UML is most commonly used for modelling system by using C++. In my projects C is the implementation language. I am looking for resources on UML strategies which are applicable for C. I want to use UML during design and represent the different aspects of the system.
3 Answers
I don't know of any existing resources that discuss using UML specifically for C. As others have mentioned, UML is language-agnostic.
Keep in mind that with UML, you can have a model for the problem domain, and another for the implementation. Try not to model the problem domain in terms of C, but rather as high-level OO. Once you understand the problem domain adequately enough, you can begin modeling an implementation.
For modeling procedural-style C implementations, the following diagrams could be useful:
- Class diagram:
- Show C module APIs
- Show C module relationships (mostly dependencies for non-OO)
- Show structures and enumerations (using < < stereotype> >)
- Package diagram: Show contents (modules) of libraries, and the dependency relationships between libraries
- Activity diagram: Flowcharting non-trivial algorithms
- Sequence/collaboration diagram: Show how events/messages between modules/entities/inputs/outputs occur in time
- Statechart diagram: For state machines, of course!
Expanding on class diagrams, you can "abuse" them in the following way for procedural-style C:
- Global extern functions -> public methods
- Local static functions -> private methods
- Global extern variables -> public members
- Local static variables -> private members
- Structs -> class with "struct" stereotype
#defineconstants -> class with "enumeration" stereotype
Experiment, and you'll find your own conventions for abusing UML.
The problem with C is that it is more of a procedural programming language. Its harder to get the fine grained design with a C application. If you are working with C you may want to stick with sequence diagrams, and component diagrams, as that they describe and overview of what is going on rather than a graph of dependencies and interaction.
An object oriented design is independent of the language and you can of course design your system using UML. Some tools like Rhapsody will also allow code generation and round-tripping, we use for some special projects where C++ is not an option. If you want to write your code by hand use some naming convention like Subsystem_Module_Class_Method to name your functions in an object oriented way and use a .c file per class. Using C is not an obstacle against having a clean design.
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