VUE can automatically generate a Java class hierarchy diagram. This is an experimental feature which must be enabled on the preferences panel. To enable Java Analysis:
- Open the Preferences window with the Preferences… menu command.
- Select Java Analysis in the left-hand column.
- Enable the feature by clicking on the checkbox.
Once the preference is enabled, the Java… menu command will appear on the Analysis menu. To begin a Java Analysis:
- Open the Java Analysis window with the Analysis/Java… menu command.
- Using the checkboxes on the window, choose whether to include classes and/or interfaces in the diagram; you may also choose whether to include inner classes/interfaces.
- Click the Choose Java Files(s) button; the file chooser window will appear.
- Select a file format: .java, .class, .jar, or all.
- Select the files you wish to analyze; you may select multiple files and/or folders. Selecting a folder will cause all files within the folder (but not within sub-folders) of the chosen format to be analyzed.
- For each class found in the selected file(s) a node will be created on the map (if a node for the class already exists it will be found and used).
- Links will be drawn to classes extended and interfaces implemented.
- Nodes will contain metadata describing the class and will be styled to illustrate various properties of the class.
- You may continue to add new classes to the map by using the feature repeatedly.
We hope you find Java Analysis useful. This is an experimental feature, so please feel free to use the VUE forum to send us your feedback about it. We hope to improve it in future releases. In particular, it would be nice to implement a layout specifically for class hierarchies.