Sun Microsystems Inc. on Monday announced the integration of its IDE with Describe for Sun ONE Studio, a UML (Unified Modeling Language) modeling tool from Embarcadero Technologies Inc.
Describe will serve as Sun’s preferred UML solution for Sun ONE Studio 4 update 1, Enterprise Edition for Java IDE, according to the two companies. The two products still will require both separate installs and purchases but will work together.
Describe 6.0, the version being offered for Sun, enables application modelers and developers to work together in a seamless design and development environment, according to the companies. Version 6.0 is a UML-driven integrated modeling environment, featuring enhanced usability with UML model and Java source-code synchronization, advanced source-code control integration, and Web-based reporting.
“We’re providing a modeling interface to the Java source code directly,” said Greg Keller, director of design and modeling for Embarcadero, in San Francisco.
“Java developers are asking that tools vendors provide more than just edit, compile, debug,” said Sun’s Jeff Anders, group marketing manager for Sun ONE Studio, in Menlo Park, Calif. “They’re asking for UML modeling as core functionality within the IDE.”
Embarcadero previously has offered UML support for Sun’s Forte for Java, a predecessor tools product.
Other new features in Describe 6.0 include support for the OMG XMI (XML Metadata Interchange) format, for exchanging metadata with other applications or modeling tools. Also included is a UML 2.0 modeling notation for sequence diagramming, for describing how an application works.
Sun ONE Studio 4 update 1, Enterprise Edition for Java, is priced at US$1,995 for a new user and US$995 for an upgrade license. Describe for Sun ONE Studio pricing starts at US$995. It is available immediately.