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Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #476705] Wed, 05 December 2007 21:53 Go to next message
Dave Carlson is currently offline Dave CarlsonFriend
Messages: 402
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
I am looking for clarification on interpretation and use of the UML spec for
profiles, thanks for any input. In my profile (for XSD definition), I
define a DataType with a template parameter that must be used when applying
some aspects of the profile (binding to the template when defining an XSD
list datatype). Can a user model that has applied this profile create a
binding to this template that is defined in the profile?

Reading the UML spec, profiles may define or use type libraries as part of
the profile definition, and an implementation is required to enable
application of a single "logical unit" of profile + libraries. But it does
not say explicitly that classifiers defined within the profile itself can be
used, although this seems like a reasonable simplification when I have only
one template in my profile library.

I am using Rational Software Modeler (RSM) to test this design. After
applying a profile to the model, I don't find any way to create a binding
reference to the template in the profile. Is this a bug (missing
feature...) in RSM, or am I misinterpreting the spec?

Thanks,
Dave Carlson
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #476707 is a reply to message #476705] Thu, 06 December 2007 14:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Kenn Hussey is currently offline Kenn HusseyFriend
Messages: 1620
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Dave,

As you say, the specification doesn't provide explicit guidance in this
area, but I think the intent is to keep the content of profiles separate
from the content of libraries (including template libraries) that they
provide access to, as suggested by this passage on page 647 of 07-02-05:
5. It should be possible to define a UML extension that combines profiles
and model libraries (including template libraries) into a single logical
unit. However, within such a unit, for definitional clarity and for ease of
interchange (e.g., 'reference by name'), it should still be possible to keep
the libraries and the profiles distinct from each other.

One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same XMI
resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and libraries as
children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the specification
that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter) must not have
nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both of these
scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.

Kenn

"Dave Carlson" <dcarlson@xmlmodeling.com> wrote in message
news:fj76kf$6jg$1@build.eclipse.org...
>I am looking for clarification on interpretation and use of the UML spec
>for profiles, thanks for any input. In my profile (for XSD definition), I
>define a DataType with a template parameter that must be used when applying
>some aspects of the profile (binding to the template when defining an XSD
>list datatype). Can a user model that has applied this profile create a
>binding to this template that is defined in the profile?
>
> Reading the UML spec, profiles may define or use type libraries as part of
> the profile definition, and an implementation is required to enable
> application of a single "logical unit" of profile + libraries. But it
> does not say explicitly that classifiers defined within the profile itself
> can be used, although this seems like a reasonable simplification when I
> have only one template in my profile library.
>
> I am using Rational Software Modeler (RSM) to test this design. After
> applying a profile to the model, I don't find any way to create a binding
> reference to the template in the profile. Is this a bug (missing
> feature...) in RSM, or am I misinterpreting the spec?
>
> Thanks,
> Dave Carlson
>
>
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #476710 is a reply to message #476707] Thu, 06 December 2007 16:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dave Carlson is currently offline Dave CarlsonFriend
Messages: 402
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Thanks, Kenn. As you probably guessed, what I am trying to achieve is a
simplification of packaging and deployment of the profile+library. I'll
test your suggestions below.

However, this may be a tooling issue about how library contents are made
available via the tool UI, i.e. how does a modeler find the template for use
in a class diagram? UML2Tools does not have any explicit mechanism for
referencing libraries. In IBM's RSA, there may need to be a separate
package import for the library, and require a separate manual step by the
modeler after applying the profile. That's what I am trying to avoid in
order to simplify use by modelers, when the profile requires use of the
template.

Dave

"Kenn Hussey" <Kenn.Hussey@embarcadero.com> wrote in message
news:fj915l$id$1@build.eclipse.org...
>
> One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
> profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
> profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same
> XMI resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and
> libraries as children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the
> specification that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter) must
> not have nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both of
> these scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #476731 is a reply to message #476710] Tue, 11 December 2007 16:26 Go to previous message
Kenn Hussey is currently offline Kenn HusseyFriend
Messages: 1620
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Dave,

There's no question that it's a tooling issue; I have yet to see a tool that
manages profiles, libaries, and imports in a meaningful (to me) way. :(

Kenn

"Dave Carlson" <dcarlson@xmlmodeling.com> wrote in message
news:fj97iq$oji$1@build.eclipse.org...
> Thanks, Kenn. As you probably guessed, what I am trying to achieve is a
> simplification of packaging and deployment of the profile+library. I'll
> test your suggestions below.
>
> However, this may be a tooling issue about how library contents are made
> available via the tool UI, i.e. how does a modeler find the template for
> use in a class diagram? UML2Tools does not have any explicit mechanism
> for referencing libraries. In IBM's RSA, there may need to be a separate
> package import for the library, and require a separate manual step by the
> modeler after applying the profile. That's what I am trying to avoid in
> order to simplify use by modelers, when the profile requires use of the
> template.
>
> Dave
>
> "Kenn Hussey" <Kenn.Hussey@embarcadero.com> wrote in message
> news:fj915l$id$1@build.eclipse.org...
>>
>> One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
>> profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
>> profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same
>> XMI resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and
>> libraries as children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the
>> specification that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter)
>> must not have nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both
>> of these scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.
>
>
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #625679 is a reply to message #476705] Thu, 06 December 2007 14:32 Go to previous message
Kenn Hussey is currently offline Kenn HusseyFriend
Messages: 1620
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Dave,

As you say, the specification doesn't provide explicit guidance in this
area, but I think the intent is to keep the content of profiles separate
from the content of libraries (including template libraries) that they
provide access to, as suggested by this passage on page 647 of 07-02-05:
5. It should be possible to define a UML extension that combines profiles
and model libraries (including template libraries) into a single logical
unit. However, within such a unit, for definitional clarity and for ease of
interchange (e.g., 'reference by name'), it should still be possible to keep
the libraries and the profiles distinct from each other.

One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same XMI
resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and libraries as
children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the specification
that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter) must not have
nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both of these
scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.

Kenn

"Dave Carlson" <dcarlson@xmlmodeling.com> wrote in message
news:fj76kf$6jg$1@build.eclipse.org...
>I am looking for clarification on interpretation and use of the UML spec
>for profiles, thanks for any input. In my profile (for XSD definition), I
>define a DataType with a template parameter that must be used when applying
>some aspects of the profile (binding to the template when defining an XSD
>list datatype). Can a user model that has applied this profile create a
>binding to this template that is defined in the profile?
>
> Reading the UML spec, profiles may define or use type libraries as part of
> the profile definition, and an implementation is required to enable
> application of a single "logical unit" of profile + libraries. But it
> does not say explicitly that classifiers defined within the profile itself
> can be used, although this seems like a reasonable simplification when I
> have only one template in my profile library.
>
> I am using Rational Software Modeler (RSM) to test this design. After
> applying a profile to the model, I don't find any way to create a binding
> reference to the template in the profile. Is this a bug (missing
> feature...) in RSM, or am I misinterpreting the spec?
>
> Thanks,
> Dave Carlson
>
>
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #625682 is a reply to message #476707] Thu, 06 December 2007 16:21 Go to previous message
Dave Carlson is currently offline Dave CarlsonFriend
Messages: 402
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Thanks, Kenn. As you probably guessed, what I am trying to achieve is a
simplification of packaging and deployment of the profile+library. I'll
test your suggestions below.

However, this may be a tooling issue about how library contents are made
available via the tool UI, i.e. how does a modeler find the template for use
in a class diagram? UML2Tools does not have any explicit mechanism for
referencing libraries. In IBM's RSA, there may need to be a separate
package import for the library, and require a separate manual step by the
modeler after applying the profile. That's what I am trying to avoid in
order to simplify use by modelers, when the profile requires use of the
template.

Dave

"Kenn Hussey" <Kenn.Hussey@embarcadero.com> wrote in message
news:fj915l$id$1@build.eclipse.org...
>
> One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
> profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
> profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same
> XMI resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and
> libraries as children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the
> specification that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter) must
> not have nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both of
> these scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.
Re: Using template classifier defined in a Profile [message #625704 is a reply to message #476710] Tue, 11 December 2007 16:26 Go to previous message
Kenn Hussey is currently offline Kenn HusseyFriend
Messages: 1620
Registered: July 2009
Senior Member
Dave,

There's no question that it's a tooling issue; I have yet to see a tool that
manages profiles, libaries, and imports in a meaningful (to me) way. :(

Kenn

"Dave Carlson" <dcarlson@xmlmodeling.com> wrote in message
news:fj97iq$oji$1@build.eclipse.org...
> Thanks, Kenn. As you probably guessed, what I am trying to achieve is a
> simplification of packaging and deployment of the profile+library. I'll
> test your suggestions below.
>
> However, this may be a tooling issue about how library contents are made
> available via the tool UI, i.e. how does a modeler find the template for
> use in a class diagram? UML2Tools does not have any explicit mechanism
> for referencing libraries. In IBM's RSA, there may need to be a separate
> package import for the library, and require a separate manual step by the
> modeler after applying the profile. That's what I am trying to avoid in
> order to simplify use by modelers, when the profile requires use of the
> template.
>
> Dave
>
> "Kenn Hussey" <Kenn.Hussey@embarcadero.com> wrote in message
> news:fj915l$id$1@build.eclipse.org...
>>
>> One way to achieve this separation would be, for example, to define the
>> profile and any libraries it references in the same resource (i.e. the
>> profile and library models/packages would be different roots of the same
>> XMI resource). Another approach would be to define the profile and
>> libraries as children of the same model/package - there's nothing in the
>> specification that mandates that profiles (or models for that matter)
>> must not have nesting packages. As far as I am aware, UML2 supports both
>> of these scenarios; if it doesn't, let us know and we'll fix it.
>
>
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