Collecting metrics on UML models

You can run a UML Metrics analysis configuration on a UML model to collect several different types of numeric information about the model. For example, you can discover the number of attributes or operations in a classifier, the level of instability in a package, or the depth of a classifier in its inheritance hierarchy. UML metrics are grouped into four categories: coupling, diagrams, inheritance, and size. Metrics that express the number of occurrences for each namespace are summed and all other metrics are averaged. For each metric, you can optionally configure the severity, lower bound, and upper bound. Metrics that are out of the range of the lower and upper bounds are reported as problems and are displayed in red. To inspect metrics results, you expand the result tree starting at the root and read the results from the bottom up.

About this task

To collect metrics on a UML model:

Procedure

  1. Click Run > Analysis.
  2. In the Analysis window, right-click Software Analyzer; then click New.
  3. In the Name field, type a name for the configuration.
  4. On the Scope page, select one of the following options:
    • To analyze all the resources in your workspace, click Analyze entire workspace.
    • To analyze resources in a working set that you previously defined, click Analyze a resource working set and select the resource working sets to include in the analysis.
    • To analyze specific projects, click Analyze selected projects and select the projects to include in the analysis.
  5. Optional: On the Rules page, complete the following steps:
    1. In the Analysis Domains and Rules list, select UML Model Metrics.
    2. On the Properties tab, click the Analyze Referenced Resource checkbox to also analyze resources referenced from your scope.
    3. In the Analysis Domains and Rules list, expand UML Model Metrics and expand any of the four metrics categories. Select the check boxes beside the metrics that you want to collect.
  6. Optional: To change the severity rating, the lowest allowed value, and the highest allowed value, click the rule and change the rule parameters on the Properties tab.
  7. Click Apply and click Analyze. The results are displayed in the Software Analyzer Result view, on the UML Model Metrics tab.
  8. Optional: To work with the results of the analysis, in the Software Analyzer view, click the UML Model Metrics tab and complete any of the following steps:
    • To filter the results to display only problems, click Show problem metrics only. Click Show problem metrics only again to display all the metrics.
    • To export model review analysis results to an XML file, click Export. Specify the export format and file name and click OK.
    • To generate an HTML or PDF report of the analysis results, click Generate a report, select the report format, and click OK.
    • To navigate from a result to a problematic element in the Project Explorer view, either right-click the result; then click View result or double-click the result.

Feedback