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Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #755667]

Wed, 09 November 2011 09:12

Vlad Gheorghe

Messages: 127
Registered: May 2011

Senior Member

Hello,

Suppose that we have an ecore model (M.ecore), which we want to convert to an UML model, so that it can be referenced in other UML models as a design artefact.

During development, it is expected that M.ecore is changed several times, and M.uml must be updated each time.

The problem is that at each 'Export model...' run on M.genmodel, M.uml is generated, but with different xmi:id attributes.

How can the xmi:id attributes be preserved from the existing target model for the unchanged model elements ?

Regards,
Vlad Gheorghe

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #755689 is a reply to message #755667]

Wed, 09 November 2011 10:18

Ed Willink

Messages: 7655
Registered: July 2009

Senior Member

Hi Vlad

I recommend using *.uml as your primary artefact and *.ecore as a
derived artefact.

Sadly the editor tooling isn't as good.

Papyrus Class Diagrams are ok.
UML Model editor is quite painful.
OCLinEcore can load but cannot yet save UML.

Regards

Ed Willink

On 09/11/2011 09:12, Vlad Gheorghe wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> Suppose that we have an ecore model (M.ecore), which we want to
> convert to an UML model, so that it can be referenced in other UML
> models as a design artefact.
>
> During development, it is expected that M.ecore is changed several
> times, and M.uml must be updated each time.
>
> The problem is that at each 'Export model...' run on M.genmodel, M.uml
> is generated, but with different xmi:id attributes.
>
> How can the xmi:id attributes be preserved from the existing target
> model for the unchanged model elements ?
>
> Regards,
> Vlad Gheorghe
>

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756482 is a reply to message #755689]

Sun, 13 November 2011 21:47

Vlad Gheorghe

Messages: 127
Registered: May 2011

Senior Member

Thanks Ed for the recommendations.

I was still wondering whether this feature of the Ecore2UML exporter exist, or if there are any plans regarding it.

I guess I'm not the only one having these questions..

Regards,
Vlad Gheorghe

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756518 is a reply to message #756482]

Mon, 14 November 2011 07:14

Ed Merks

Messages: 33133
Registered: July 2009

Senior Member

Vlad,

No, there's no feature to preserve generated xmi:id values between
exports. It sounds like a useful feature. (Or better might to be
generate IDs based on the qualified names of the corresponding things in
Ecore rather than generating new IDs each time.)

On 13/11/2011 10:47 PM, Vlad Gheorghe wrote:
>
> Thanks Ed for the recommendations.
>
> I was still wondering whether this feature of the Ecore2UML exporter
> exist, or if there are any plans regarding it.
>
> I guess I'm not the only one having these questions..
>
> Regards,
> Vlad Gheorghe
>

Ed Merks
Professional Support: https://www.macromodeling.com/

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756551 is a reply to message #756518]

Mon, 14 November 2011 09:43

Vlad Varnica

Messages: 546
Registered: July 2009
Location: Milton Keynes - UK

Senior Member

Hi Ed,

It seems to me that you made a confusion in your answer because this is another Vlad and not the real Omondo Vlad you has posted the Id demand and complaining about EMF trying to more DSL oriented and not enough UML focus !!

Too bad that such a fantastic project has made this stupid architecture decision at its creation in 2000.

Vlad
Omondo

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756600 is a reply to message #756551]

Mon, 14 November 2011 13:40

Ed Merks

Messages: 33133
Registered: July 2009

Senior Member

Vlad,

Comments below.

On 14/11/2011 10:43 AM, Vlad Varnica wrote:
> Hi Ed,
>
> It seems to me that you made a confusion in your answer because this
> is another Vlad and not the real Omondo Vlad
I'm pretty sure he's a real person too and no, I didn't confuse the two
of you at all.
> you has posted the Id demand and complaining about EMF trying to more
> DSL oriented and not enough UML focus !!
It's impossible to make sense of this ungrammatical atrocity.
>
> Too bad that such a fantastic project has made this stupid
> architecture decision at its creation in 2000.
Have you not flogged this horse to death yet?
>
> Vlad Omondo

Ed Merks
Professional Support: https://www.macromodeling.com/

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756720 is a reply to message #756482]

Mon, 14 November 2011 19:40

Ed Willink

Messages: 7655
Registered: July 2009

Senior Member

Hi Vlad

This is getting very confusing, quite apart from 2*Ed and 2*Vlad,
>
> I was still wondering whether this feature of the Ecore2UML exporter
> exist, or if there are any plans regarding it.
Ecore2UML was not part of the earlier discussion.

You want stable xmi:ids for Ecore->UML.

I suggested reversing the direction so that UML is stable.

Ed Merks suggests that stable Ecore->UML xmi:ids might be useful.
Arguably, from a purely modeling perspective, the Ecore and UML variants
are just two representations of one model and so they should not have
distinct unique identities. You could therefore just re-use the Ecore
xmi:ids in the UML exports for the 1:1 objects and define a simple
algorithm for the non 1:1 xmi:ids. (I think MDT/OCL's Ecore2Pivot and
UML2Pivot is the only 'loader' that tries to allow arbitrary intermixing
of Ecore and UML meta-models, so don't try intermixing.)

Regards

Ed Willink

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Re: Iterative export of ecore to UML2 [message #756916 is a reply to message #756720]

Tue, 15 November 2011 14:28

Vlad Varnica

Messages: 546
Registered: July 2009
Location: Milton Keynes - UK

Senior Member

Hi Ed,

Did you see the Eclipse movie ?
This movie is about Bella, whose high school graduation is fast approaching, is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward (e.g EMF) and her friendship with werewolf Jacob (e.g. UML).

[Updated on: Thu, 17 November 2011 10:05]

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