CASE Tools List (04/08/26)

Caveat emptor: You get what you pay for!

I'm now working for a semiconductor maker (can't name names) but I'm not directly involved in EDA nor CASE development.

Table of Contents

• CASE related studies
• Various (non-OO) system design tools
• with code generation
• with business focus
• drawing only
• Various OOA/D tools
• Meta tools
• with full code generation
• with some code generation
• drawing only
• with business focus
• OOA/D Methods and Consultants
• Misc. CASE tools (e.g., reverse engineering)
• Not quite CASE tools
• Other CASE lists
• CASE related news

Links to CASE related studies

• AIS has CASE product reviews.
• Quantitative Software Management has studies on CASE usage.
• CASE tool report by Bloor Research.
• Ovum has CASE related reports (some are free) and has evaluated several CASE tools.
• INCOSE has the following reports: Tools Taxonomy: Requirements Tools and Tools Taxonomy: System Architecture Tools

Links to various system design tools (non-OO)

CASE tools with full code generation

CASE tools include FSM (finite state machine) or Statechart or state diagraming tools (including SDL). Also, some tools may generate only HDL (Verilog or VHDL) but are on this list since generating C is not impossible (as companies like i-Logix and Cynergy System Design have shown):
• i-Logix Inc. Statemate Magnum is their flag ship product which has: hierarchical functional and state-machine diagraming (i.e., "statecharts"), simulation, GUI builder and code generation. They are working on generating "production quality" code. One project experience in Germany.
• Nu Thena Systems Foresight comes with graphical dataflow diagraming, GUI builder, simulation, and code generation. One feature that stands out is that you can create "generic" icon which can be reused in the rest of the design (they will support user libraries and user-defined icon graphics in the future). (OO front-end will be provided by linking with an OO drawing tool, listed below.)
• Care Technologies has OlivaNova Model Execution System (OMES?) which can create executable model from UML 04/08/26
• Emultek has Rapid Plus, a GUI builder, statemachine entry tool, simulation and code generation. I think the user interface for entering the statemachine is much easier than, say, Statemate. (Rapid Plus is an offshoot of Rapid ST -- an on-line training development tool -- which was designed with non-programmers in mind.)
• Cofluent lets one explore architectural issues before committing to a specific hardware software partition.
• ZMech -- state machine CASE tool (99/04/05 in beta right now and supports WinXX as well as Linux/x86 and Solaris/SPARC).
• CARDtools has a system design tool with large simulation CPU models and code generation.
• Visual Software Solutions's statecad allows state diagram entry and code gen output (HDL and C). At $2,000 or less, you get what you pay for.
• ISI's Betterstate is a state-machine (statechart) diagraming tool with code generation. $700 but much less capability than statecad.  (Used to be R-Active Concepts Inc.)
• ISDATA's FPGA design tool. (state diagram to HDL gen)
• Logical Devices has SMCupl a state machine diagram entry tool which can generate HDL (only LD's Cupl is supported today, but will support VHDL "real soon now").
• Aldec has Active State Editor which support state diagrams and HDL generator.
• Translogic (European offic) has Ease/VHDL which supports state diagrams and block diagrams. It does not currently have simulation animation nor test bench generation.
• Renoir HDL to diagrams to HDL. 97/10/01
• Brusey freeware state diagram to HDL converter
• Paul J. Lucas has a freeware "chsm: Concurrent, Hierarchical, Finite State Machine Language System" which translates Statecharts to C++.
• Cynergy System Design (formerly known as CAE Plus) has ArchGen, which is an (CPU or ASIC) architecture design tool.
• Vista Technologies has some HW/SW codesign tool, but they have not bothered to call me back for more info. Their web page is not very informative, for that matter, other than publishing their list price. But as of June 5, 1997, their web page no longer responds...
• CoWare based in San Jose, CA and Belgium, is coming out with new codesign tool that can work with VHDL, C and other languages(?). Check out their papers in EuroDac-96 (look for the string "CoWare").  Also read about the Symphony Project.
• Matra Cap Systems and Mercury Computer Systems have jointly developed CapCASE/Talaris, which is a CASE tool which generates code for both DSP and RISC CPUs.
• Mathworks' Simulink is an embedded systems design tool with code generation and can even target DSP. In fact, they're coming out with Stateflow (for statemachine diagraming).
• Aldec is coming out with a system design tool based on their IDA (Incremental Design Acceleration) method. They already provide Active State Editor but they will integrate this with FPGA board(s) for emulating parts of the design (to speed up detailed design).
• Integrated Systems' MATRIXx embedded system design/simulation and code gen tool.
• Fuzzy Logic Development Environmentwhich generates C code from natural language rules
• Visual Solutions has VisSim block diagram tool. VisSim/DSP is targeted for DSP development.
• Speed Electronic has SpeeChart for drawing FSM and can generate Verilog or VHDL.
• Escalade's DesignBook has state diagram editor and can generate VHDL output.
• Meridian Marketing Group has Siemens' AI-based CASE tool ECANSE mainly focused on embedded/chip design.
• Simulation magic has Vitual Silicon --  visual programming for System on Chip designs.
• Omron and IK Technology will be partnering to make Java based codesign tool.
• Arexsys has Archimate for architecture system design.
• Reagenix has rgxsheet which does code gen from state machine diagrams. 00/05/18

CASE with Business focus

• Compuware's Uniface for designing and creating client/server applications.
• Forte also has CASE for designing and creating client/server applications. Also Ptech integrates with Forte.
• Passport is a 4GL system for client/server development. They claim to be OO-based, but it is not an OOA/D tool.
• TI's CASE tools include Composer and Performer products. They even have Composer and SAP integration option.
• Dezign for databases -- uses Entity Relationship Diagraming for database programming. 00/02/14

CASE drawing tools

• STG has Axiomsys which uses Architecture Modeling method. It also supports Yourdon-DeMarco Structured Analysis with real-time support. US$3,000 each for analysis and design modules (total of $6K for both).
• Visible's EasyCase is a structured analysis and design tool. List price of $995.
• Expressive-III is a drawing tool that can generate HDL frameworks. (was Genedax or Vizef). 01/03/22
• Case labs has ER-Modeling CASE tool
• Toshiba has Formulator CASE tool 98/01/27

Links to OO based tools

OOA/D Meta Tools

• Intentional Software Not sure what they are doing now but they'll be integrating a lot of new software development ideas like IP and AOS. Stay tuned....
• MetaCase has MetaEdit which allows one to create OO methods. It currently supports a variety of OO methods. The web pages claim to generate code but it seems to be a drawing tool.
• Lincoln Software IPSYS ToolBuilder allows one to create a CASE tool. Also has IPSYS Object IE for client/server and HOOD Toolset for real-time systems.
• Mark V has ObjectMaker TDK which supports various OO methods while MethodMaker allows creation of new methods. ObjectMaker supports reverse engineering of C/C++ and Ada.
• Platinum has Paradigm Plus which is an OOA/D drawing tool supporting variety of OO methods. One can create a new OO method as well. (Apparently, they will have an MS-Repository connection for Q3'97.)
• Proforma has a meta-CASE feature

OOA/D with full code generation

• SDT from Telelogic. Another SDL-based tool includes OMT tool. Supports simulation and 100% code generation and formal verification. ObjectGeode from Verilog SA is part of Telelogic....
• Cinderella has SDL tool coming out but has only diagramming and code generation. (simulation and verification have to be done in tools like Opnet or big SDL tools like SDT or ObjectGeode. 97/11/24
• i-Logix Inc. has come out with Rhapsody, an OO (UML-based) tool.
• RASE Rapid System Engineering, Inc. Snowball is an OO tool which works within Smalltalk environment.
• SES has ObjectBench based on Shlaer-Mellor method. They have code generation and very strong simulation.  According to their home page, though, they no longer seem to offer it as a product (but it is being supported on their web site). 99/05/05
• Kennedy-Carter, Intelligent OOA (I-OOA) is an OOA/RD tool. They support model simulation (of partially and fully complete models) with I-SIM. Apparently, 100% code generation can be achieved using the configurable code generators I-CCG or CCG.   00/02/14
• CARDtools. Even though they are not heavily into OO, they do support code generation and simulation (has various CPU+RTOS models). Will generate C++ in the future.
• ObjecTime has their own OO method called "ROOM" which is based on Statecharts (used in Statemate).
• Project Technology has BridgePoint which is a S-M OOA/D tool with simulation and code generation.
• IAR's VisualState, with code gen capability. (was Baan's VisualState 99/03/16) 00/06/21
• Dynamic Research's VisualMagic is an OMT based OOA/D tool which can generate code and documentation from the drawings. They also support SQL/ODBS and allows easy reading and editing of existing database. At US$3,500 per seat, it seems very affordable.
• Pictorius has Prograph which is a visual programming language (claim to be OO), but not a system analysis/design tool.
• Xinotech has ObjectAbstractor which is text based design tool geared for Ada and COBOL code generation.
• Real-Time Innovations has ControlShell which is OO based design tool and can generate C++ output for RTOS.
• AVS has AVS/Express which seems to be OO based CASE tool. (maybe just a GUI builder?) 98/05/19
• Sun's Java Studio has visual programming feature for Java.  Not quite OO method, but good enough to be a CASE tool.  98/05/19

OOA/D drawing tools with some code generation

• IBM Research is working on ObjChart.
• Select Business Solutions has OOA/D tools (UML & MDA)
• Quovadx has OOA/D tools
• Rational has Rational Rose OOA/D drawing tool, which supports various OOA/D methods. Visual BASIC version supports MS-Repository.
• Popkin Software's System Architect is like Platinum which tries to provide complete life cycle tools.
• Advanced SW has Graphical Designer Pro which supports various OO methods along with reverse engineering support.
• Bezant Object Tech has SOMATiK. Thomas J. Graser considers it a object modeling assistant tool (not just diagramming per se). 97/10/15
• ICONIX SW has a suite of tools called PowerTools, including support for language sensitive editors. Cost of US$8,000 for all tools.
• Objecteering OOA/D tool with C++ code generation, supported by Softeam (free UML).
• Seer Technologies has Seer*HPS, OOA/D tool with C++ code generation.
• Aonix (used to be IDE or Interactive Development Environments) has StP (software through pictures) OO tool. They also support TeleUSE (gui builder).
• Excel Software has MacA&D and WinA&D for OOA/D drawings. They support a smaller scale (probably cheaper, too) life cycle compared to Popkin or Platinum.
• TNI has several CASE tools with various features.
• Elixir has LOREx2, a tool based on LORE methodology (which is based on UML) for Java, with reverse engineering capabilities. 97/11/01
• GOOFEE diagraming tool with C code gen for embedded system design
• Taskon has OOram, US$5,000 OOA/D tool for both UNIX and Windows NT and code gen for C++, Smalltalk and SDL (from FSM -- finite state machine -- tool).
• Ptech has FrameWork which supports Martin & Odell methodology and code gens for C, C++, Java and Forte (and more).
• objectiF is based on Coad/Yourdon's OOA/D method with heavy MS Visual C++ support
• OODesigner is a freeware. Generates both C++ and Java with reverse engineering support, as well.  (Alternative: ftp site) 99/03/16
• Sterling (was Cayenne Software (used to be Cadre Technology)) has COOL:Jex (was ObjectTeam) OO UML tools. (Cayenne used to have Pepperseed drawing tool with Booch and UML support. (Used to be Multiquest.))
• Object International has Together/C++ OOA/D drawing tool (UML, Coad, OMT) with C++ code gen. See also Object International European Page.
• IC&C has OO drawing tools integrated with VisualWorks (Smalltalk) and Java. Code changes are reflected on the drawings (and vice versa). (However, the web pages have nothing to say about simulation, and verification.)
• Microgold Software another OO design tool for various languages including C, C++, Java, Smalltalk and VHDL.
• Stingray Software has Visual CASE, an MS Windows C++ CASE tool which can reverse engineer C++ code as well as integrate with MFC. (They have a free downloadable running-demo.)
• SoftLab (BMW company) has Maestro II
• Argo/UML (freeware OOD with Java code generator) with Offices Info page. 98/10/27
• UDE (Java based OOD) 99/09/22
• Team Synergy's Cohesion (Java based OOD) 99/10/22
• FreeCASE (freeware OOD based on Argo/UML) 98/10/27
• DOME (freeware OOD) 99/02/10

OOA/D drawing tools

• Popkin Software also has SA/CRC which is a drawing only OOA/D tool
• Excel Software also has Quick CRC which is a drawing only OOA/D tool
• Confluent has Visual Thought for diagramming, and runs on UNIX and NT. 97/11/01
• Metasoftware has MetaDesign which allows one to create various diagrams including, presumably, OOA/D notations.
• Confluent another simple drawing tool
• Inspiration is a diagraming tool.
• Digital Insight has another simple drawing tool
• BSE has Windows based OO tool Berard Object & Class Specifier (BOCS). Contact via emai: Berard Software Engineering
• Object Domain OOAD case (drawing) tool, based on TCL (shareware?)
• Object Plant shareware OOA/D software (OMT -- some UML notations).
• WithClass -- another shareware OOA/D software (with OMT).

OOA/D Tools with Business Focus

• See above for Visual Magic.
• Riverton has HOW.  "component" modeling tool with Java, VBasic and PowerBuilder support. 98/07/24
• Select Software is focused more in business modeling and business related simulation. Uses (extensions of) OMT and Jacobson's use cases and object interactions. Claim to support UML when it is finalized.
• Intersolv has tools like ExceleratorII for OO based design with code gen for C++ and SQL
• Visible Systems has Visible Analyst (Rambaugh's methodology) and can generate SQL and has links to various IDE (integrated development environment) like Delphi, Visual BASIC and PowerBuilder. (their web page isn't very clear on their features.)
• Synon has a business modeling OO tool: Obsydian
• Intellicorp (LiveModel) This company is heavily tied to SAP (including equity interests). Target seems to be MIS market.
• Oracle has Developer/2000 which is another OOA/D that can generate both Pascal and C++, as well as connect with SQL
• Anderson Consulting has Foundation OOA/D tool using their own METHOD/1 method.
• LogicWorks has ERWin products for OO design with outputs for VisualBasic and SQL.
• PowerSoft Power Designer (used to be S-Designer by SSDC) is a CASE for SQL. There is a user group for S-Designer: AIS Intl's S-Designer tips.
• Silverrun Technologies has Silverrun which competes with products like S-Designer and ERWin.
• InfoModelers has InfoModeler which allows ER modeling and SQL code gen.
• CASEwise has Modeler, OOA/D tool with SQL code gen.
• Proforma has ProVision Workbench which supports OOA/D and various code generation (Smalltalk, C++ and SQL) and GUI prototyping.
• Centura Software has CTD for OOD of SQL system. (from smart cards to Web servers!)
• Aonix has support for SQL code gen via StP/IM.

OOA/D Methods and Consultants

• OCTOPUS a real-time embedded system OOA method.
• HOOD Hierarchical OOD, used in Europe.
• Object-Oriented Change and Learning (OOCL), an OO modeling language.
• Model Integration is a consulting firm specializing in Shlaer-Mellor
• ObjectDesigners OO consultants
• Instantiations OO consultants (esp. Smalltalk)
• Ratio (OO consultants -- UML -- with some free papers)

Misc. CASE Tools

• AppX Windows/UNIX RAD tool
• Magic Sw has RAD tools
• Evolutionary Tech. (ETI) has middleware oriented development tools (like natural language translation and analysis tools) -- they can read various database format and translate various binary data.
• CASL Soft has RAD tool which targets PalmPilot. 97/12/01
• [no longer in business, I guess: Visix has Galaxy, a CASE/RAD tool]
• Borland has RAD tool including Delphi and C++ Builder.
• Sybase/Powersoft has RAD tool including PowerBuilder and Power++ (C/C++).
• NetObjects has web (Java/scripting) development tools.
• NetDynamics has software development tools.
• Haht Software has software development tools which support Java code gen and SAP/R3 integration.
• Allaire has web (Java) development tools.
• Chicory, IDE for Java being developed at West Virginia University.(freeware?)
• BoldSoft has tools which integrates with CASE tools like Rational Rose. Targets Delphi (only?).
• Dataview has DV-Centro which allows one to create a visual programming language
• MSC (use case diagram) tool is available as shareware
• ISDE has Prism RAD -- waiting to get more info, since their web page is too sparse
• Matra's Cas.cade a CASE tool(?)
• Quintes Soft C++ code navigator that suppose to have some CASE features.
• Objective Software Tech C++ debug and visualization tool.
• Innovative software GmbH (OEW) OO design tool OEW/C++ (object engineering workbench).
• ReThree-C++ reverse eng. tool, redocumentation and reuse tool
• ISA" has Panorama which is a C/C++ source code analysis tool
• Tri-Pacific Software has PERTS, real-time simulation not unlike SES WorkBench, but no code gen.
• Xinotech also makes programming language translators
• Leverage Technologists Reverse engineering tools and translation tools
• Ristanovic CASE has Development Assistant for C, which is a reverge engineering "CASE" tool.
• Jirvana (Java IDE)
•  KDevelop Homepage (open source C/C++ IDE)
•  Open Source - Jessie (SGI's IDE)
•  Code Crusader (IDE)
• Codesmith tools,
• Cygnus has Code Fusion (IDE).
• Metrowerks has Code Warrior IDE
• Codeforge has C-Forge IDE

Not Quite CASE Tools

• Flow charting tools:
• Micrografx has iGrafx 00/03/29
• patton patton
• Smartdraw
• Visio is a diagraming tool support for OO notations. They also have a CAD tool. (now owned by Microsoft) 00/03/29
• Misc. tools:
• Framework Technologies has ActiveProject which allows building of project documents and publishing on the web. 98/07/29
• Invention Machine
• PROMODEL (simulation tools, useful for analysis)
• CompiLogic converts C to Verilog 98/01/27
• docexpress (documentation generated from various CASE tools) 98/10/27
• CynApps has C++ to RTL translator (and system design tools, I'm assuming) and will be open source! 99/08/30
• SureFire has Verilog EMACS editor (open source). 99/08/30
• Cambridge Interactive has Power Steering for project management via web 99/09/02
• Merant has PVCS Pro that does CM and bug tracking 99/09/02
• @hand is coming out with PDA development tool
• SableCC (Java parser) 00/03/29

Other CASE/EDA Lists

• CASE tools list (by software methods and tools)
• UML modeling tools list by Objects by Design 99/11/22
• Mining Co's CASE list
• itmWEB's CASE list
• SD magazine's CASE list 97/11/25
• Methods-tools.com 99/04/13
• OO CASE tools list (by Cetus)
• OO related links (by Cetus)
• dmoz's UML tool list
• Yahoo's CASE list
• CASE Tool information (from SW-ENG FAQ)
• CASE tools by category (from SW-ENG FAQ)
• CASE Vendor List (from SW-ENG FAQ)
• Meta CASE list
• Meta CASE list
• Meta CASE "Home"
• CASE tools
• OO related list by ObjectDesigners
• CASE tool list (City University of Hong Kong)
• Kun Qiu's codesign (CASE/EDA) tool list
• Gupta's Codesign/CAD list
• Dr. Walker's CAD/codesign list
• Hiroyuki Tomoyama's CAD (codesign) list
• Klaus Buchenrieder's Codesign Bibliography and Codesign links
• Royal Institue of Technology's Electronic System Design Lab's CAD links (some codesign)
• U of Washington's Chinook's embedded system links
• UC Berkeley's Polis (codesign tool)

CASE related news

Acknowledgements

My thanks to various articles, including EETimes' articles like:

• Japan project plans Java-based co-design environment by Anthony Cataldo 99/08/09
• Startup preps visual language tool for SoCs by Richard Goering 99/08/03
• Arexsys launches SDL-based architecture tool by Peter Clarke 99/06/23
• Rosetta language bows for system-on-chip designs by Richard Goering 99/06/21
• Codesign turns workplace on its head by Richard Goering 98/09

My thanks for the vendor/tool references and comments from:

Joshua Duhl <jduhl@mediaone.net>

Copyright 1997-2003. Danny. All Rights Reserved.  mailto: dnk@io.com or return to my home page.