Hi all,
EA UI and usability is terrible (I'm using version 6.5.798).
I suggest you to fix it.
I need to use EA since its our corporate standard for design documentation. However I deeply hate EA every time I use it, because of its usability.
In general, EA's UI doesn't allow me quickly express the design I need. Instead, I'm forced to fight with overweight modal windows, jumping labels, wrong automatic element layouts and all that stuff.
I forced to do many unnecessary mouse moves and clicks, switch constantly between keyboard and mouse. That's a hell.
Dear guys EA developers -- have you EVER used your tool for creating something real and step beyond demo examples? How much TIME did you spent for filling out the class operations?
* There's Undo function, but not Redo! You never guess what Undo does until you try it -- instead of latest attribute changes it will simply delete the class you just filled last half an hour.
* Most of the really dangerous and important operations can't be undone, only simple typings and element move/size.
* Sequence diagram labels are placed in most non-readable places and sizes. Selecting message often stops working and required selecting actor first, the message label and then the message arrow itself.
* Even after you adjust label positions and sizes, next time you open the saved diagram, EA will mess it up accidentally.
* EA pretends to be smart and don't allow to do many things. For example, empty attribute names (if the type is self-informative). However it's not so smart to recognize class types when you put them as "const Type*".
* To place a note you need to use toolbar, but to add a note to message on sequence diagram, you need to right click on the message and use that menu. Period. That note can't be linked to different messages or reused.
* You can't copy/paste messages of Sequence diagram. Only empty actors/ class lifelines are pasted.
* Shortcuts on buttons "New" and "Save" in Attributes and Operations window work randomly. Sometimes you need to press Alt+S three times to get Save work and Save button disabled. Otherwise once you add new attribute/operation you will be prompted "You have unsaved data, are you sure you want to lose it?". Multiply that for every attribute / operation of every class...
You can continue writing this list forever... Just try to WORK with EA and try to prepare simple and readable design.
Yes, I will be looking for the alternatives to EA to use. My company loses tons of people's time. This costs tons of money, as you know. But more important, it costs bad impression of your company, your competencies and tools you produce. Because of your design.
Good luck in design improvements.
