Hi Mike
Thanks for your Java app. I tried it and it works with OmniGraffle and displays our eomodel files. I assume one of the problems with such an attempt would be that one would have to rearrange the layout at each export? Or are there ways in Graffle to "hold" a layout even when creating a new one?
Following the next threads, I am not sure if I understand what's or if there is already a conclusion to my request for a diagram view. I understand some people seem to look at it as something useless whereas some like myself think it's indispensable. As someone said, we put it on the wall. The effect is/was, that during the last 10 years we did that, our models received many very good enhancements just because other developers could look at it and critizise it, but also suggest enhancements or point to design weaknesses. As a result, the apps based on the various models got better and better, also quite often because the discussion of the model caused some general or fundamental problems inherent in the design, i. e. in the customer's request. That sure is just one of many ways people develop software.
Regards, Robert
On 02.12.2009, at 18:14, Mike Schrag wrote:
> I whipped up a quick graffle generator: http://webobjects.mdimension.com/wolips/eomodelgraffle-latest.jar
>
> screengrab of output (you will want to click one of the autolayouts -- it doesn't try layout):
>
> <PastedGraphic-1.png>
> java -jar eomodelgraffle-latest.jar -output /tmp/Test.graffle -modelgroup /Users/mschrag/Documents/workspace/CallLogs/Resources
>
> It uses velocity templates for the graffle chunks, so you can make your own if you really want, though the layout within the group is done in code (because it has to compute offsets, etc). Could probably make that fancier, but whatever -- 1 hr.
>
>> There may be personal preferences on how to do things, but I mean, how can you have an overview and discuss about the relationships and the quality and naming of them when you have just a list of entities in a tool?
> Just how I work ... I can reword your sentence to say "just a pile of boxes and lines on 30 pages" and make it sound just as silly, I suppose. I find diagrams to be completely worthless. Maybe it's just me. When I go to a website for some new technology and it has an architecture diagram on it, my brain turns off. They just do nothing for me. I'd rather navigate EOModelDoc or just Entity Modeler. I can double-click a relationship and jump to its destination, i can open entities and see their subentities, all without filling my entire wall with a subway map. Maybe it's just me.
>
>> I can't speak for others, but in my environment I have never found anyone questioning the necessity of a diagram view to discuss and review a model within a group of people. May be I am living in another world ,-)
> I know lots of people like diagrams. I'm just not one of them.
>
>> My question is, how much of an effort would it be to include a diagram view in Entity Modeler similar to the EOModeler, even if it seems we would be the only ones using them? Or is the answer anyway that will never happen and we have to look for another tool? At least I know then there is no hope and we have to leave and look for something else, although not what we would like.
> It's enough effort that I haven't done it. If you care enough about it that you want to fund the development of it, we're always open to that, but I don't really plan on investing a huge amount of time in a diagramming component that will unquestionably be subpar compared to what Graffle can do. It doesn't make sense to me.
>
> ms
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