m using the RC from Feb 2010). I’ve tried dragging classes from the “Architecture Explorer” to the “UML Model Explorer” but that doesn’t work (won’t let me drop on the UML Model).
I’ve tried generating an old style class diagram (*.cd) and dragging the resulting diagram object to a blank UML Class diagram. No luck.
Binging does show up anything other than some MS marketing blurbs about “top-down modelling” and, as expected, forward engineering code from the UML model. This makes me suspect that the VS team didn’t tackle reverse engineering code into models.
I was able to generate UML Activity diagrams from code. Nice. But other diagrams (and resulting generation of VS UML Model Repository Objects) is elusive.
If my suspicions are correct, this is a big disappointment. A lot of my work – and I would venture to guess that this is the case for most developers – is adding features to existing software and not doing green-field work. Without the ability to reverse engineer existing code into the VS UML Model repository or import models from other tools, I don’t see how adoption of VS UML modelling will get very far. I’ll just have to stick with my current favorite tool – Enterprise Architect by Sparks Systems.
I think this missing feature is a major shortcoming. What do others think?
What are others planning to do? Continue using their current, favorite UML modelling solution and ignoring VS 2010’s offering?
This question was answered on the VS 2010 Architecture & Modeling forum.
Basically, this functionality will appear in a power tool release around VS 2010 RTM. I encourage you to post in the forum if you have more questions.
UPDATE