1.1.1 How to Create a Folder Structure for Diagrams

Good File Organization Makes Technical Work Easier to Find

As your programming work grows, you may create several kinds of files:

  • Visual Studio solutions;
  • C# source files;
  • UML diagrams;
  • exported images;
  • notes or other supporting files.

If every file is placed in one folder with unclear names, it becomes easy to:

  • open the wrong version;
  • submit the wrong file;
  • overwrite an earlier diagram;
  • lose track of which artifact belongs to which module.

A simple folder structure helps you keep related work together.

Begin With the Course or Project Folder

Use the location required by your course.

Inside that location, keep the project files and diagram files organized according to the current directions.

A simple conceptual structure might look like:

Activity diagram showing ProgrammingConcepts, then Module1, then │ Diagrams, then │ Projects, then Module2.
ProgrammingConcepts.
  • New
  • Changed
  • Removed

The exact folder names used in your course may differ.

Follow the names and locations supplied by the course when they are specified.

Give Diagrams Their Own Logical Location

If a module requires several UML files, placing them in one diagram folder can make them easier to manage.

For example:

Object diagram showing Module1, then Diagrams, then ObjectDiagrams, then ClassDiagrams.
Module.
  • New
  • Changed
  • Removed

You do not need to create extra folders merely because this example shows them.

Use enough structure to keep the required artifacts clear.

Too many unnecessary folders can make navigation harder rather than easier.

Keep Editable Diagram Files

When you create a UML diagram in Violet, the editable Violet file is important.

An exported image or screenshot may be useful for viewing the diagram, but it is not the same as the editable source.

A useful folder can therefore contain:

Activity diagram showing Diagrams, then current editable diagram file, then exported image when required.
Diagrams.
  • New
  • Changed
  • Removed

Do not replace the editable diagram with only a screenshot.

You may need to reopen and revise the source diagram later.

Use Meaningful File Names

A filename should help you recognize the artifact.

Weak names include:

Activity diagram showing Module1, then Diagrams, then Project.
Module.
  • New
  • Changed
  • Removed

The diagram folder contains modeling artifacts.

The project folder contains the supplied Visual Studio solution and source.

Do not move C# project files out of their supplied project structure simply to make your personal folder organization look cleaner.

Preserve the Visual Studio Project Structure

Visual Studio solutions depend on their project organization.

If the course gives you:

Activity diagram showing Zoo.sln, then Zoo, then Animal.cs, then Guest.cs, then Zoo.csproj.
ZooSln.
  • New
  • Changed
  • Removed

do not drag individual ..cs files into your diagram folder.

Keep the supplied solution intact.

Your outside folder organization should help you find the project without changing the internal structure Visual Studio expects.

Make the Structure Easy to Navigate

A good folder structure lets you answer:

  • Where is the current UML diagram?
  • Where is the supplied Visual Studio solution?
  • Which files belong to this module?
  • Which file is the editable source?
  • Which file would I submit if the activity asked for it?

If the structure makes those answers obvious, it is doing its job.

Organization Is Part of Technical Reliability

File organization may feel separate from programming.

It is not.

Technical work depends on using the correct artifact.

A perfectly designed diagram cannot help if you submit an older copy.

Correct C# code cannot help if you edit a duplicate project while Visual Studio runs another one.

A clear folder structure reduces those avoidable errors.