nAML v1

.NET Application Modeling
Language (nAML)
V1.0 (Beta 1) Specification, Examples and Tools

Mohammad Ashraful Alam, Microsoft MVP

.NET Application Modeling Language V1.0 (Beta 1) Specification and Examples

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Page | 2
Copyright 2008 © Mohammad Ashraful Alam, Microsoft MVP

License
You are free to copy, distribute and display this book. However please include my name “Mohammad
Ashraful Alam” while referring any content of this book.
Page | 3 Issue Reporting
This specification is in Beta 1 stage currently. Please have your valuable inputs to be sent to the
following email to make it better.
Mohammad Ashraful Alam – ashraf@mvps.org

Table of Contents
License ........................................................................................................................................................... 3
Issue Reporting ............................................................................................................................................. 3
nAML: Specification ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Page | 4
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Terms and Definitions ............................................................................................................................... 6
Element: ................................................................................................................................................ 6
Operation: ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Association ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Attribute ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Element Lifeline .................................................................................................................................... 7
Common Semantic Guideline ................................................................................................................... 8
Web User Interface Sample: The Hello World! ............................................................................................. 9
C# Samples .................................................................................................................................................. 11
Block Statement ...................................................................................................................................... 11
If Condition .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Compound If Condition ........................................................................................................................... 13
Try/Catch Block ....................................................................................................................................... 14
While Loop .............................................................................................................................................. 15
For Loop .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Nested For Loop ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Method Call and Return .......................................................................................................................... 18
SQL Samples ................................................................................................................................................ 20
SQL Create Table ..................................................................................................................................... 20
SQL Alter Table: Add Column .................................................................................................................. 21
SQL Alter Table: Alter Column ................................................................................................................ 22
SQL Alter Table: Drop Column ................................................................................................................ 23
SQL Drop Table ........................................................................................................................................ 24
SQL Select ................................................................................................................................................ 25
SQL Where .............................................................................................................................................. 26
SQL Insert ................................................................................................................................................ 27
SQL Update ............................................................................................................................................. 28

SQL Delete ............................................................................................................................................... 29
SQL Inner Join.......................................................................................................................................... 30
SQL Left Outer Join .................................................................................................................................. 31
SQL Union ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Page | 5
SQL Insert‐Select ..................................................................................................................................... 33
SQL Where‐Select ................................................................................................................................... 34
Tools and Tutorial ....................................................................................................................................... 35
Appendix: Common Attributes ................................................................................................................... 38


nAML: Specification
Introduction
nAML (.NET Application Language, pronounced as “namel”) is a visual modeling semantics to model
.net applications with wide range of specific details. It contains extremely power visual notations and
Page | 6 semantics to illustrate complex application components, processes and operations easily. It overcomes
the limitation of traditional modeling languages by providing a single space to describe an application
system with its structural and behavioral, as well as physical and logical components. One of it’s the
most powerful objectives is nAML requires near to zero knowledge on notation semantics to
understand an application system from readers perspective.
Example: Using nAML, for instance, a software architect can model a whole or part of a web
application in a single visual diagram with respect to interaction, communication and structure
between end user, web interface, .net classes, database objects, physical tiers (web server, business
logic server, database server etc) and so on.
The primary objectives of nAML can be considered as follows:
• Provides a single space to visually describe one or more application systems with structural
and behavioral components.
• Provides a single space to visually describe one or more application systems with logical and
physical components.
• Provides a single space to visually describe one or more application systems from top to low
level.
• Provides a single space to visually describe a part or whole of one or more application
systems.
• Extremely simple and easy understand and learn from readers and designers perspective.
• Concentrates on .NET applications, with its related logical and physical entities (user interface,
application logic, business logic, database etc).
Terms and Definitions
Element:
Definition: An Element is a structural notation that is the physical or logical object that holds one or
more physical and/or logical objects.
Notation:
Example: In an ASP.NET web application, an ASP.NET page can be an Element, having controls
embedded within it as sub-Element and the event handler methods as defined Operation within it. For
a .net class, the member Elements are the properties, data fields etc. For a physical database, its
member Elements is the tables.
Operation:
Definition: An Operation is a behavioral notation that is the set of one or more actions to be performed
that are defined in an Element.
Notation:
Or

Example: For instance, an ASP.NET page code behind class, as an Element, can have controls event
handlers (click event handler of button etc) as Operation. For a .net class, the members Elements are
the methods etc. For a physical database, its “Operation” can be defined within the stored procedure,
functions.
Page | 7
Association
Definition: Association is a structural notation that illustrates how the Elements or Operations are
connected to other Elements or Operations.
Notation:
Attribute
Definition: Attribute is a structural notation that is the Meta data information that describes an
Element, Operation or Association.
Notation:
The notation of attribute can be simple text or a visual notation of an Element, Operation to be
expressed as characteristics of another Element or Operation.
Example: For a .NET class “Employee” can have an Attribute as,
Class Name: Employee
Element Lifeline
Definition: An Element lifeline is a behavioral notation which is the time span within which all activities
related to the corresponding Element is illustrated. The life line also shows the active and inactive
state of the Element. Each lifeline for a given Element applies to only one instance of that Element.
Notation:
Example: If an instance of a .net class is being created, then its activation will be illustrated from the
moment it created.

Common Semantic Guideline
• To distinguish structural and behavioral components of system, consider solid line diagrams as
the behavioral component and dashed line diagrams as the structural component.
• Element Lifeline reflects the time span for behavioral components only, rather structural
components
Page | 8

Web User Interface Sample: The Hello World!
The sample illustrated below shows the “Hello World” message in an ASP.NET Label server control,
when a user clicks on a ASP.NET Button server control.
Page | 9 End User UI: default.aspx

Type:
System.Web.UI.Page
Location: /default.aspx
UI: Button
Text: Chick Here
Clicks ID: btnHelloWorld
Type: Belongs to
System.Web.UI.WebContro
ls.Button
Belongs to
C# Method: btnHelloWorld_Click
Parameter: sender
Parameter name: sender
Parameter type: object
Parameter value: Calls
btnHelloWorld
Parameter: e
Parameter name: e
Parameter type:
System.EventArgs
lblMessage.Text = "Hello
World!";
UI: Label
Text: Hello World Belongs to
Type:
Sees System.Web.UI.WebContro
ls.Label

Now let’s see the corresponding nAML notations implemented in this example.
Page | 10


C# Samples
Block Statement
Code Sample
Page | 11 if (age > 18)

{
discount = 0.1f;
category = "adult";
}
else
{
discount = 0.01f;
category = "under 18";
}
nAML Illustration


If Condition
Code Sample
if (age < 18)

discount = 0.1f;
else
Page | 12 discount = 0.01f;
nAML Illustration


Compound If Condition
Code Sample
if (age > 10 && age < 18)

discount = 0.1f;
else
Page | 13 discount = 0.01f;
nAML Illustration


Try/Catch Block
Code Sample
try
{
throw new Exception("ERROR!");
Page | 14 }
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
}
finally
{
Console.WriteLine("IN FINALLY BLOCK!");
}
nAML Illustration


While Loop
Code Sample
int i = 0;
while (true)
{
Page | 15 Console.WriteLine("Hello World");
i++;
if (i > 10) break;
}
nAML Illustration
i=0
while
true
Console.WriteLine(“Hello World”);
No
i=i+1
if
i == 10
Yes
break
End loop


For Loop
Code Sample
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)

Console.Write("*");
Page | 16
nAML Illustration


Nested For Loop
Code Sample
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)

{
for (int j = 0; j < i; j++)
Page | 17 Console.Write("*");
Console.WriteLine();
}
nAML Illustration

Method Call and Return
Code Sample
class SimpleMethodTesterClass
{
public static void TesterMethod()
Page | 18 {
float discount = SimpleMethodSampleClass.GetDiscount(21);
Console.WriteLine("You got discount: " + discount * 100 + " %");
}
}
class SimpleMethodSampleClass
{
public static float GetDiscount(float age)
{
if (age < 18)
return 0.1f;
else
return 0.01f;
}
}

nAML Illustration
Page | 19

SQL Samples
SQL Create Table
Code Sample
Page | 20 CREATE TABLE [dbo].[tblUser](

[UserId] [int] NOT NULL,
[UserName] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
[UserPassword] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_tblUser] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[UserId] ASC
)
)
nAML Illustration
CREATE
Table: tblUser
Field name Field type Allow null Primary key
UserId int No Yes
UserName nvarchar(50) No No
UserPassword nvarchar(50) No No


SQL Alter Table: Add Column
Code Sample
ALTER TABLE tblUser

ADD UserEmail nvarchar(50) default null
Page | 21 nAML Illustration
ALTER
Table: tblUser
UserId int No Yes
ADD COLUMN
UserEmail nvarchar(50) No No
FORMS ALTERED TABLE AS
Table: tblUser
UserId int No Yes
UserEmail nvarchar(50) No No


SQL Alter Table: Alter Column
Code Sample
ALTER TABLE tblUser

ALTER COLUMN UserPassword nvarchar(100) null
ALTER
Table: tblUser
UserId int No Yes
ALTER COLUMN
FORMS ALTERED TABLE AS
Table: tblUser
UserId int No Yes

SQL Alter Table: Drop Column
Code Sample
ALTER TABLE tblUser

DROP COLUMN UserEmail

SQL Drop Table
Code Sample
DROP TABLE tblUser
nAML Illustration
Page | 24
DROP
Table: tblUser
UserId int No Yes


SQL Select
Code Sample
SELECT UserId, UserName, UserPassword

Page | 25 FROM tblUser
nAML Illustration
SELECT
Table: tblUser
Field name Field type Display As
UserId int UserId
UserName nvarchar(50) UserName
UserPassword nvarchar(50) UserPassword


SQL Where
Code Sample

WHERE UserId = 1
nAML Illustration
SELECT
Table: tblUser
Field name Field type Display As
UserId int UserId
UserName nvarchar(50) UserName
UserPassword nvarchar(50) UserPassword
WHERE
UserId = 1


SQL Insert
Code Sample
INSERT INTO tblUser(UserId, UserName, UserPassword)

Page | 27 VALUES (1, 'test1', 'passw@rd')
nAML Illustration
INSERT
Table: tblUser
Field name Field type Value
UserId int 1
UserName nvarchar(50) test1
UserPassword nvarchar(50) passw@rd


SQL Update
Code Sample
UPDATE tblUser
Page | 28 SET
UserName = 'test00',
UserPassword = 'passw@@rd'
WHERE UserId = 1
nAML Illustration


SQL Delete
Code Sample
DELETE tblUser
Page | 29 WHERE UserId = 1
nAML Illustration
DELETE
Table: tblUser
Field name Field type Primary Key
UserId int Yes
UserName nvarchar(50) No
UserPassword nvarchar(50) No
WHERE
UserId = 1


SQL Inner Join
Code Sample
SELECT tblUser.UserId, tblUser.UserName, tblUserLog.DateLogged

Page | 30 FROM tblUser INNER JOIN
tblUserLog ON tblUser.UserId = tblUserLog.UserId
nAML Illustration
SELECT
Table: tblUser Table: tblUserLog
Field name Display As Field name Display As
UserId UserId LogId
UserName UserName INNER JOIN UserId
UserPassword Comment
DateLogged DateLogged


SQL Left Outer Join
Code Sample
SELECT tblUser.UserId, tblUser.UserName, tblUserLog.DateLogged

Page | 31 FROM tblUser LEFT OUTER JOIN
tblUserLog ON tblUser.UserId = tblUserLog.UserId
nAML Illustration
SELECT
Table: tblUser Table: tblUserLog
Field name Display As Field name Display As
UserId UserId LogId
UserName UserName LEFT OUTER JOIN UserId
UserPassword Comment
DateLogged DateLogged


SQL Union
Code Sample

UNION
FROM tblUserArchive
nAML Illustration
SELECT
Table: tblUser
Field name UserId UserName UserPassword
Field Type int nvarchar(50) nvarchar(50)
Display As UserId UserName UserPassword
UNION
Table: tblUserArchive
Field name UserId UserName UserPassword
Field Type int nvarchar(50) nvarchar(50)


SQL InsertSelect
Code Sample
INSERT INTO tblUser(

Page | 33 UserId, UserName, UserPassword
)
FROM tblUserArchive
nAML Illustration


SQL WhereSelect
Code Sample

WHERE UserId IN
(
SELECT UserId
FROM tblUserLog
)
nAML Illustration

Tools and Tutorial
You can start implementing nAML just using a pen and a piece of paper. However if we had any
software level tool support to dram nAML diagram, it would really cool. Well, MS Visio is an excellent
modeling tool and has wonderful support for “Customized Stencil” to implement custom shapes. To
facilitate nAML modeling, custom stencil is available. Just download the latest “nAML Stencil”, install it
Page | 35 with your Visio and start drawing nAML diagrams. Here is a walkthrough regarding how to install and
implement nAML stencils.
1. Create a new drawing in Visio 2003 (or later)
2. Go to File -> Shapes -> Open Stencil…
3. Browse nAML Stencil (nAML.vss), where you downloaded and extracted nAML stencil.

Page | 36
4. nAML Stencil will be visible in “Shape Explorer.
5. Drag and drop any nAML component
6. Edit and connect nAML components to establish application modeling.

Page | 37


Appendix: Common Attributes
Attributes are one of the powerful features of nAML. Here are few simple samples which you can
utilize while modeling your .NET application.
Element Parent nAML Type Attribute Name Attribute Value

Element
Page | 38
ASP.NET Page None Element Class Name Text Value
Class Instance Name Text Value
Aspx Page Name Text Value
Executes on Web Server,
Browser
Network Location Text Value
Disk Location Text Value
ASP.NET Button ASP.NET Element Class Name Text Value
Page
Instance Name Text Value
Property: Text Text Value
.NET Class None Element Parent Class Text Value
Class Name Text Value
Class Category Abstract Class,
Basic Class
Instance Name Text Value
Language C#,
VB.NET
.NET Method .NET Class Operation Method Name Text Value
Method Category Instance Method,
Static Method
Method Visibility Public,
Private,
Protected,
Internal
.NET Method .NET Method Element Parameter Type Name Text Value
Parameter
Parameter Instance Name Text Value
Parameter Value Text Value
.NET Method .NET Method Element Return Type Name Text Value
Return Value
Return Value Instance Text Value
Name

Return Value Text Value
If Statement .NET Method Operation Condition Text Value
Assignment .NET Method Operation Assignment Text Value
Statement
Loop Statement .NET Method Operation Count/Condition Text Value
Page | 39
.NET Property .NET Class Operation Property Name Text Value
Property Type Text Value
Property Value Text Value
Database None Element Content Category Sql Server 2000,
Sql Server 2005,
Office Access 2007
Database Name Text Value
Network Location Text Value
Database Table Database Element Field Name Text Value
Show As Text Value
Type Number;
Text;
True/False;
Binary;
GUID;
Date/Time
Stored Database Operation Procedure Name Text Value
Procedure
Stored Stored Element Parameter Type Number;
Procedure Procedure
Text;
Parameter
True/False;
Binary;
GUID;
Date/Time
Parameter Instance Name Text Value
Parameter Value Text Value
Select SQL Stored Operation Table Name Text Value
Procedure
Table Select SQL Element Field Name Text Value
Field Type Text Value
Show As Text Value
Update SQL Stored Operation Table Name Text Value

Procedure
Field Name Text Value
Value Text Value
Page | 40 Insert SQL Stored Operation Table Name Text Value

Procedure
Field Name Text Value
Value Text Value
Delete SQL Stored Operation Table Name Text Value
Procedure
Where Stored Operation Condition Text Value
Statement Procedure

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Page | 9 End User UI: default.aspx

Page | 11 if (age > 18)

if (age < 18)

if (age > 10 && age < 18)

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)

Page | 20 CREATE TABLE [dbo].[tblUser](

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

ALTER TABLE tblUser

Page | 21 nAML Illustration

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

FORMS ALTERED TABLE AS

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

ALTER TABLE tblUser

Page | 22 nAML Illustration

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

FORMS ALTERED TABLE AS

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

ALTER TABLE tblUser

Page | 23 nAML Illustration

DROP TABLE tblUser

Field name Field type Allow null Primary key

UserId int No Yes

SELECT UserId, UserName, UserPassword

Field name Field type Display As

UserId int UserId

UserName nvarchar(50) UserName

UserPassword nvarchar(50) UserPassword

SELECT UserId, UserName, UserPassword

Field name Field type Display As

UserId int UserId

UserName nvarchar(50) UserName

UserPassword nvarchar(50) UserPassword

INSERT INTO tblUser(UserId, UserName, UserPassword)

Field name Field type Value

UserName nvarchar(50) test1

UserPassword nvarchar(50) passw@rd

Field name Field type Primary Key

UserId int Yes

SELECT tblUser.UserId, tblUser.UserName, tblUserLog.DateLogged

Table: tblUser Table: tblUserLog

Field name Display As Field name Display As

UserId UserId LogId

UserName UserName INNER JOIN UserId

SELECT tblUser.UserId, tblUser.UserName, tblUserLog.DateLogged

Table: tblUser Table: tblUserLog

Field name Display As Field name Display As

UserId UserId LogId

UserName UserName LEFT OUTER JOIN UserId

SELECT UserId, UserName, UserPassword

Field name UserId UserName UserPassword

Field Type int nvarchar(50) nvarchar(50)

Display As UserId UserName UserPassword

Field name UserId UserName UserPassword

Field Type int nvarchar(50) nvarchar(50)