The Moth

UPDATED the status of the suggestions on ladybug

Previously in the overview of the Class Designer I focused on the good aspects.

I did not mention two tracking windows that I am not that excited about but you might be, so I'll briefly summarise them.

Each time a shape is selected/clicked in the diagram, there are two windows that get updated: Properties and Class Details (in my configuration on the bottom right and bottom respectively). Class Details is a breakdown of the elements in the shape for finer editing. However, I'd rather double click on the shape and go straight to code where the excellent code editor/intellisense will help me make my change, then Ctrl+TAB and I am back in the diagram. The Properties window shows info already on the diagram (e.g. method name, access modifier), it shows info that should be on the diagram (e.g. method signature, type, whether it is static) and it shows info that I wouldn't mind going to code to see (e.g. Custom Attributes, remarks, summary). I would probably be more enthusiastic about these windows if I didn't know that the development time taken to offer us these could have been used to plug more essential gaps that are there due to "resource constraints".

Talking of gaps in functionality here is a list of features that would greatly improve the tool. They are over at the MSDN Feedback center as suggestions where the problem and proposed solution for each are described.

1 (POSTPONED) Show Full method signature for methods, events, delegates, overloads
(a must have feature whose ommission makes the whole Class Designer almost useless IMHO)

2 (POSTPONED) Support a dependency association
(read my justification for this... it is one of the least appreciated yet most useful of UML IMO)

3 (POSTPONED) Static members should have visual indication on diagram

4 (POSTPONED) Visual distinction of readonly properties

5 (POSTPONED) Event as association and How to show subscription to an event

6 (FIXED) Delegate signature

7 (POSTPONED) Delegates (and other nested types) shown outside the class

8 (POSTPONED) Visual representation/distinction of Namespaces

9 (POSTPONED) Attach notes to classes and associations at least

10 (FIXED) "View in diagram" should not always create a new diagram

11 (POSTPONED) Navigation aid for large class diagram

12 (FIXED) "View in diagram" framework types from Object Browser

13 (POSTPONED) Option to use .NET framework types instead of language types