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XMLSpy® 2008 can export XML Schema files as UML 2 project files for Altova UModel® 2008.

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is gaining popularity among software development teams and data architects as an effective and robust means for modeling complex data structures and software development projects.

The XMLSpy® 2008 DTD/Schema menu features an option to export XML Schemas in UML format as a project files for Altova UModel® 2008:

Selectable options in the XMLSpy Convert to UML dialog allow you to refine the UML project and select default display options for the UML diagrams that will represent your schema:

The example below shows an Author element in an XML Schema in the XMLSpy® 2008 Schema view and the same Author in a UModel® 2008 diagram with a new element called mName inserted in the sequence:

UModel® 2008 users may want to describe requirements behind the schema and design application logic to interact with it. This can be accomplished by expanding the project with additional UML figures such as use case diagrams, class diagrams, sequence diagrams, or composite structure diagrams. Class diagrams in UModel® 2008 projects can be designed to generate Java or C# code that will work with the XML Schema.

UModel® 2008 also allows hyperlinks to be attached to model elements. Hyperlinks can cross-reference various UML diagrams within a model, link to external files such as requirements documents, or even link to HTML pages – perhaps in the development team’s project wiki.

UModel® 2008 users can edit the schema by modifying the UML diagrams. Since the UModel project and the actual XML Schema are separate files, the UML model of a schema provides an additional level of abstraction between the schema design and the XSD file itself.

This allows developers working in teams to develop schema enhancements in a collaborative process, treating the UML model as a blueprint. Changes made to the UML model are not implemented in the XSD file until the model is synchronized through the UModel® 2008 Project menu:

UModel® 2008 also supports round-trip engineering – if one developer on your team revises the schema in XMLSpy® 2008, another developer using UModel® 2008 can update the UML model directly from the new version of the XSD.

Click here to learn more about UModel® 2008. Or to experience for yourself how easy it is to develop and modify XML Schema using XMLSpy® 2008, click here to download a free 30-day trial today!