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Create types by using Class Designer

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To design new types for C# and Visual Basic projects, create them on a class diagram. To see existing types, see View Existing Types.

Create a new type

  1. In the Toolbox, under Class Designer, drag one of these onto a class diagram:

    • Class or Abstract Class

    • Enum

    • Interface

    • Structure (VB) or Struct (C#)

    • Delegate

    • Module (VB only)

  2. Name the type. Then select its access level.

  3. Select the file where you want to add the initial code for the type:

    • To create a new file and add it to the current project, select Create new file and name the file.

    • To add code to an existing file, select Add to existing file.

      If your solution has a project that shares code across multiple apps, you can add a new type to a class diagram in the app project, but only if the corresponding class file is in the same app project or is in the shared project.

  4. Now add other items to define the type:

    For Add
    Classes, abstract classes, structures or structs Methods, properties, fields, events, constructors (method), destructors (method), and constants that define the type
    Enums Field values that make up the enumeration
    Interfaces Methods, properties, and events that make up the interface
    Delegate Parameters that define the delegate
    Module Methods, properties, fields, events, constructors (method), and constants that define the module

    See Creating Members.

Apply a custom attribute to a type

  1. Click the type's shape on a class diagram.

  2. In Properties, next to the Custom Attributes property for the type, click the ellipsis (...) button.

  3. Add one or more custom attributes with one per line. Don't enclose them in brackets.

    The custom attributes are applied to the type.

Apply a custom attribute to a type member

  1. Click the member's name in its type's shape on a class diagram, or its row in the Class Details window.

  2. In Properties, find the member's Custom Attributes property.

  3. Add one or more custom attributes with one per line. Don't enclose them in brackets.

    The custom attributes are applied to the type.

Create inheritance between types in Class Designer

To create an inheritance relationship between two types on a class diagram using Class Designer, connect the base type with its derived type or types. You can have an inheritance relationship between two classes, between a class and an interface, or between two interfaces.

To create an inheritance between types

  1. From your project in Solution Explorer, open a class diagram (.cd) file.

    If you don't have a class diagram, create it. See Add Class Diagrams to Projects.

  2. In the Toolbox, under Class Designer, click Inheritance.

  3. On the class diagram, draw an inheritance line between the types that you want, starting from:

    • A derived class to the base class

    • An implementing class to the implemented interface

    • An extending interface to the extended interface

  4. Optionally, when you have a derived type from a generic type, click the inheritance line. In the Properties window, set the Type Arguments property to match the type that you want for the generic type.

    Note

    If a parent abstract class contains at least one abstract member, then all abstract members are implemented as non-abstract inheriting classes.

    Although you can visualize existing generic types, you can't create new generic types. You also can't change the type parameters for existing generic types.

Create associations between types in Class Designer

Association lines in Class Designer show how classes in a diagram are related. An Association line represents a class that is the type of a property or field of another class in your project. Association lines are generally used to illustrate the most important relationships between classes in your project.

While you could display all fields and properties as associations, it makes more sense to show only important members as associations, depending on what you intend to emphasize in the diagram. (You can show less important members as regular members or hide them altogether.)

Note

Class Designer supports only unidirectional associations.

To define an association line in the Class Diagram

  1. In the Toolbox, under Class Designer, select Association.

  2. Draw a line between the two shapes you want to link with an association.

    A new property is created in the first class. This property displays as an association line (not as a property within a compartment in the shape) with a default name. Its type is the shape to which the association line points.

To change the name of an association

On the diagram surface, click the label of the association line and edit it.

Alternatively, follow these steps:

  1. Select the shape that contains the property that is shown as an association.

    The shape obtains focus and its members display in the Class Details and Properties windows.

  2. In either the Class Details or Properties window, edit the name field for that property and press Enter.

    The name is updated in the Class Details window, on the association line, in the Properties window, and in code.

Visualize a collection association in Class Designer

Properties and fields that are collections of other types can be displayed on the class diagram as a collection association. Unlike a regular association, which displays a field or property as a line linking the owning class to the field's type, a collection association is displayed as a line linking the owning class to the collected type.

To create a collection association

  1. In code, create a property or field whose type is itself a strongly typed collection.

  2. In the class diagram, expand the class so that properties and fields are shown.

  3. In the class, right-click the field or property and choose Show as Collection Association.

The property or field is shown as an association line linking to the collected type.

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