Implementing the Unifying Meta-model for Enterprise Modeling and Model-Driven Development: An Experience Report

Abstract

Abstract. Model-Driven Development (MDD) is becoming increasingly popular as a choice for developing information systems. Tools that support the principles of MDD are also growing in number and variety of available functionality. MetaEdit+ is a meta-modeling tool used for developing Domain Specific Languages and is identified as an MDD tool. The Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) and Graphical Modeling Project (GMP) are two Eclipse projects that provide plug-ins to support the principles of MDD. In this paper, we report on our experience in using MetaEdit+ and the Eclipse plug-ins for developing a graphical editor for the unifying meta-model, which is an MDD approach that extends the traditional view of MDD to cover Enterprise Modeling. The two modeling environments are reviewed using quality areas that are identified by the research community as necessary in MDD tools. This report will provide useful insights for researchers and practitioners alike concerning the use of MetaEdit+ and the Eclipse plug-ins as MDD tools.Keywords: Model-Driven Development, Tools, MetaEdit+, Eclipse Modeling Framework, Graphical Modeling Project. IntroductionThe increasing reliance on Model-Driven Development (MDD) for creating Information Systems (IS) in recent years has led to a stream of research projects, approaches, and tools that support the use of models as the main development artifacts. Models in MDD are used to capture various aspects of an IS, and (automatic) transformations enable the derivation of models from each other and generate executable code. Attempts to extend the use of MDD to describe the organization are starting to emerge [2,6,9]. Models can be used to capture the underlying motivation for which IS are developed, which provides deeper understanding of the IS models and improves the design decisions that are made. In order to capitalize on the full potential of MDD principles, MDD approaches need to be supported with tools to facilitate the creation and management of models, meta-models, and transformations. Tools also enable the execution of model transformations and, eventually, code generation. Aside from that, tools should offer practical and usable functionalities that simplify the complexity associated with managing models and transformations [4].