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Class Modeling With Xcode Design Tools

The Xcode class modeling tool helps you to explore and understand the classes in your project, whether they’re written in Objective-C, C++, Java, or a mixture of those languages. It allows you to see class relationships (subclass and superclass relationships—including support for multiple inheritance in C++), protocols (or Interfaces in Java), and categories. In the diagram view, color and text coding help you to quickly distinguish between classes, categories, and protocols; and between project and framework code. The visibility (public, private, protected) of member functions and variables is shown appropriately. (If you are not familiar with any of these terms, you should consult suitable programming texts.)

You can use the tool as an index into your project. From within the tool, you can navigate to the source code of your own classes (both the declaration and implementation), to the declaration in framework classes (those for which you do not have source code), and to corresponding documentation. You can create models that persist as part of your project to communicate design details to other team members, and you can create temporary models (quick models) that serve to illuminate an immediate problem.

The tool’s basic features and behavior are described in “Common Features of the Xcode Design Tools.” This chapter describes features and behavior that are unique to the class modeler.

Contents:

Creating Models
Indexing and Tracking
The Diagram View for Class Modeling
The Browser View for Class Modeling

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