Part II UML diagrams and general questions

[Sergej Logis]

Hi guys!
I just started working on my solution for Part II of SCEA (Factory Homes), and I really need to hurry up to submit
it until August 01, 2011... So I decided to dive into forum and ask questions here, in hope to get more correct and fast
answers (comparing to looking for information elsewhere, e.g. "eating" more books).

1. I have read Cade and Sheil book, and their solution to Part II is quite simple and easy. They claim, however, that it is
WORKING solution. So, if I understood correctly, no need to dive into much details and overdesign? Am I right?

2. Cade and Sheil shows LDAP and Email servers (along with two more external systems) on their Component Diagram
depicted as nodes. I'm using Astah Community to draw UML diagrams, and there is NO such element as node in Component
Diagram. I wonder, should I really mention external systems in my Component Diagram, and if so, which approach to take?
Essentially, those external systems ARE parts of SuD as a whole, so, IMHO, I sould draw them on as common components.
Am I right?

3. In my assignment (Factory Homes) I need to build system using which customers should be able to assemble their
own house. The question is: should I consider things such as graphical drawing tool in my design? E.g., specification says users
can add walls to design, however, no mention about how those walls are assembled together... I'm quite unsure there, and
I really don't want to overdesign my solution... Please guide me into right direction.

I will be VERY thankful for guides and suggestions, guys! Thanks in advance!

[Krzysztof Grajek]

I have the same assignment and doubts

1. Exactly, you don't have to dive into details too much, but I'm too, have some doubts about simplicity of Cade's example, just seems to me a bit too simple.
2. I guess It would be usefull to show them (same as in Cade's book) at least I will.
3. It all depends on your assumption, do it as you wish and list your assumptions, I'm doing it with simple jsf pages where you can list and add components to the house design.

[Sergej Logis]

Krzysztof Grajek wrote:2. I guess It would be usefull to show them (same as in Cade's book) at least I will.

The point is, Astah Community UTL tool, I'm using, (suggested here, on JavaRanch SCEA forum),
doesn't have "node" element in Component Diagram elements palette. So, either putting "node"
on Component Diagram is NOT UML 2 compliant, OR I don't know how to do it correctly... Can I
replace "node" with "component" element? Would that be correct use of it to depict external system?
Thanks.

[Krzysztof Grajek]

From what I know your diagrams have to be UML compilat but doesn't have to be UML 2.0 compilant
I dont' know the tool you are using and I don't have my component diagram done yet, but If I encounter same problem as you I will just modify the resulting image somhow before including it in my submission. After all we just submit images and not a tool specific project file.

[Sergej Logis]

Krzysztof Grajek wrote:I will just modify the resulting image somhow before including it in my submission. After all we just submit images and not a tool specific project file.

I thought about same approach too

[John Lincoln]

Hi Sergej,


I have the same question regarding component diagram

>> "2. Cade and Sheil shows LDAP and Email servers (along with two more external systems) on their Component Diagram
depicted as nodes."

I also want add on more point, in Cade and Sheil the sequence diagram on page 176 is not UML complaint. The arrow head int he sequence dagram is not filled.

as per the url http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/3101.html, if the arrow head is not filled means asynchronous messages.

If you have some clear understanding please clarify

[Sergej Logis]

Cade and Sheil book is very controversal, I must admit... If we'd follow guidelines in their book,
then Assignment part of SCEA would take no more than 10 hours to complete, including UML tool
learning curve and HTML design (IMHO)...

Unfortunately for the moment I cannot be proud of having more clear understanding than you guys do...
I sure will post any useful information I will stumble upon!

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

1) I'd argue no. See CadeSheilFaq
2) Yes you need to indicate them in some way. Even if it is copying/pasting in Paint.
3) Remember that you don't need to design the third party tool. It is a black box.

[Sergej Logis]

Thanks! I will sure take your suggestions in account!

[Krzysztof Koziol]

Hi Krzysiek, Sergiej

I'm doing same assignment as well and due to lack of free time still struggling with a class diagram:(

Regards,
Krzysztof

[ash Pandey]

Hello Friends,
I have recently cleared my SCEA part 1 and am not aware how shall I proceed for part 2.
I am sorry for asking this unwise question but the clock is ticking and need to hurry up for part 2 asap to save some ££££.

Plesae let me know how do I start for the assignemt download.

Response appreciated.

Regards
Ashok Pandey

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Have you read Oracle's Pearson page yet? Also, see my signature for tips on parts 2 and 3.

[Kumar Amit]

Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:1) I'd argue no. See CadeSheilFaq
2) Yes you need to indicate them in some way. Even if it is copying/pasting in Paint.
3) Remember that you don't need to design the third party tool. It is a black box.

I reckon showing node in component diagram is not UML complaint. Showing LDAP and external systems as component with stereotype as<<external>> shuold be fine. Isn't it?

[ananthakrishnan ramachandran]

Hi,
I am also working on the same assignment.I have a question if we need to show DAOs in class diagram.As per the use case all the interaction happens through web services.Kindly clarify .

[Sergej Logis]

ananthakrishnan ramachandran wrote:Hi,
I am also working on the same assignment.I have a question if we need to show DAOs in class diagram.As per the use case all the interaction happens through web services.Kindly clarify .

I think we should show DAO's on Class Diagram. At very least this would make Class Diagram look more professional and sophisticated, IMHO However, do we really need any DAO
at all? Why not using Container Managed Persistence? We do not have any sophisticated transactional requirements in our assignment, so why using BMP then? What do you think?
As to Web Services, only SIMS system is accessed this way. All design and other stuffs must be persisted locally somehow. So we in need for entities for sure.

P.S. I wonder, does this discussion breaks any SCEA assignment rules? I hope it does not...

[ananthakrishnan ramachandran]

Do you mean that the completed designs will be persisted?But if you go through the use case,it seems the user sends the completed design to the inventory system.If persistence is included, how can we ensure that database is synchronized with the information from inventory system.

[Sergej Logis]

Well, IMO, SIMS system is used to query for available/compatible components (as it's name suggests - Stock and Inventory Management System).
SIMS is external system, it knows nothing about your entities. And taking in account that after field representative searches for completed design
and selects one, he/she should be able to evaluate that design - see image, analyze it, make some assumptions and so on. Therefore we simply
must persist design somehow somewhere. And it's definitively not SIMS system...

As to state synchronization with SIMS, only thing we must synchronize is reservation of components. It's quite easy, assuming SIMS provides Web Service for that.

[ananthakrishnan ramachandran]

Thanks for your reply ,Sergej.Can we include the database synchronization with inventory system as part of assumption.

[Sergej Logis]

I think this part could (and should) be covered in more details than simple assumption IMHO

[Krzysztof Koziol]

Sergej Logis wrote:Well, IMO, SIMS system is used to query for available/compatible components (as it's name suggests - Stock and Inventory Management System).
SIMS is external system, it knows nothing about your entities. And taking in account that after field representative searches for completed design
and selects one, he/she should be able to evaluate that design - see image, analyze it, make some assumptions and so on. Therefore we simply
must persist design somehow somewhere. And it's definitively not SIMS system...

I agree. However all we need to persist are identifiers for all components that are included in the particular house design.

Sergej Logis wrote:
As to state synchronization with SIMS, only thing we must synchronize is reservation of components. It's quite easy, assuming SIMS provides Web Service for that.

Sergej, have you considered using cache for component catalog? It seems that catalog will be served quite often and this may have some impact on overall performance.

[Sergej Logis]

Hey Krzysztof!
I fully agree with you regarding persistency - my current model includes componentCode as THE ONLY persistent field

As for caching, catalog, especially components catalog, is very fluid thing, IMHO. Availability and other details can change
quite often. However, the only time I'm planning to query catalog WS is when customer selects components group to be added to
design for the first time in design session. Afterwards Value List Holder pattern should be applied for sure, to make UI more
responsible and to reduce network traffic. Final check for availability/validity can be done when design is confirmed by customer.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Closing because too much detailed discussion about assignment. Please start a new thread with higher level questions if you wish to continue.