Use Visio-like icons in Astah

When you have a meeting with Non-IT people and show your diagrams, you may wish to change icons of UML elements to make it easier for everyone to understand what your diagrams convey. The diagram shown above is what our customer created with Astah by using icons as he wanted to create UML diagrams using Visio-like icons.

In Astah, you can add your favorite icons to use, but is a bit tricky.
I’ll show you how to do this with an example along with an actual question that I recently received from our customer.

Q: Is it possible to create a multiple association class using a diamond icon?

Yes, by using stereotype. Here’s a step:

1. Select a root package in the tree and open its property in the left-bottom view and choose [Profile Stereotype] tab and click [Add] button.
   

 

2. A dialog appears, enter stereotype name and add a diamond icon
   

 

3. Add the stereotype to an association class
   

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4. Select the association class on the diagram and choose [Customize] from main menu – 2nd button from the right.
   

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5. The association class will turn into the diamond icon.

Here’s an example of icon list that our customer has! Great!

Cheers,
SJ