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January 30, 2011 1:36 PM Subscribe
Recommendations on a software to produce Structure Charts for software design?
I'm looking for a very basic program I could use to create structure charts for programming assignments that has an easy way to write up input and output parameters. It is driving me crazy trying to do this in Word or Powerpoint. After using Visual Paradigm for some database work I'm guessing there has to be a good program out there for software design as well.
Alternatively, if anyone has easy recommendations of ways to do this using OpenOffice I'll take them!
I'm looking for a very basic program I could use to create structure charts for programming assignments that has an easy way to write up input and output parameters. It is driving me crazy trying to do this in Word or Powerpoint. After using Visual Paradigm for some database work I'm guessing there has to be a good program out there for software design as well.
Alternatively, if anyone has easy recommendations of ways to do this using OpenOffice I'll take them!
Posting from my phone, sorry for no link. Dia is an open source program that has that capability.
posted by boo_radley at 1:59 PM on January 30, 2011
posted by boo_radley at 1:59 PM on January 30, 2011
OpenOffice has a tool to do it, but I personally hate it. There's also Inkscape, but while it renders better, the chart tool leaves a lot to be desired.
I'm not quite sure what a "Structure chart" is, but I'm guessing graphviz / dot is going to be a good start at more declarative methods. There are tools to generate UML diagrams from software, but most cost a good chunk of money on the assumption that only people with money need them.
posted by pwnguin at 3:36 PM on January 30, 2011
I'm not quite sure what a "Structure chart" is, but I'm guessing graphviz / dot is going to be a good start at more declarative methods. There are tools to generate UML diagrams from software, but most cost a good chunk of money on the assumption that only people with money need them.
posted by pwnguin at 3:36 PM on January 30, 2011
At work they canceled our Visio licenses so now I use MS Excel 2003...if you enable the Drawing toolbar and click on Autoshapes it has all kinds of basic shapes, connectors (*some* of which have sticky ends), block arrows, "callouts", flowchart symbols, etc. and you can add text to the boxes/circles.
I've used it for flow charts, Use Case Diagrams and UML, but it takes longer than Visio and the results are definitely not as good.
I gather the OP is talking about this kind of chart though I confess that in 35 years as a professional programmer I haven't done one of those yet. Must be what the young whipper snappers use. (:->)
posted by forthright at 5:15 PM on January 30, 2011
I've used it for flow charts, Use Case Diagrams and UML, but it takes longer than Visio and the results are definitely not as good.
I gather the OP is talking about this kind of chart though I confess that in 35 years as a professional programmer I haven't done one of those yet. Must be what the young whipper snappers use. (:->)
posted by forthright at 5:15 PM on January 30, 2011
Octoparrot : it would be helpful if you could post an example of exactly the chart you have in mind (or at least confirm forthright is correct). Although what forthright pointed to is a structure diagram there also seems to be class of UML diagrams which are referred to as 'structure diagrams' as well which are quite different (see here for an example of the latter.
There's a web based service I will find with a bit more searching which allows you to 'write' your diagram and I'm pretty sure it's able to produce at least some of those UML diagrams
Seconding Graphviz - I've never actually used it but it seems like a great option to me.
Visio of course except it costs a shed load of money and only runs on windows
posted by southof40 at 5:38 PM on January 30, 2011
There's a web based service I will find with a bit more searching which allows you to 'write' your diagram and I'm pretty sure it's able to produce at least some of those UML diagrams
Seconding Graphviz - I've never actually used it but it seems like a great option to me.
Visio of course except it costs a shed load of money and only runs on windows
posted by southof40 at 5:38 PM on January 30, 2011
Response by poster: forthright's link is exactly what I'm talking about. Sorry I thought these were well known although the only time I use one is when it's a requirement of an assignment (I'm a Computer Science undergrad).
posted by Octoparrot at 7:30 PM on January 30, 2011
posted by Octoparrot at 7:30 PM on January 30, 2011
There's a web based service I will find with a bit more searching which allows you to 'write' your diagram and I'm pretty sure it's able to produce at least some of those UML diagrams
OK well given that you do want the style of diagram forthright cited this isn't going to be much use but I will put it in as answer in case it's useful to anybody else.
There's a whole stack of 'text to UML diagram' tools here :
http://modeling-languages.com/content/uml-tools#textual
The tool I was actually thinking of is this one :
http://www.websequencediagrams.com/
As I say (as far as I can tell) none of these do the diagram you want - sorry about that.
posted by southof40 at 1:27 AM on January 31, 2011
OK well given that you do want the style of diagram forthright cited this isn't going to be much use but I will put it in as answer in case it's useful to anybody else.
There's a whole stack of 'text to UML diagram' tools here :
http://modeling-languages.com/content/uml-tools#textual
The tool I was actually thinking of is this one :
http://www.websequencediagrams.com/
As I say (as far as I can tell) none of these do the diagram you want - sorry about that.
posted by southof40 at 1:27 AM on January 31, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by conrad101 at 1:54 PM on January 30, 2011