A semi‐automatic approach for bridging DSMLs with UML

Abstract

The definition of modeling languages is a key-prerequisite for model-driven engineering (MDE). In this respect, domain-specific languages (DSL) defined in terms of metamodels and UML profiles are often considered as two alternatives. For interoperability reasons, however, the need arises to bridge modeling languages originally defined as DSLs to UML profiles by defining (1) a specific UML profile to represent the domain-specific modeling concepts in UML and (2) model transformations for transforming DSL models to UML models and vice versa. A manual definition of a UML profile typically is a tedious and errorprone task, but contains a high potential for automation. The contribution of this paper is to integrate the so far competing worlds of DSLs and UML. We report on our semi-automatic approach based on the manual mapping of domain-specific metamodels and UML using a dedicated bridging language as well as the automatic generation of UML profiles and model transformations. We present our ideas within a case study for bridging ComputerAssociate's DSL of the AllFusion Gen CASE tool with IBM's Rational Software Modeler for UML.

On the Combination of Domain Specific Modeling Languages

“…3.2 represent a serious problem for her. In this case the development relations are just the embedding mappings, which can be implemented in terms of model transformations, too (see, e.g., [30,31,32,33]). Apart from the intrinsic problems of defining the mappings and the projections (which are not normally difficult from a conceptual point of view but rather cumbersome from a technical perspective), special care should be taken for making sure that the correspondences constraints are respected by the projections.…”

Towards Automatic Generation of UML Profile Graphical Editors for Papyrus

“…The work in [15] proposes a partially automated approach for generating UML profiles using a set of specific design patterns. However, this approach requires the manual definition of an initial UML profile skeleton, which is typically a tedious and error-prone task [23]. The methodology introduced in [7,8] facilitates the derivation of a UML profile using a DSML as input.…”

“…In [1], the authors propose a methodology that consumes a UML profile and its corresponding Ecore metamodel, and uses M2M transformation and model weaving to transform UML models to Ecore models, and vice versa. The methodology proposed in [23] simplifies the specification of mappings between a profile and its corresponding Ecore metamodel using a dedicated bridging language. Along the same path, the approach in [6] employs an integration metamodel to facilitate the interchange of modelling information between Ecore-based models and UML models.…”

“…Papyrus offers support for the development of UML profiles; however, this is a manual, tedious and error-prone process [23], and as such it makes the development of graphical editors that are based on such profiles difficult and expensive.…”

JUMP—From Java Annotations to UML Profiles

“…Brucker and Doser [8] go one step further and propose an approach for extending a DSML metamodel for deriving model transformations able to transform DSML models into UML models that are automatically annotated with stereotypes. A related approach is presented in [47], where mappings between the UML metamodel and a DSML metamodel are defined and processed to generate UML profiles for the given DSMLs.…”