How to get a nice class diagram for built-in .net classes?

Question

To get an overview for the CodeDom classes in .Net I tried to create a class diagramm using Visual Studio 2010 built-in class designer, but I did not find the way how I could feed the .Net built-in classes and types into it, the only I can get is to add my own classes from Class View window.

I also tried it with UML diagramms in VS2010, and I couldn't import the classes. I was looking for a similar option in MS Visio and though it does provide support for class diagramm I could not generate something there.

I found the AutoDiagrammer project on CodeProject webpage and tried to use it as a Reflector Add-In, but with no succcess either. I get only the message "Waiting for assembly" in the top of the add-in window and nothing happends.

Magen

Answer 1

I was able to generate a class diagram for the entire namespace by:

1. creating a new blank class diagram
2. opening View->Object Explorer
3. entering "codedom" and search
4. drag and droping the System.CodeDom namespace to the blank diagram

I hope this is what you meant.

Anarchic

Oh, that worked here, thanks! The only problem is that the layout is awful, all classes alined in a long line... Any ideas how to cope with it? – Magen

There are some alignment tools when you right click the diagram but they fail pretty badly on this large of diagram. – Anarchic