I need a UML editor capable of state diagrams to formalise the current and future workflow related to security updates for the stable and testing releases. Most UML software in Debian’s archive only knows about class diagrams, with a few notable exceptions:
tcm: the user interface is a nightmare and despite at least half an hour of reading the docs and trying hard, I had not managed to create a
.xmifile describing a simple publication workflow. Reason enough to move away from this horrid application.umbrello: 50 Mb of downloads later, I finally had the KDE-based
umbrelloinstalled and within five minutes, I understood how to accomplish what I want with the more or less intuitive user interface, although I have still not found out how to associate actions with transitions. Anyway, while I am happily clicking away,umbrellosuddenly disappears without a warning, message, or output to the console. Thanks, KDE, for making intuitive software that looks good; whether it’s usable and/or stable is an issue with which you need not concern yourself.
ArgoUML, a Java-based application (see how desperate I am?) doesn’t even want to start with the 1.5 JRE.
Lacking any usable editors, I might just implement the whole security update process in Python. At least then it’s formally described. If only there was a tool that turned some sort of state description files into valid UML…
